Embossed Number Plates Mandatory From Ashoj 1st: Nepal Unifies Ride-Sharing Policy

7th August 2025, Kathmandu

In a significant move towards modernizing vehicle administration and streamlining public transport, the Government of Nepal has announced that embossed number plates will be mandatory for all vehicles nationwide starting Ashoj 1, 2082 (September 17, 2025).

Nepal Embossed Number Plate

This pivotal decision, alongside a unified ride-sharing policy and other digital reforms, was made during a high-level inter-governmental meeting chaired by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Devendra Dahal.

The new directive emphasizes a systematic rollout, with all provincial transport offices mandated to install embossed number plates during:

New vehicle registrations

Ownership transfers (नामसारी)

Vehicle renewals

To ensure strict compliance, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport will collaborate closely with the Home Ministry, deploying traffic police for rigorous enforcement. The Department of Transport Management (#DoTM) is set to receive essential technical support to facilitate this nationwide implementation smoothly.

Accelerating Driver’s License Printing & Digital Transformation

Beyond embossed number plates, the meeting also outlined a clear timeline for the printing of new embossed driver’s licenses. By Section 9 of the Security Printing Act 2081, a new agreement signed on Jestha 9 between the Security Printing Center and DoTM aims to expedite the backlog.

The first phase of license printing is expected to commence by the end of Ashadh 2082, with an urgent request to begin printing by the end of Bhadra 2082. Provinces like Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki have already initiated their procurement processes, signalling readiness for this crucial update.

The inter-governmental dialogue also brought forth several long-term transport policy reforms aimed at enhancing efficiency and transparency across the sector:

Standardizing revenue collection for 10-year driver’s licenses.

Transitioning to electronic payment systems for all transport-related services.

Digitizing vehicle and license data for improved record-keeping and accessibility.

Upgrading software systems to boost speed and transparency in operations.

Resolving pending irregularities (बेरुजू फस्र्यौट).

Crucially, it unifies ride-sharing regulations and rolls out a nationwide policy to ensure consistency and legality for services like Tootle and Pathao.

These comprehensive reforms underscore the government’s commitment to streamlining public services and fostering stronger federal coordination within Nepal’s transportation landscape.

Strengthening Federalism Through Implementation

Minister Devendra Dahal reiterated the government’s dedication to the robust implementation of constitutional and legal provisions. “Implementing the systems envisioned by the Constitution and laws is key to strengthening federalism. Coordination across all three levels of government is vital for effective service delivery,” stated Minister Dahal. Secretary Keshav Kumar Sharma echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the meeting built upon previous decisions, paving the way for significant upcoming reforms.

The meeting, held under Section 22 of the Intergovernmental Relations Act, 2077, saw active participation from representatives of federal, provincial, and local governments, signifying a unified approach towards a more organized and digitally advanced transportation system in Nepal.

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