Pay Traffic Fines Online in Nepal (E-Challan / Digital Chit): Full Guide

An e-challan, popularly called a digital chit, is an electronic record of a traffic violation issued by Nepal Traffic Police in place of the old paper ticket. Instead of seizing the driver's physical licence and writing out a manual receipt, the officer logs the offence digitally against the driver and vehicle, and the violation appears as a payable record that the driver can settle online.

The framework behind it is the Traffic Violation Record System (TVRS), which Nepal Police inaugurated in the Kathmandu Valley. It was formally launched on 20 October 2024 by the Minister for Home Affairs, Ramesh Lekhak, at the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, and was rolled out in a first phase covering Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur districts.

The stated goals are to cut paperwork, speed up service delivery, and reduce reliance on informal cash payments at the roadside, making enforcement more transparent and convenient for both officers and the public.

The system is tied to the digital driving licence available through the government's Nagarik App. When a driver is stopped, the traffic officer scans the QR code of the driver's digital licence using a dedicated device or app, and records the violation details, including the type of offence, the vehicle type and number, and the corresponding fine amount.

Because the offence is recorded electronically, the officer does not need to retain the physical licence card as security against payment. The driver immediately receives a digital chit containing the offence description, the fine, the challan number and the payment options.

The Nagarik App, developed by the Government of Nepal, is the central place to store the digital driving licence and to see any fines recorded against it. After registering and adding your driving licence so its details are fetched, you can open the Driving Licence section to review your record.

Within the Driving Licence section there is a Violation Records (e-challan) view that lists each issued fine. For every entry you can typically see the challan or voucher number, the fine amount, the reason for the violation, and the related vehicle details, which lets you confirm a fine before paying it.

Once a digital chit exists, it can be settled through several digital channels rather than only at a traffic office. The most direct route is within the Nagarik App itself: open the violation record, choose Pay Now, select a payment method, and complete the transaction. The app integrates digital wallets, so payment can flow through linked services.

You can also pay outside the Nagarik App using popular Nepali payment platforms by entering the challan or voucher number. When paying through eSewa, the fine is found under the traffic/government payment options; users are advised to choose the entry marked for the digital chit to ensure the correct fine is paid. Those without a wallet can still pay at a traffic office using the voucher number.

Because the record is electronic, drivers can check at any time whether they have unpaid fines by opening the Violation Records section of the Nagarik App linked to their licence. This avoids the situation under the old paper system where a held licence or a lost chit was the only reminder of an outstanding fine.

After paying, the app provides a digital confirmation. It is good practice to keep the receipt or screenshot, since proof of payment can be useful during later vehicle or document procedures.

An unpaid e-challan does not simply disappear. Leaving a digital chit unsettled can attract additional penalties or late fees and can create complications during routine processes that rely on a clean record.

In particular, outstanding fines can cause problems during document verification and when transferring or reselling a vehicle, because the violation stays attached to the driver and vehicle in the system until it is cleared. Paying promptly through any of the digital channels keeps the record clean.