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Shipping boxes to and from Nepal

Nepal charges customs duty and 13% VAT on most courier boxes, gifts included, so budget before you pack. Family members living abroad can send household-type goods in personal quantities worth up to USD 500 (about NPR 76,800), cleared on paying duty. Nepalis coming home from work or study abroad get generous duty-free allowances for their used belongings, and migrant workers can send used clothes and household goods ahead and clear them in person.

Typical transit
3-5 business days from the Gulf, Malaysia, and India; 4-7 from Europe, North America, Japan, and Australia
Currency
NPR
Duty-free up to
Nepal has no general duty-free allowance for courier boxes
Receiver ID
Not usually needed

Price a shipment to Nepal

Box size

Choose where it's from and where it's going.

What it costs to ship boxes from the US to Nepal

  • 1 medium box (16 × 16 × 16 in, 20 lb)$282.67delivered in 4 to 7 business days
  • 5 medium boxes (30 lb each)$1,413.38 totalabout $282.68 a box

Includes pickup at your door, express delivery, fuel and prepared customs paperwork. Import duties and taxes, if any, are set by Nepal and paid by the receiver. Prices updated November 2, 2026.

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Sending to Nepal

Duties and taxes134511

Duty-free threshold
Nepal has no general duty-free allowance for courier boxes. Goods that someone living abroad sends to family in Nepal, in personal quantities and worth up to USD 500 (about NPR 76,800), can be cleared on paying the normal duty and VAT. A box worth more than USD 500 that is declared lower can be confiscated, or released only after a fine equal to the excess value plus duty. Declarations for goods worth up to NPR 5,000 (about $33) skip the NPR 500 customs service fee.
Import tax
VAT at 13%, charged on the customs value plus customs duty and any other import taxes. Customs duty follows the tariff in the Customs Duty Act, 2081: for example 20% on cotton garments (used clothing pays the rate of the matching new item), 15% on beauty and skin-care products, and 0% on laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Books from foreign publishers pay no duty and no VAT. Each import declaration for goods over NPR 5,000 also pays a NPR 500 (about $3) customs service fee.
How value is worked out
CIF: customs starts from the transaction value, following the WTO valuation agreement, and adds freight, insurance, and related costs if they aren't already included. For gifts, travelers' goods, or items with no price, customs can set an estimated value when asked. Foreign-currency values are converted at Nepal Rastra Bank's selling rate for the day the goods are declared; currencies without a Nepal Rastra Bank rate go through the US dollar. Declare a fair second-hand value for used goods, and keep receipts: if you disagree with the value customs sets, you can ask for a review within 30 days. Amounts here use about NPR 153.6 per USD, Nepal Rastra Bank's selling rate on September 27, 2026.
Who pays
Shipments are sent DAP. The receiver pays any duties and taxes before or on delivery. The courier may add a clearance or disbursement fee.
Moving there?
Nepali citizens who live in Nepal and return from abroad can bring used clothing, bedding, and used household goods duty-free, plus one each of a used laptop or tablet, camera, video camera, watch, and phone. Migrant workers with a labor permit get more: after 6 months of continuous work abroad, one extra new phone, and after 12 months, one TV up to 65 inches (once only). They can also send their used clothing, bedding, and household goods before or after they fly, duty-free, if they clear them in person. After more than 6 months abroad, dutiable household goods such as appliances are duty-free up to NPR 15,000 (about $98), or NPR 25,000 (about $163) after more than a year. Foreigners arriving by air can bring their used personal and household goods duty-free, with them or sent separately.

Worked example

Illustrative: a courier box of used cotton clothes, not a returning resident's own effects, with a customs (CIF) value of NPR 30,000 (about $195), including shipping and insurance. Assumes customs applies the 20% rate for new cotton garments (for example heading 6109.10.00), as the tariff directs for used clothing, that no excise duty applies, and that the box is cleared on its own declaration, so the NPR 500 customs service fee applies.

Customs duty: 20% x NPR 30,000 = NPR 6,000. VAT: 13% x (NPR 30,000 + NPR 6,000) = NPR 4,680. Customs service fee: NPR 500. Total NPR 11,180.

About NPR 11,180 (about $73), plus any courier fee. A returning migrant worker's own used clothes, cleared in person, would owe nothing.

How customs clearance works in Nepal23478

Express couriers can get expedited clearance on terms set by the Ministry of Finance, and customs guidance lets them clear small consignments together on one declaration and pay the duty, which they bill to the receiver. Customs checks each item's value and tariff heading, then collects duty, 13% VAT, and any service fee. Returning residents' unaccompanied goods are cleared in the passenger's own name, and migrant workers clear theirs in person.

Formal entry
Customs guidance allows consignments worth up to USD 200 (about NPR 30,700) each to be cleared together on the courier's declaration. Above that, each box is cleared on its own, by the owner or a licensed customs agent, with documents that prove its value. Family gifts are capped at USD 500, and bigger, commercial, or permit-bound shipments (medicines, plants, animal products) go through a full declaration and may need an import permit.
How long it takes
Often 1-3 business days after arrival when values and documents are in order. Longer if customs questions a value, or if plant or animal quarantine or the Department of Drug Administration must approve something first.
Inspections
Customs checks every declaration and can physically examine any box, with extra attention to valuable goods that may be undervalued. Arms, explosives, and narcotics are handed to the police. Plant and animal products are held for quarantine and can be destroyed, and goods hidden or left undeclared are confiscated.
If duties go unpaid
Goods should be declared within 7 days of entering the customs area, a limit customs can extend by 7 days. Goods left at customs uncleared can become government property and be auctioned, and customs guidance says warehoused goods should be cleared within 90 days. In practice the courier holds an unpaid box for a limited time, then returns it or abandons it to customs.

Moving to Nepal: claiming duty relief1412

  1. 01

    Check which allowance fits

    The returning-resident allowances are for Nepali citizens who live in Nepal and come home from abroad. Migrant workers who went abroad with a labor permit get extra allowances after 6 and 12 months of continuous work. Non-Resident Nepalis get the main allowances with proof of NRN status, and foreigners arriving by air have their own.

  2. 02

    Know what's duty-free

    Used clothing, bedding, and household goods; one each of a used laptop or tablet, camera, video camera, watch, and phone; a pram and a tricycle; your professional tools; 7 kg of food; and one bottle of liquor up to 1 liter. Workers add one new phone (6 months) and one TV up to 65 inches (12 months, once).

  3. 03

    Use the value allowance

    After more than 6 months abroad, dutiable household goods such as a TV, fridge, washing machine, or small appliances, within set quantities, are duty-free up to NPR 15,000 (6-12 months away) or NPR 25,000 (over a year). Children under 16 get half. Anything above that pays duty on the excess.

  4. 04

    Ship on time, in your name

    Workers can send used clothing, bedding, and household goods before or after they fly and clear them in person, duty-free. Other household goods sent separately must reach the customs warehouse within 3 months of your arrival. Goods can't be cleared in someone else's name, so ask the courier whether it can hold your boxes for you to clear.

  5. 05

    Declare and clear

    Bring your passport, labor permit, and waybill. Dutiable goods are assessed on a simplified declaration at the airport or on a regular customs declaration. The customs office chief may allow larger quantities after looking at your family size, where you lived, and how long you were away.

Documents to have ready1367810

  • Itemized packing list with a fair value for each item, marked as used personal effects or gift, plus receipts for anything new
  • Receiver's full name, address, and mobile number; the courier may ask for a copy of the receiver's citizenship certificate or passport
  • For gifts from family abroad: be ready to show who sent the box and that they live abroad, as customs checks supporting evidence before it releases family gifts
  • For returning residents: your passport with arrival stamp, your labor permit if you worked abroad, and proof of Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) status if you claim NRN allowances
  • For medicines: a special recommendation from the Department of Drug Administration, applied for with the patient's application, prescription, hospital recommendation letter, and citizenship certificate copy
  • For plants, seeds, or animal products: a plant quarantine entry permit, or health and disease-free certificates for animal products (best left out of personal boxes)

Onvoyo prepares the commercial invoice from your contents list. You print three copies, sign them, and send them with your boxes.

Official forms13610

What you can pack, category by category145678

What you can pack, by category
CategoryStatusWhat to know
Clothing and shoesMore on clothesAllowedUsed clothes are fine. By courier they pay the duty rate of the matching new garment (20% for cotton T-shirts) plus 13% VAT, unless a returning-resident allowance applies. A family gift box can hold up to five of each item.
Books and papersMore on booksAllowedBooks from foreign publishers pay no customs duty and no VAT.
ElectronicsMore on electronicsConditionsLaptops, tablets, and smartphones pay no customs duty but do pay 13% VAT. Returning residents bring one used laptop or tablet, one phone, and one camera duty-free. Batteries must be installed in the device.
MedicationMore on medicineConditionsRegulated by the Department of Drug Administration. For medicine a patient needs, apply for a special recommendation with the prescription, a hospital letter, and a citizenship certificate copy before shipping.
FoodMore on foodConditionsSend only sealed, commercially packed food, and declare it. Plant and animal products need quarantine clearance. Family gift boxes can hold up to 10 kg of food, and returning travelers can carry 7 kg duty-free.
Cosmetics and toiletriesMore on cosmeticsConditionsBeauty and skin-care products pay 15% duty plus 13% VAT. A gift box can hold up to five of each item. No aerosols, perfume, or nail polish, which couriers treat as flammable.
Alcohol and tobaccoMore on alcohol or tobaccoNot allowedCouriers refuse alcohol and tobacco. Travelers' allowances, such as one bottle of liquor up to 1 liter for returning Nepalis, don't apply to shipments.
Sports and outdoor gearMore on sports and outdoor gearConditionsClean off soil and plant matter, which plant quarantine can hold. No fuel canisters, flares, or weapons of any kind.
Children's items and toysMore on toys and baby gearAllowedUsed toys are fine but pay 10% duty plus 13% VAT by courier. Returning families bring one pram and one tricycle duty-free. Remove loose batteries.
Documents and photosMore on documents and photosAllowedPersonal papers, certificates, and photos are fine and carry no duty.
OtherConditionsGold, silver, and jewelry are for travelers only, within set limits, so keep them out of boxes. Seeds, plants, and animal products need quarantine permits.

Quantity limits1411

Quantity limits for Nepal
ItemLimit
Gift boxes from family abroadUp to USD 500 (about NPR 76,800) of household-type goods in personal quantities, cleared on paying duty and VAT. No duty-free amount.
Returning residents' value allowanceAfter more than 6 months abroad, dutiable household goods are duty-free up to NPR 15,000 (about $98) for 6-12 months away or NPR 25,000 (about $163) for over a year; children under 16 get half. Covers goods carried or sent within 3 months.
Gold and silver (travelers only)Returning Nepalis: gold jewelry up to 25 g for men and 50 g for women duty-free, and silver jewelry up to 500 g. Up to 100 g of raw gold can be brought on paying duty. Anything over the limits is confiscated. Does not apply to shipments.
Alcohol (travelers only)Returning Nepalis: one bottle of liquor up to 1 liter duty-free. Foreigners: one bottle up to 1 liter or 12 cans of beer. Does not apply to shipments.
Tobacco (travelers only)Foreigners: 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, and 250 g of tobacco duty-free. Returning Nepalis: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, on paying duty. Does not apply to shipments.
Food and medicines (travelers only)Returning Nepalis: 7 kg of food duty-free, and patients' medicines after treatment abroad. Foreigners: medicines up to NPR 10,000 (about $65), food up to NPR 5,000, and fresh fruit up to NPR 2,000.
Cash (travelers)Declare foreign currency or traveler's checks worth more than USD 5,000 at the customs point on arrival. Couriers won't carry cash.
Customs service feeNPR 500 (about $3) per import declaration; none for goods worth up to NPR 5,000 (about $33).

What you can't send to Nepal1234678

Not allowed

  • Aerosols, spray cans, and compressed gas cylinders
  • Flammable liquids and solids: fuel, lighter fluid, paint, nail polish, matches
  • Loose or spare lithium batteries and power banks not installed in a device
  • Cash, gift cards, checks, and other negotiable items
  • Firearms, ammunition, replicas, and weapon parts
  • Perishable food, and meat, dairy, or fresh produce
  • Cannabis, CBD, and THC products, even where they are legal at origin
  • Narcotics, including ganja, charas (hashish), and opium, and medicines banned as narcotic drugs
  • Explosives, fuses, and materials used to make arms, ammunition, or explosives
  • Animals and animal products that the government bans because of a notified contagious disease

Allowed with conditions

Medicines
Regulated by the Department of Drug Administration. To import medicine for a patient, for example one not sold in Nepal, the patient applies for a special recommendation with the prescription, a hospital recommendation letter, and a copy of their citizenship certificate. Arriving travelers have separate allowances.
Plants, seeds, soil, and plant products
Need a plant quarantine entry permit, even for personal use. Permits last three months. Items found carrying pests are treated or destroyed at the owner's cost.
Animals and animal products, including meat, dairy, wool, and skins
Must enter through an animal quarantine checkpoint and may be held for testing. Without health and disease-free certificates from the country of origin, the quarantine officer can refuse entry, send the goods back, or have them destroyed.
Gold, silver, and jewelry
Only arriving travelers may bring them, within set limits, and anything over the limit is confiscated. Family gift boxes don't cover them, so don't send them by courier.
Gifts over USD 500 or beyond personal quantities
The family gift rule covers household-type goods worth up to USD 500 in personal quantities, such as one of each appliance, up to five of each clothing or cosmetic item, and up to 10 kg of food. Bigger or commercial shipments may need an import permit and a customs agent.
Televisions, large appliances, and extra phones
Pay duty and VAT unless an allowance applies. Returning migrant workers get one extra new phone after 6 months abroad and one TV up to 65 inches after 12 months, once only.

Sending from Nepal

Shipping boxes out of Nepal137910

Sending your own things out of Nepal by express courier is routine, and it's how many students ship clothes and books to their new university. The courier files the export declaration, and customs values exports at the declared price. Anything that looks old needs a Department of Archaeology check before it goes, and the destination country decides what the receiver pays.

Documents

  • Itemized packing list with fair values, marked as used personal effects or gift
  • Sender's citizenship certificate or passport; the courier will usually ask for it
  • VAT or PAN invoices for goods bought in Nepal
  • Department of Archaeology curio clearance and seal for statues, thangkas, masks, manuscripts, or anything that looks old
  • A plant health (phytosanitary) certificate for plant products, if the destination requires one

Can't leave the country

  • Historical, archaeological, and artistic objects that the government has listed can't be exported; archaeological objects are generally those over 100 years old
  • Modern handicrafts (curios) should carry the government-approved seal; sellers of curios must be licensed and seal each piece
  • Goods prohibited from export under Nepali law can't be sent, even as gifts
  • Couriers won't carry cash, aerosols, flammable items, loose batteries, or weapons

Before pickup

  • Buying statues, thangkas, or old-looking crafts? Get the Department of Archaeology's curio check in Kathmandu before you pack. It's free and usually done the same day.
  • Keep shop receipts and VAT invoices for everything you buy to send abroad.
  • Check the destination's customs and biosecurity rules before packing food, spices, seeds, or medicines.
  • Traveling out yourself? Nepali citizens may take gifts worth up to NPR 50,000 (about $326) duty-free, with no value cap if you carry VAT or PAN invoices.

Addresses, delivery and timing

Writing the address

Write the house number and tole (neighborhood), then the ward number, municipality, district, five-digit postal code, and province. Many streets have no names or numbers, so add a nearby landmark, and always give the receiver's mobile number: couriers call before delivering.

Sita ExampleHouse 12, Example Marg, near Example TempleWard No. 10, BaneshworKathmandu Metropolitan CityKathmandu 44600, Bagmati ProvinceNepal

Example only; not a real address.

Delivery coverage

Fastest to: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Bharatpur, Butwal, Dharan, Itahari, Hetauda, Janakpur, Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi.

Remote areas: Mountain and far-western districts such as Humla, Mugu, Dolpa, Jumla, Mustang, Manang, Solukhumbu, and Taplejung can add several days and surcharges, and some places are reached only by small plane or on foot. Monsoon landslides can cut roads for days.

International express boxes usually clear customs in Kathmandu, then travel on the courier's domestic network. Give the receiver's mobile number so the courier can arrange payment and delivery.

When things slow down

Expect slower service around Dashain and Tihar, the biggest festivals, which usually fall between late September and November, when offices close for several days and many people travel home. Nepali New Year in mid-April and other public holidays also slow clearance. The June-September monsoon brings landslides and flight delays, and winter fog in the southern plains can disrupt flights in December and January.

Advice for your situation

Students

Leaving for Australia, Japan, the UK, or the US? Couriers can send your clothes, books, and bedding from Nepal: list every item with a fair value, keep receipts for new things, and check the destination's rules on food, spices, and medicines before you pack. Coming home after studying abroad, your used clothes, bedding, household things, and one used laptop, phone, and camera are duty-free when you carry them. Boxes you send before or after your flight get the returning-resident value allowance for household goods (NPR 15,000 after 6-12 months away, NPR 25,000 after more than a year), must reach customs within 3 months of your arrival, and must be cleared in your own name. Nepali students in India pay no duty on one laptop, tablet, or computer when crossing the land border.

Returning home

Migrant workers who went abroad with a labor permit and worked at least 6 months in a row can send their used clothing, bedding, and household goods before or after they fly, by post, cargo, or other means, and clear them duty-free in person. They also get one extra new phone, and after 12 months one TV up to 65 inches, once only. Keep your labor permit handy, including any renewal you got through a Nepali embassy on the FEIMS online system. Every returning resident gets used personal effects duty-free, plus 25 g (men) or 50 g (women) of gold jewelry, and, after more than 6 months abroad, dutiable household goods up to NPR 15,000 or NPR 25,000. The used belongings of a Nepali who dies abroad, and of their family, come home duty-free.

Expats and relocations

Foreigners arriving on international flights can bring their used personal and household goods duty-free, with them or sent before or after, including clothing, bedding, used household goods, a laptop, camera, bicycle, and professional tools. Other goods are at the customs chief's discretion, with duty where it applies. Leaving Nepal, foreigners can take or send goods bought in Nepal worth up to NPR 500,000 (about $3,255), with no cap when they have VAT or PAN invoices.

Tips for a smooth delivery

  • Value every box honestly. A family gift worth up to USD 500 clears on paying duty, but an undervalued box can be confiscated or fined.
  • Keep gift boxes to personal quantities: one of each appliance or device, up to five of each clothing, shoe, or cosmetic item, and up to 10 kg of food.
  • Coming home after 6 months or more of work abroad? Send your used clothes, bedding, and household goods before or after you fly and clear them in person with your labor permit. They're duty-free.
  • Leave gold, silver, jewelry, alcohol, fresh food, plants, and seeds out of your boxes.
  • Sending medicine? Ask the Department of Drug Administration about a special recommendation before you ship.
  • Shipping crafts out of Nepal? Have anything that looks old checked by the Department of Archaeology first. The check is free.

Shipping to and from Nepal: questions

Is there a duty-free limit for parcels to Nepal?

No general one. Customs duty and 13% VAT apply to most boxes, including gifts. Boxes that family members abroad send, in personal quantities and worth up to USD 500 (about NPR 76,800), clear on paying duty. Returning residents and foreigners moving to Nepal have separate allowances for their used belongings.

How much will the receiver pay on a box sent to Nepal?

Customs duty on the CIF value (for example 20% on cotton clothes, 15% on cosmetics, 0% on laptops and phones), then 13% VAT on the value plus duty. Declarations for goods over NPR 5,000 add a NPR 500 customs service fee, and the courier may add its own fee.

Can I send a gift box to my family in Nepal?

Yes. If you live abroad, you can send household-type goods to relatives in Nepal worth up to USD 500, within personal quantities: one of each appliance or device, up to five of each clothing, shoe, or cosmetic item, up to two of each small appliance, and up to 10 kg of food. Customs checks the evidence and charges duty and VAT. Don't include gold, jewelry, or alcohol.

Can I ship my belongings home duty-free after working in the Gulf or Malaysia?

Yes, if you went abroad with a labor permit and worked there for at least 6 months in a row. You can send your used clothing, bedding, and household goods before or after you fly, by post, cargo, or other means, and they're duty-free if you clear them in person. You also get one extra new phone, and after 12 months one TV up to 65 inches, once only.

Can I send medicine to Nepal?

Medicines are regulated by the Department of Drug Administration. For medicine a patient needs, for example one not sold in Nepal, the patient can apply for a special recommendation with the prescription, a hospital recommendation letter, and a citizenship certificate copy. Get it before you ship.

Does the receiver need a citizenship certificate or passport?

No tax number is needed for a personal box, but the goods must be cleared by someone who can show they own them, so ship in the receiver's own name. The courier may ask for a copy of the receiver's citizenship certificate or passport.

How do I ship boxes from Nepal to Australia, Japan, the UK, or the US?

Book an express courier, list every item with a fair value, and have your citizenship certificate or passport ready. The receiving country decides duties and has its own food, spice, and medicine rules, so check them before you pack.

What can't I send out of Nepal?

Antiquities, meaning listed historical, archaeological, or artistic objects, generally over 100 years old, can't be exported, and modern crafts that look old should carry a Department of Archaeology seal. Couriers also refuse cash, aerosols, flammables, loose batteries, and weapons.

Official help in Nepal

Official sources

Every section above is checked against these official pages. Rules change, and customs in Nepal makes the final decision on every shipment. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

  1. 1.

    Department of Customs, Nepal

    यात्रुले आफ्नो साथमा ल्याउन र लैजान पाउने निजी प्रयोगका मालवस्तु सम्बन्धी जानकारी (Ministry of Finance notice on passengers' personal goods, Nepal Gazette, Vol. 76, Extraordinary 15(ka), 2083-02-15) (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  2. 2.

    Department of Customs, Nepal

    भन्सार कार्यविधि, २०६७ (Customs Procedure, 2067) (opens in a new tab)

    Customs · checked September 27, 2026

  3. 3.

    Nepal Law Commission

    भन्सार ऐन, २०८२ (Customs Act, 2082), as amended by the Finance Act, 2083 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  4. 4.

    Nepal Law Commission

    भन्सार महसुल ऐन, २०८१ (Customs Duty Act, 2081), as amended by the Finance Act, 2083 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  5. 5.

    Nepal Law Commission

    मूल्य अभिवृद्धि कर ऐन, २०५२ (Value Added Tax Act, 2052), as amended by the Finance Act, 2083 (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  6. 6.

    Department of Drug Administration, Nepal

    नागरिक वडापत्र – पैठारी शाखा (Citizen Charter – Import Section) (opens in a new tab)

    Health regulator · checked September 27, 2026

  7. 7.

    Nepal Law Commission

    बिरुवा क्वारेन्टाइन तथा संरक्षण ऐन, २०६४ (Plant Quarantine and Protection Act, 2064) (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  8. 8.

    Nepal Law Commission

    पशु स्वास्थ्य तथा पशु सेवा ऐन, २०५५ (Animal Health and Livestock Services Act, 2055) (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  9. 9.

    Nepal Law Commission

    प्राचीन स्मारक संरक्षण ऐन, २०१३ (Ancient Monument Preservation Act, 2013) (opens in a new tab)

    Legislation · checked September 27, 2026

  10. 10.

    Department of Archaeology, Nepal

    क्यूरियो जाँच पास (Curio inspection clearance) (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 27, 2026

  11. 11.

    Nepal Rastra Bank

    Foreign Exchange Rates (opens in a new tab)

    Government · checked September 27, 2026

  12. 12.

    Embassy of Nepal, Muscat, Oman

    Renewal of Labour Permit from the Embassy- 24 May 2023 (opens in a new tab)

    Embassy · checked September 27, 2026

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