Nepal 2026 Capital Gains Tax: New Rates, Exemptions & Filing Guide

Finance Act 2026 introduced the most significant overhaul to capital gains taxation in years, effective Shrawan 1, 2083 (mid‑July 2026). If you sold shares, land, or an apartment after that date, the new rules apply. Below is a practical breakdown of the new rates, the small‑investor reliefs that matter, the FY 2083/84 deadlines you need to track, and a quick walk‑through of the updated IRD portal.

Securities: listed vs. unlisted, short‑term vs. long‑term

Section 88 of the Finance Act 2026, read with Schedule 12, sets two distinct rate tiers for gains on shares and units.

• Listed securities — 5 % on gains held more than 365 days (long‑term); 7.5 % if held 365 days or less (short‑term).
• Unlisted securities — 10 % long‑term (over 365 days); 15 % short‑term (365 days or less).

The holding period runs from acquisition date to transfer date. Bonus shares and rights entitlements inherit the original acquisition date, as clarified in IRD Circular 2026/03.

Real estate: land, building, apartment

Schedule 12 assigns a flat 5 % rate on gains from land, buildings, and apartments regardless of holding period — the previous tiered structure (2.5 % to 10 %) has been removed. Cost indexation using the NRB‑published CPI (base 2078/79) continues for all assets. For acquisitions before 2078/79 the indexation table in IRD Notice No. 12/2083 applies; for assets acquired after that base year the same CPI series is used, indexed from the year of acquisition to the year of disposal.

Small‑investor exemptions that survived the rewrite

Two reliefs are worth checking before you file:

• Annual tax‑free threshold: Individuals enjoy NPR 500,000 of capital gains free of tax each fiscal year (Schedule 12, Para 4). This applies across all asset classes combined — securities and real‑estate gains are pooled.
• Primary‑residence relief: Up to NPR 10,000,000 of gain on a dwelling you occupied as your main home for at least three of the preceding five years is exempt. The exemption is per taxpayer per qualifying property and applies to the entire gain on disposal *after* Shrawan 1, 2083, provided the occupancy test is met. Circular 2026/03, Clause 7.2, lists the evidence IRD expects (utility bills, voter registration, ward letters).

FY 2083/84 (2026/27) filing calendar — dates to keep

Advance‑tax instalments for the current fiscal year are due on three dates:

• First instalment: Ashad end 2083 (mid‑July 2026) — already due.
• Second instalment: Poush end 2083 (mid‑January 2027).
• Third instalment: Chaitra end 2083 (mid‑April 2027).

The annual return for FY 2083/84 is due by Ashad 32, 2084 (mid‑July 2027). Late filing attracts a penalty of 0.1 % of assessable income per month of delay, capped at the tax liability (Section 92). Interest on unpaid tax runs at 15 % per annum from the due date until payment.

Note: The FY 2082/83 deadlines (Ashad end 2082, Poush end 2082, Chaitra end 2082, and Ashad 32, 2083) are in the past and were governed by the old rates. They are shown here only for reference.

IRD portal walk‑through (ird.gov.np — 2026 UI)

The portal received a visual refresh in Shrawan 2083. The flow below matches the live interface as of September 2026.

1. Taxpayer registration / login

New users click “Register” → select “Individual” → enter PAN, mobile, email → verify OTP → set password. Existing users log in with PAN and password; two‑factor authentication via email or SMS is now mandatory for *all* individual logins, not only for capital‑gains filing.

2. Capital gains schedule entry

Dashboard → “File Return” → “Income from Capital Gains” → “Add Transaction”. Select asset class (Listed Security / Unlisted Security / Land / Building / Apartment). Enter acquisition date, transfer date, cost (indexed if applicable), sale proceeds. The system auto‑calculates gain and applies the correct rate tier. For primary‑residence claims, tick “Section 88(3) Exemption” and upload the three‑year occupancy evidence.

3. Tax payment challan generation

After schedule validation, click “Compute Tax”. The summary screen shows gross gain, exemptions, taxable gain, and tax due. Hit “Generate Challan” → choose bank (e‑banking, connectIPS, or counter) → pay. The challan reference (CRN) appears instantly; save the PDF.

4. Acknowledgment download

Once payment reflects (usually within two hours for e‑banking), return to “My Returns” → “View Acknowledgment”. The PDF bears the IRD digital seal and QR code — keep it for at least five years.

Authoritative references

• Finance Act 2026, Sections 88–92 and Schedule 12
• Inland Revenue Department Notice No. 12/2083 (indexation table, filing dates)
• IRD Circular 2026/03 (CGT computation methodology, primary‑residence evidence standards)

Disclaimer: This article summarises publicly available legislation and IRD guidance as of 4 September 2026. It is not professional tax advice. Consult a registered tax practitioner or chartered accountant for your specific situation.