Gold Tax in Nepal: Duty, VAT & What Buyers Pay

Nepal imports essentially all of its gold under a regulated quota system, and customs duty applies to those imports. The duty is reflected in the FENEGOSIDA rate — the daily price published by the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Association — which is why Nepali gold often costs more than the straight international conversion.

The duty rate and the import quota are government policy and change over time. When the quota is tight or the duty rises, the premium over the international price widens; when supply eases, it narrows. The FENEGOSIDA rate is the price that matters — it is what shops actually charge.

Nepal's general VAT rate is 13%, but gold's treatment depends on the product: the metal itself and jewellery are treated differently under Nepali tax rules, and the details have changed over time. In practice, many retail gold purchases in Nepal are quoted as a single rate-based price, with any applicable taxes reflected in the jeweller's pricing rather than shown as a separate line.

Ask your jeweller for the full breakdown — gold value, making charges and any tax — and make sure the invoice shows each part. If the jeweller cannot explain the tax treatment, that is a reason to shop elsewhere.

The invoice is the most important document: it should show the weight in tolas, the karat (24K chhapawal or 22K), the gold value at the FENEGOSIDA rate, and the making charges separately. Without it, you cannot prove what you bought or resell it easily.

Compare making charges between shops — they are the part of the price that varies. The FENEGOSIDA rate is the same everywhere in Nepal, so any difference in the total is making charges and tax, not gold.

When you sell gold to a jeweller in Nepal, the shop buys at the day's FENEGOSIDA rate minus a small margin. Chhapawal (24K) resells closest to the rate; 22K jewellery resells below its purchase price because making charges are not recovered.

For individuals selling family gold, there is no widely applied capital gains tax on personal gold sales of the kind some countries levy — but keep your purchase invoices, and get professional advice for very large sales.

For the ordinary buyer in Nepal, gold tax is mostly inside the rate: import duty and the regulated supply system shape the FENEGOSIDA price, and the invoice is where you see the rest. The system is less transparent than India's GST, which is why asking for the breakdown matters.

Nepal's gold import and tax rules change with government policy. This guide states the general picture; for a large purchase, sale or import, check the current rules or ask a tax adviser.