Marriage registration at the ward
विवाह दर्ता (वडा कार्यालय)
Responsible office
Ward office of your municipality or rural municipality (local registrar)
वडा कार्यालय (स्थानीय पञ्जिकाधिकारी)
01 · Before you apply
Essential information
Legal basis
National Identity Card and Civil Registration Act 2076 (राष्ट्रिय परिचयपत्र तथा पञ्जीकरण ऐन, २०७६): s.18(1) notice within 35 days (both spouses; s.18(2) for marriages abroad), s.19(3) late registration on payment of the prescribed late fee; National Identity Card and Registration Rules 2077, as amended to 2082: r.16(3) notice forms received without fee, r.17(2) late fee per Schedule 3, r.21 copies; r.16(6) marriages abroad.
Fee information as of
National rule (Act 2076; Rules 2077 as amended to 2082): free within 35 days; late-fee and copy-fee amounts (Schedule 3) not found
Source updated
2082-08-01 BS (Rules 2077 with amendments, posted by DoNIDCR); 2082-04-14 BS (Act 2076 posted); DoNIDCR FAQ undated
Data confidence
medium
02 · Prepare
Documents you need
Bring original documents together with readable photocopies. Names, dates and record details should match across every document.
- Marriage information form signed by both spouses
- Citizenship certificate or nationality document of both spouses (DoNIDCR FAQ 28); some wards accept a birth registration (Panchkhapan) or, if a spouse has no citizenship, the father's or brother's citizenship (Aandhikhola)
- Two recent passport-size photos of each spouse (DoNIDCR FAQ 28)
- If one spouse is abroad: a power of attorney notarised through the Nepali mission (DoNIDCR FAQ 28)
- For a marriage that took place abroad: the marriage certificate, attested by that country's mission or a Nepali mission (Rules r.16(6))
- Current fiscal year's property-tax receipt (some wards, e.g. Aandhikhola)
03 · At the office
Step-by-step process
- 1
Within 35 days of the wedding, both spouses go together to the ward office (if one is abroad, a representative holding a power of attorney notarised through the Nepali mission can act for them).
- 2
Fill in the marriage information form; both spouses sign it.
- 3
Attach the citizenship copies and photos.
- 4
Within 35 days registration is free. After 35 days the event is still registered, but you pay the national late fee set in Schedule 3 of the National ID and Registration Rules 2077 (amount: confirm at the ward).
- 5
The ward registers the marriage and issues the marriage registration certificate (विवाह दर्ता प्रमाणपत्र), usually the same day.
04 · Cost
Fees and charges
Registration within 35 days
DoNIDCR FAQ 4: '३५ दिनभित्र निःशुल्क वा त्यसपछि बिलम्ब शूल्क तिरी दर्ता गराउन सकिन्छ'; Rules 2077 r.16(3): notice forms are received 'बिना दस्तुर' (without fee). Older local charters listed a fee (Aandhikhola Rural Municipality Rs 50, 2073 BS; Panchkhapan Municipality Rs 200, Rs 500 if married abroad, 2077 BS); if your ward charges one, ask under which law.
Free
Late registration (after 35 days)
Set nationally, not by the local Finance Act: Act 2076 s.19(3) (registered 'तोकिए बमोजिमको विलम्ब शुल्क लिई') and Rules 2077 r.17(2) (late fee per Schedule 3, अनुसूची-३). The official online copy of the Rules ends before Schedule 3, so the amount could not be read.
Not published - confirm at the office
Copy of marriage certificate
Rules 2077 r.21(2): each copy costs the Schedule 3 fee; r.21(3): half the fee if the certificate was lost or not delivered for reasons beyond your control. Older local example: Panchkhapan Municipality Rs 300 (Rs 700 if married abroad), 2077 BS.
Not published - confirm at the office
05 · Digital options
Online services
06 · Read carefully
Important notes
- The 35-day free period and the late fee are national rules (Act 2076 and Rules 2077), so they should be the same at every ward; the late-fee amount itself was not readable online.
- The marriage certificate is needed later for a married woman's citizenship, adding a husband's name, changing the passport surname, the child's birth registration and the minor ID card (DAO and DoP sources).
- A court (registered) marriage is a separate service at the District Administration Office; see its own entry.
08 · Verification