Among all Nepali domain extensions, .gov.np carries the strictest rules, and rightly so: citizens must be able to trust that anything on a .gov.np address genuinely belongs to the Government of Nepal. Registration runs through the NIC.np registry at register.com.np, but with additional verification layers that ordinary .com.np applications never see.

Who Is Eligible

  • Federal ministries, departments and their subordinate offices
  • Provincial ministries and agencies
  • Metropolitan cities, municipalities and rural municipalities
  • Constitutional bodies, commissions and committees
  • Public entities established by act or government decision

Private companies, NGOs and public-private projects are not eligible; those belong under .com.np or .org.np.

What Makes .gov.np Applications Different

  1. Official request letter: the application must include a formal letter on official government letterhead, stamped and signed by the office chief or authorized officer, explicitly requesting the domain.
  2. Authority verification: the registry may cross-check with relevant government IT authorities before approving, since government web policy directs how public sites are hosted and secured.
  3. Naming conventions: the domain should follow recognizable patterns for the office and location, so citizens can predict and verify addresses.

The Process in Practice

  1. Prepare the official request letter naming the exact domain, the responsible officer and contact details.
  2. Arrange hosting and obtain nameservers. Government sites are generally expected to follow national hosting and security directives, so coordinate with your IT section.
  3. Apply through register.com.np, upload the letter and supporting documents, and enter the nameservers.
  4. Respond promptly to any verification queries. Approval takes longer than the standard 1 to 3 business days when extra verification is required.

Advice for Municipal IT Officers

  • Keep registry account credentials with the office, documented in handover files, not in a personal email.
  • Assign a role-based email such as ito@yourmunicipality.gov.np as the technical contact.
  • Enable SSL from day one; a government site without HTTPS undermines the very trust the extension exists to provide.
  • Plan citizen services, notices and downloads before launch so the site is useful, not just a formality.

Why Extra Verification Time Is Worth Planning For

Unlike a .com.np application where a rejection simply means a quick resubmission, a .gov.np application's additional authority cross-check means the review window is genuinely less predictable — a straightforward municipal request might clear in the standard few days, while one requiring coordination between the registry and a separate government IT authority can take meaningfully longer. Municipal offices planning a website launch tied to a specific date (a fiscal year start, a public event) should build in real buffer time for this step rather than assuming the standard .com.np timeline applies, and should name a specific, reachable contact person in the request letter so any verification query does not stall waiting for a response.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is .gov.np free like other .np domains?

Yes, the registry does not charge for it. The costs involved are hosting, SSL and website development.

Can a government project or program get its own .gov.np?

Often yes, as a subdomain of the parent body or as its own registration when the sponsoring office submits the request letter. The sponsoring authority remains responsible.

Who should technically manage the domain?

The office IT section or an authorized vendor, with the office retaining account ownership and all credentials documented.

Building a public office website? Our team supports government and municipal projects with compliant hosting and development. Contact us or start with the Nepal domain guide.