KATHMANDU : The Department of Transport Management (DoTM) has reopened registration for public goods vehicles across Nepal.
The department issued a circular to the transport ministries of all seven provinces on Monday, allowing the registration of freight vehicles with immediate effect.
According to the circular, the suspension on new registrations for public transport vehicles remains in force. However, the restriction has now been lifted for public goods vehicles only until further notice.
The DoTM had suspended the registration of all categories of public transport vehicles indefinitely on May 21, 2026.
Earlier, the department had allowed the registration of public vehicles that had already opened letters of credit (LCs) and completed the import process before May 22, 2026.
The ban on new registrations for passenger public transport vehicles, including buses and microbuses, remains unchanged.
Bagmati Province had reopened public vehicle registrations in the third week of Jestha despite the central government’s decision. Other provinces have yet to take similar action.
The department had imposed the registration freeze citing the need for better scientific management of public transport. It said the growing number of vehicles had contributed to air pollution, traffic congestion and increasing pressure on road infrastructure.
The decision was made under Section 24(3) of the Vehicle and Transport Management Act, 1993 (2049 BS), which allows the department to suspend vehicle registrations in the public interest due to factors such as environmental pollution, traffic volume, road conditions or transport-related difficulties.
Although Nepal’s Constitution places public transport under the exclusive jurisdiction of provincial governments, allowing provinces to regulate vehicle registration and taxation, the DoTM continues to coordinate transport registration policies at the national level.
