How to Register an INGO / NGO in Nepal (Social Welfare Council Guide)

The phrases "ngo registration nepal" and "ingo registration in nepal" describe two distinct legal pathways, and confusing them is the most common mistake applicants make. A local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) is a Nepali not-for-profit association formed by Nepali citizens; it is first registered as an association at the District Administration Office (DAO) and then affiliated with the Social Welfare Council (SWC). An International Non-Governmental Organisation (INGO) is an organisation already incorporated abroad; it is not re-incorporated in Nepal but is instead permitted to work through a General Agreement signed with the SWC.

Both routes ultimately pass through the Social Welfare Council, the government body that coordinates, monitors and facilitates non-governmental social-welfare activity in Nepal. The SWC was constituted under the Social Welfare Act, 2049 (1992), which replaced the earlier Social Services National Coordination Council (SSNCC) established in 2034 (1977). This is why the same council governs organisations whose paperwork otherwise differs completely.

The underlying statutes are the Association Registration Act, 2034 (1977) — which governs how any association is formed and registered — and the Social Welfare Act, 2049 (1992), which requires social-welfare organisations to affiliate with, or obtain approval from, the SWC before operating. Local NGOs touch both laws; INGOs are governed mainly by the Social Welfare Act and the SWC's agreement framework, alongside general laws on foreign exchange, immigration and income tax.

A local NGO begins life as an association registered under Section 3 of the Association Registration Act, 2034 (1977), which prohibits operating any association without registering it at the concerned District Administration Office. Registration is done in the district where the organisation will keep its head office, and the Chief District Officer (CDO) is the registering authority under the Act. In practice this is the Home Ministry's local administration channel, distinct from the SWC.

The Act requires a minimum of seven founding members, all of whom are generally Nepali citizens of legal age and of good standing. The founders adopt a constitution (bidhan) setting out the organisation's name, objectives, membership, governing committee, meeting rules, funds and dissolution clause. This constitution, together with citizenship copies, an office address and a recommendation, forms the core of the application.

Once the CDO is satisfied that the documents and objectives comply with the Act, the DAO issues a registration certificate and the organisation gains legal personality — it can open a bank account, hold property and enter contracts. Registration must be renewed annually with the DAO, typically after the organisation's annual general meeting and audit. Registration alone, however, does not authorise an NGO to receive foreign funds or run donor-funded programmes; for that, SWC affiliation is required.

After DAO registration, a local NGO that intends to run social-welfare programmes — especially any funded by foreign or international sources — must affiliate with the Social Welfare Council under the Social Welfare Act, 2049 (1992). The Act requires social organisations to obtain approval from and register with the Council before conducting social-welfare activities, and the resulting document is commonly called the SWC affiliation certificate.

The affiliation application is filed with the SWC and typically includes the DAO registration certificate, the constitution, the list of office-bearers, minutes of the relevant meeting, an audit report and tax clearance, and a brief profile of planned activities. The Council reviews whether the organisation's objectives fall within recognised social-welfare fields and whether it duplicates existing bodies before granting affiliation.

SWC affiliation is what allows an NGO to legally accept foreign grants and to sign project agreements alongside INGOs and donors. Affiliation is periodically renewed — commonly cited as a multi-year cycle (about every few years) with annual reporting in between — so organisations should confirm the current renewal period and fees directly with the SWC, as these are updated administratively rather than fixed in the primary Act.

A foreign organisation cannot simply "register an INGO" like a company. Instead, it seeks permission to operate by entering a General Agreement (GA) with the Social Welfare Council — the master agreement that sets out the INGO's thematic sectors, working districts, broad budget framework, staffing and reporting obligations in Nepal. The GA is the foundational document; without it, an INGO has no legal basis to run programmes in the country.

To obtain a GA, the INGO submits evidence that it is legally registered and in good standing in its home country, its statutes or bylaws and board composition, several years of audited accounts, an organisational profile, and a proposed programme aligned with Nepal's development priorities. The SWC evaluates the application in coordination with the relevant line ministry and the Government of Nepal; approval commonly takes a few months, and the process may involve concurrence at the ministerial or Council of Ministers level for entry into Nepal.

A General Agreement is time-bound — widely reported as valid for around three to five years — and must be renewed before it expires, with organisations advised to apply well ahead (several months) and to submit progress reports. Exact validity, renewal windows and any fees are set administratively by the SWC and can change, so applicants should confirm the current terms with the Council rather than rely on secondary summaries.

The General Agreement authorises an INGO's presence; the Project Agreement (PA) authorises each specific project. A single GA can host multiple PAs over its life, and each PA is a tripartite arrangement typically involving the INGO, the SWC, and a local implementing partner or relevant government body. The PA spells out the project's background, objectives, activities, geographic coverage, beneficiaries, itemised budget and duration.

Timing matters: an INGO is generally expected to submit its first Project Agreement application within three months of signing the General Agreement. Where this deadline cannot be met, the SWC may grant a further extension (commonly cited as an additional three months), after which delays can attract a fine. This rule keeps the GA from becoming a dormant permission with no actual programmes on the ground.

The practical implication is that a GA alone does not let an INGO spend money on activities — a PA must be approved first. Because project budgets, partners and durations vary, INGOs plan their PAs to fit within the GA's validity and thematic scope, and each new or renewed project requires a fresh or amended PA reviewed by the Council.

Neither NGOs nor INGOs receive a one-time permanent licence. Local NGOs renew their DAO registration annually and renew SWC affiliation periodically; INGOs renew their General Agreement before it lapses and keep project activity current through valid Project Agreements. Missing a renewal window can suspend an organisation's legal ability to operate or to disburse funds.

Ongoing compliance centres on reporting and audit. Organisations are expected to submit annual progress and financial reports to the SWC, undergo independent audits, maintain tax clearance, and route foreign funds through approved channels. INGOs and donor-funded NGOs must also observe Nepal's foreign-exchange, immigration and income-tax rules when bringing in funds or expatriate staff.

The SWC also monitors and can evaluate programmes, request corrective action, or act against organisations that breach their agreements or the governing Acts. Because fees, forms, renewal periods and checklists are administrative and revised from time to time, the safest practice is to verify every current requirement on the SWC's official portal (swc.org.np) or at the DAO before filing.

For a Nepali reader it helps to separate the two primary statutes. The Association Registration Act, 2034 (1977) is the general law of associations — it decides who can form an organisation, the minimum members, the constitution, and registration and annual renewal at the District Administration Office. Any club, association or NGO in Nepal owes its legal existence to this Act.

The Social Welfare Act, 2049 (1992) is the sector law for social welfare. It established the Social Welfare Council, requires social-welfare organisations to affiliate with or gain approval from the Council, and provides the framework under which INGOs enter agreements to work in Nepal. It is this Act, not the Association Registration Act, that governs the GA/PA system for foreign organisations.

In short: the Association Registration Act tells you how to be a legal association; the Social Welfare Act tells you how to lawfully deliver social-welfare work and receive foreign support through the SWC. Most donor-facing organisations end up complying with both, layered on top of general tax, exchange-control and immigration law.