Nepal
Common law
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Nepal's law combines customary and religious traditions with modern legislation and a Constitution of 2015 that made the country a federal republic. A National Civil Code and a National Criminal Code have been in force since 2018, and a Supreme Court oversees the courts.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Where the law comes from
- The Constitution of 2015, the highest law
- Codes and statutes, including the National Civil Code and National Criminal Code of 2017
- Decisions of the Supreme Court, which guide lower courts
- Custom and tradition, which influence family and local matters
The main courts
- The Supreme Court at the top
- High courts in each province
- District courts, and a special court for corruption cases
Becoming a lawyer
A law degree, then a licence from the Nepal Bar Council after passing its examination.
What may surprise you
- The Supreme Court decides constitutional questions, and there is no separate constitutional court.
- Federalism gave the provinces and local governments some law-making powers.
- The 2018 codes replaced the old Muluki Ain, a legal code dating from 1854.
Related systems
How this country is classified
The University of Ottawa’s JuriGlobe database lists Nepal as: Common law, Customary. It names the systems in order of importance.
The map colours a country by the first-named system, and shows both civil-law and common-law countries as “mixed”. It is a simplification, and real systems are rarely pure.
Other countries in the same family
Sources
Sources last reviewed: October 2026.
TheLawToKnow Tools’s Legal Families Atlas is an educational overview. It simplifies on purpose, and it is not legal advice. For a real legal question about Nepal, consult a lawyer qualified there. Report a mistake.
