If you plan to start a business in Nepal, registering your business name is the first legal milestone.
For foreign companies, this step determines whether you can incorporate, invest, hire, open bank accounts, or repatriate profits.
Nepal’s company-name rules are strict, process-driven, and fully regulated by law.
Choosing the wrong name or filing it incorrectly can delay your entire market-entry plan.
This guide explains exactly how foreign companies register a business name in Nepal, what the regulators check, how long it takes, and how to avoid common rejections.
It is written for founders, CFOs, legal teams, and expansion managers who want certainty, speed, and compliance.
Your business name is not branding alone.
In Nepal, it is a regulated legal identity.
A registered name allows you to:
Incorporate a Private Limited Company or public company
Apply for Foreign Direct Investment approval
Open a corporate bank account
Sign leases and contracts
Hire staff and register for tax and social security
Without an approved name, nothing else can move forward.
When foreign companies start a business in Nepal, name registration is regulated by:
Companies Act, 2006
Office of the Company Registrar (OCR) directives
Industrial Enterprises Act, 2020
FITTA 2019 for foreign investors
The Office of the Company Registrar is the sole authority approving company names.
You must register a business name if you are:
A foreign company incorporating a Nepal subsidiary
A foreign investor entering via FDI
A joint venture with Nepali partners
A local entity reserved for future foreign investment
Freelancers and sole proprietors follow different rules and are not covered here.
Before you start a business in Nepal, you must understand name categories.
Your name must be:
Distinct and non-misleading
Not identical or confusingly similar to existing entities
Aligned with your approved business activities
Certain words require prior approvals or are prohibited.
Commonly restricted terms include:
Bank, finance, insurance, cooperative
Government, national, authority
University, academy, council
Using these words without approval leads to automatic rejection.
Before filing anything, check whether your proposed name is already registered.
The Company Registrar database is authoritative.
Similarity in spelling, pronunciation, or meaning can trigger rejection.
Best practice: Prepare 2 to 3 alternative names.
Nepal regulators assess whether the name matches the stated business activities.
For example:
A technology name cannot be used for trading
A consulting name cannot be used for manufacturing
Your Memorandum of Association and name must align.
To start a business in Nepal, you must submit:
Proposed company name
Business objectives
Registered office address in Nepal
Shareholding structure
Details of promoters and foreign shareholders
Foreign documents must be notarized and legalized.
The application is submitted electronically to the Office of the Company Registrar.
Processing time is typically 1 to 3 working days.
If approved, the name is reserved temporarily for incorporation.
If the Registrar raises questions, you must respond promptly.
Common objections relate to:
Name similarity
Restricted words
Activity mismatch
Delays occur when responses are incomplete or poorly justified.
Once approved, you receive a formal name approval confirmation.
This certificate allows you to proceed with:
Company incorporation
FDI approval
Bank account opening
Without this, no downstream approvals are possible.
| Stage | Typical Duration |
|---|---|
| Name search and preparation | 1 day |
| Application submission | Same day |
| Registrar review | 1 to 3 working days |
| Objection resolution (if any) | 2 to 5 working days |
Well-prepared applications often complete in under a week.
Foreign companies starting a business in Nepal often face rejection due to:
Names similar to existing companies
Generic or misleading terminology
Use of regulated words without approval
Mismatch between name and objectives
Incomplete foreign documentation
Professional pre-screening reduces rejection risk significantly.
Foreign companies must pay extra attention to:
English language accuracy
Global brand alignment
Trademark considerations
Nepal-specific naming conventions
Registering a name in Nepal does not automatically grant trademark protection.
This distinction is critical when you start a business in Nepal.
Approved by the Company Registrar
Grants legal incorporation rights
Does not prevent others from using similar brand names
Approved by the Department of Industry
Protects branding and logos
Separate process from incorporation
Smart investors register both.
Some sectors require additional clearance:
Banking and financial services
Insurance and microfinance
Education and healthcare
Telecommunications
If your name implies regulated activity, approvals are mandatory.
Name approval is not permanent.
Typically:
Valid for incorporation within a limited period
Expired reservations require re-application
Delays in FDI approval can cause name lapses if not managed.
When you start a business in Nepal as a foreign company:
Avoid overly broad names
Keep objectives precise
Align name with long-term expansion plans
Prepare legalization early
Use local compliance advisors
These steps save weeks of back-and-forth.
Name uniqueness verified
Objectives clearly defined
Restricted words reviewed
Foreign documents legalized
Shareholding structure finalized
Skipping any item increases rejection risk.
Yes. Foreign investors can reserve a company name before incorporation, provided ownership and objectives are disclosed accurately.
You may propose multiple alternatives, but approval is granted to only one name at a time.
Yes. Most foreign-owned companies register names in English.
No. Name registration is only the first step. Incorporation requires additional filings.
Yes. If incorporation documents conflict with the approved name, authorities may revoke approval.
Registering a business name seems simple.
In practice, it is one of the most common bottlenecks for foreign companies entering Nepal.
Errors at this stage delay:
FDI approvals
Hiring timelines
Bank account opening
Market entry
Professional guidance reduces regulatory friction.
To start a business in Nepal, registering your business name correctly is non-negotiable.
It sets the legal foundation for incorporation, investment, hiring, and growth.
With proper planning, compliance, and expert handling, the process is fast and predictable.
Foreign companies that get this step right enter Nepal with clarity and confidence.