Copyright Registration in Nepal: Complete Guide 2026

Copyright registration in Nepal

Nepal protects original creative expression under the Copyright Act, 2059 (2002) and Copyright Rules, 2061 (2004). Registration is administered by the Nepal Copyright Registrar's Office in Narayanhiti, Kathmandu.

Quick answer

Copyright generally exists without registration; registration is not what creates an original author's rights. A creator or right owner may nevertheless register a work to create an official record useful for ownership, licensing and disputes. The Registrar's current online guidance asks for the application, proof of ownership, nationality evidence, two copies of the work and a Rs. 100 revenue payment. It states that a certificate is issued within 35 days after a complete application if the work is registrable. Confirm the live checklist before filing.

1. Confirm the work and owner

Identify the specific version being registered and the person or organisation claiming ownership. The Copyright Act covers original intellectual creations in literature, art, knowledge and science, including books and articles, music, dramatic works, paintings, photographs, architecture, audiovisual works, computer programs and databases expressed through original selection or arrangement.

Copyright protects expression, not a bare idea, method, concept, principle, court judgment, administrative decision, folk expression or general data. Registration cannot turn excluded subject matter or copied material into protected work.

Authorship and ownership are not always identical. Before filing for a company, check employment terms, commissioning agreements, assignments and permissions from co-authors. A registration record should not contradict the underlying chain of title.

2. Preserve creation evidence

Keep dated drafts, source files, version history, publication records, contracts and correspondence. For collaborative work, record each contributor's role and obtain a written agreement. For transferred rights, retain the signed assignment and scope of rights transferred.

This evidence remains important even after registration because a certificate does not independently resolve every authorship, originality or contractual dispute.