Can I actually book a self-drive car in Nepal?
Yes. EV Drive Nepal, based in Pokhara, rents automatic EVs for self-drive use across Nepal. Foreign renters must meet the company's age and experience requirements, provide an original home-country licence plus a physical International Driving Permit, and provide passport and valid Nepal visa documentation. A refundable security deposit equivalent to USD 500 is required for foreign renters.
Read the full policy listIf you grew up hearing about Nepal's roads secondhand and now you're the one planning the trip home, this is the question that actually matters before anything else: can you, personally, book a car and drive it yourself — or is this one of those things that sounds possible online and falls apart once you actually try? Short answer: it's genuinely possible. Here's exactly what it takes.
Who's actually eligible
- Minimum age: 25 years old, no exceptions.
- Nepali driving license holders: no additional permit needed.
- Foreign renters: an official physical International Driving Permit (IDP) issued or authorised by the competent organisation in your home country. Digital or online-issued IDPs are not accepted.
- Foreign renters must have held the appropriate driving licence for at least two years.
What to prepare before pickup
The single biggest time-saver for a smooth handover is sending your documents ahead of your pickup date instead of showing up with them cold. That means your driving license, your IDP if you're not a Nepali license holder, and identification — passport for international guests, citizenship document for Nepali citizens.
International guests: passport verification at handover
We inspect and verify the original passport and valid Nepal visa at handover, then return the original passport immediately. EV Drive Nepal does not retain the original passport. Required copies may be retained for rental verification subject to the privacy policy.
The actual booking process, step by step
- Browse the fleet on evdrivenepal.com and filter by pickup/drop-off location, dates, and car type.
- Send us your details on WhatsApp — we confirm which EVs are actually available for your dates.
- Send your license, IDP (if applicable), and ID ahead of pickup so handover is quick.
- At handover: pay the rental fee for your dates plus the applicable refundable security deposit. For foreign renters, this is equivalent to USD 500; the accepted payment method and local-currency amount are confirmed before handover.
- Walk through the vehicle with our team — charge level, controls, what to do if you need to charge mid-trip — then you're driving.
What it actually costs
Rates vary by vehicle. Our BYD Dolphin starts at NPR 6,500 a day; other EVs vary by size and range, and we'll confirm the current rate for your dates on WhatsApp if it isn't listed yet. The refundable security deposit is separate from the daily rate: NPR 50,000 for Nepali renters, or an equivalent USD 500 deposit for foreign renters. Airport pickup or drop-off is available by prior arrangement, with eligibility and any applicable charge confirmed before booking.
See current rates by vehicle
Not every vehicle in the fleet has a fixed day rate published yet — where it isn't, we'll confirm directly.
If something goes wrong
Every vehicle is fully insured. If there's damage, you're responsible for the first NPR 30,000 — that's our insurer's minimum claim threshold, not an arbitrary number — and we handle the claim for anything above it, provided the incident is properly documented (photos, video, a police report where applicable). If a breakdown happens because of a genuine vehicle issue rather than renter negligence, we arrange and cover towing at no cost to you.
“Self-drive shouldn't mean self-reliant if something actually goes wrong — that part stays on us.”
Bottom line
If you meet the age and license requirements above, yes — you can book a self-drive EV in Nepal, and the process is closer to a WhatsApp conversation than a bureaucratic form. Send us your dates and we'll tell you exactly what's available.