Before you start

A valid national licence and an International Driving Permit for the initial period
Legal residence and a visa, for a Nepali licence application
An online application through the DoTM system and an appointment
A realistic view of whether you want to drive here

Step-by-step

1
Bring an International Driving Permit but do not rely on it for long
The commonly published position is that an IDP covers a foreign driver in Nepal for around fifteen days, after which a Nepali licence is required. That is a much shorter grace period than in most countries. Confirm the current position with the Department of Transport Management rather than assuming a year, which is the norm elsewhere and is not the norm here.
OnlineWho: YouBefore arrival
2
Consider a motorcycle licence rather than a car one
Kathmandu's streets are narrow, congested and often unsurfaced at the edges, and the scooter is the standard vehicle for anyone who is not being driven. Many foreign residents get the two-wheeler category and never bother with the car one. If you have never ridden, take lessons here rather than learning in this traffic.
In personWho: You
3
Apply through the DoTM online system
The Department of Transport Management has moved to online application, appointment booking and smart-card issuance, with status tracking. Registration and appointment selection are done online; the written and practical trials are in person.
OnlineWho: You
4
Check whether a bilateral arrangement helps you
Holders of licences from some SAARC countries benefit from simplified procedures under bilateral arrangements. If your licence is Indian, Sri Lankan or from another SAARC state, ask specifically — the route may be shorter than the standard one.
In personWho: You
5
Use taxis and ride-hailing for everything else
Pathao and inDrive operate in Kathmandu alongside metered taxis, and fares are low. For a foreign professional in Lazimpat or Jhamsikhel, the combination of a scooter for short trips and ride-hailing for the rest covers almost every need without owning a car.
Mobile appWho: You
6
Treat monsoon and winter driving as different problems
Monsoon rain floods sections of the ring road and the smaller lanes, and road surfaces deteriorate badly through the season. In winter, morning fog in the valley reduces visibility sharply. Neither is dramatic, but both change how long a journey takes and both catch people who planned on dry-season timings.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

National driving licence
International Driving Permit, for the initial period
Passport with valid visa
Proof of Kathmandu address
Medical certificate, where required

Things most newcomers don’t know

The IDP window in Nepal is far shorter than most countries', and people assume a year.

The widely published position is that a foreign national may drive on an International Driving Permit in Nepal for around fifteen days, after which a Nepali licence is required. Almost everywhere else the IDP covers six months to a year, and arrivals transfer that assumption without checking. Confirm the current rule with the Department of Transport Management directly — but plan on needing a Nepali licence quickly rather than eventually, which is the opposite of the usual advice.

Source: Department of Transport Management; community-reported

The scooter is the default vehicle here, and getting the two-wheeler category is often the whole answer.

Kathmandu's road network is narrow, congested and poorly surfaced in places, and a car spends most of its time stationary. The overwhelming majority of private journeys in the valley are made on two wheels. For a foreign resident, a scooter plus ride-hailing covers nearly everything at a fraction of the cost and frustration of car ownership. If you have never ridden, learn here with an instructor rather than teaching yourself in this traffic — the risk is real and helmet quality varies.

Source: community-reported

SAARC licence holders may have a shorter route.

Holders of driving licences from some SAARC member states benefit from simplified conversion procedures under bilateral arrangements, which can shorten or remove parts of the standard process. If your licence is Indian or from another SAARC country, ask the Department of Transport Management specifically rather than assuming you are in the general queue — this is exactly the kind of provision that exists, is real, and is never mentioned unless you raise it.

Source: Department of Transport Management

The DoTM process is now genuinely online, which is a recent and unadvertised improvement.

Nepal moved to smart-card licences in 2015 and has since put registration, appointment booking and print-status tracking online through the Department of Transport Management portal and the Nagarik App. Older accounts describe long queues at Ekantakuna beginning before dawn. The trials are still in person and the appointment backlog is real, but the process that used to require physically queuing to apply no longer does.

Source: Department of Transport Management

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming an International Driving Permit covers you for a year here.
Buying a car when a scooter and ride-hailing would do the job for a fraction of the cost.
Learning to ride a motorcycle for the first time in Kathmandu traffic without instruction.
Not asking about SAARC bilateral arrangements if your licence qualifies.
Planning journey times on dry-season experience and being caught by monsoon flooding or winter fog.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.