A .com.np domain is one of the best deals in Nepali digital infrastructure: free registration and renewal for eligible applicants through register.com.np. The catch is not price — it is paperwork, naming rules, and DNS discipline. This guide walks through eligibility, documents, rejections, and post-approval setup so your domain actually loads a fast, secure site.

Hosting choice is separate — see web hosting in Nepal. Total project cost context lives in website cost guide.

Who can register .com.np

Policies update — always read the official portal before applying. Typically eligible applicants include:

Applicant type Common requirement
Registered company PAN/VAT + company registration matching domain intent
NGO / non-profit Registration certificate; may use .org.np instead
Individual (when permitted) Citizenship and name match per current registry rules
Government / edu Separate TLD paths (.gov.np, .edu.np)

Agency tip: If a client asks you to “register any name they like,” stop. The registry expects domain name ↔ legal entity name alignment. himalayan-tea.com.np for “Himalayan Tea Traders Pvt. Ltd.” works; random brand strings fail.

.com.np domain registration and technical SEO in Nepal

Image: Arjan KC media library — technical SEO Nepal.

Step-by-step registration workflow

1. Choose the correct TLD

TLD Typical use
.com.np Commercial entities
.org.np NGOs, associations
.edu.np Educational institutions
.net.np Network/ISP (less common for SMEs)

Wrong category delays approval.

2. Prepare documents (checklist)

  • PAN/VAT certificate (business) — legible scan, all corners visible
  • Company registration or citizenship (per policy)
  • Authorization letter if an agency or developer applies on behalf of client
  • Contact email you control — verification links expire

Store PDFs under 2MB; phone photos of documents on a bed get rejected.

3. Submit via register.com.np

  1. Create account on official portal
  2. Search domain availability
  3. Upload documents
  4. Pay any processing fee if shown (base .com.np remains free; verify current UI)
  5. Wait for email verification and manual review

4. After approval — DNS within 48 hours

Do not launch ad campaigns until:

  • Nameservers or A records point to live host
  • HTTPS works without certificate warnings
  • @ and www both resolve (pick one canonical)

Common rejection reasons (and fixes)

Rejection Fix
Domain does not match business name Adjust domain string or amend registration docs
Blurry / cropped scans Re-scan at 300 DPI
Wrong TLD category Re-apply under .org.np etc.
Typos in registrant email Fix before resubmit — locked emails block verification
Trademark conflict Choose distinct string; consult legal if disputed

Rejection is normal on first attempt for SMEs without finance-team document habits. Budget two weeks in project timelines.

.com.np vs .com vs .np

TLD Trust in Nepal Global SEO Cost
.com.np High for local SMEs Moderate Free (eligible)
.com Moderate locally High ~$10–15/year
.np (direct) Growing Variable Policy-specific

Dual-domain strategy: Register .com.np for local trust + .com for export/tourism ads pointing to same site with hreflang/canonical clarity. Avoid duplicate content — one primary canonical.

DNS setup after approval

  1. Add domain to Cloudflare
  2. Replace nameservers at register.com.np with Cloudflare pair
  3. Import A, CNAME, MX, TXT records
  4. SSL mode: Full (strict) with Let’s Encrypt on origin
  5. Enable “Always Use HTTPS”

Detailed walkthrough: Cloudflare for small business.

Critical: Keep MX records DNS-only (grey cloud). Orange-cloud proxy on mail records breaks email silently.

Option B: Host nameservers directly

Some local hosts give you their nameservers at purchase. Works for beginners; harder to migrate later. Still add Cloudflare when traffic grows.

Minimum record set

Type Purpose
A / AAAA Origin server IP
CNAME www → root or host alias
MX Google Workspace / Zoho mail
TXT SPF, DKIM, domain verification
CAA Optional — restrict which CAs issue certs

SSL and technical SEO

Free .com.np does not include automatic HTTPS — you configure it:

  • Let’s Encrypt on cPanel/CyberPanel/VPS
  • Cloudflare Universal SSL at edge + origin cert

Then set canonical URLs in WordPress or static site config. Technical baseline: Nepali technical SEO checklist and technical SEO Nepal guide.

Email on .com.np domains

Do not rely on bundled cPanel email for client-facing business mail. Deliverability to Gmail/Outlook suffers on cheap shared IPs.

Use:

  • Google Workspace (~$6/user/month)
  • Zoho Mail (lower cost tier)

Configure SPF, DKIM, DMARC before sending newsletters — email marketing Nepal guide.

Connecting domain to common stacks

Stack Connection method
WordPress on cPanel A record to server IP; auto-install SSL in panel
Cloudways Point A to server; SSL in Cloudways UI
GitHub Pages A records to GitHub IPs + CNAME for www
Shopify Shopify-provided A/CNAME per admin

For static/Jekyll deployments: GitHub Pages vs Netlify vs Cloudflare Pages.

Renewal and ownership hygiene

  • .com.np renewal is free but not automatic if contact email dies — use a role address (admin@company.com.np after mail is live, or director personal with backup)
  • Document login credentials in client handover pack
  • Set calendar reminder 30 days before expiry (policy changes happen)

Agency client handover checklist

  1. register.com.np login (client-owned account preferred)
  2. Cloudflare login (client-owned)
  3. Hosting panel access
  4. SSL expiry monitoring
  5. One-page “who to call when site is down”

Mistakes that cost sales

  • Domain approved but placeholder parking page left up during ad launch
  • www not redirecting — splits SEO and breaks analytics
  • Flexible SSL + HTTPS origin → redirect loops
  • Forgetting .com.np in Google Business Profile website field

Arjan KC. Registry rules change — verify on register.com.np before submitting. This guide is operational advice, not legal counsel.