Last Updated on June 18, 2026
Summary✨
- The government regulates OTT platforms in Nepal under the amended National Broadcasting Act, requiring licenses for both domestic and foreign operators.
- A license to operate an OTT service costs Rs 1 crore, while additional fees apply for broadcasting foreign content and distributing signals.
- The Act has given clarity on licensing but lacks regulations for popular platforms like YouTube and Spotify, especially regarding free content.
- Despite the guidelines, foreign platforms that don’t register remain unregulated, leaving uncertainties in the sector.
- Domestic OTTs such as NT TV and NetTV are now directly governed by the National Broadcasting Act.
The government has brought Over the Top (OTT) platforms under regulation with the amendment to the National Broadcasting Act. The move means OTTs such as NT TV, NetTV, DGo, etc., now come under the direct state regulation and need to meet criteria to stay operational. However, there’s no clarity regarding global internet-powered platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, etc.
OTTs under regulation in Nepal: What are the new rules?
The revised Act states that all domestic and foreign OTT operators require a license to operate their services. But if a Nepali operator has to bring foreign OTT content, then it can bring it to the Nepali audience as a content aggregator.
The Act has cleared the confusion about whether OTTs can be considered live TV. Customers have been watching television channels on cable TV and IPTV, but nowadays, the trend of OTT is increasing in the mainstream. It caters to the audience with PPV content, films, web series, musical shows, etc., offering a vast range of content compared to traditional broadcast. This has compelled the government to regulate the sector.
✅ Top Video Streaming Apps in Nepal
OTTs license and other fee structure in Nepal
The National Broadcasting Act has set the license and other fee structures for OTTs in Nepal. According to the amended ruling, a service provider needs to pay Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) for a license and permission to operate an OTT service in Nepal.
Likewise, it’s stated that to broadcast a foreign platform in Nepal, a service provider must pay Rs 10 lakh. Such a platform can be aired in Nepal through downlink.
The government has fixed Rs 25 lakh per platform for the signal distribution of foreign OTT digital programs with a downlink permission. Similarly, Rs 3 lakh per channel has been set for downlinking and broadcasting paid channels that don’t include ads through IPTV or mobile apps. Franchise or live broadcast of foreign programs needs to pay Rs 5 lakh for broadcasting in Nepal. Similarly, Rs 50,000 has been fixed for operating an online radio.
The table below clearly highlights the license and fee structures for various OTT service operations in Nepal:
| Service Type | Fee |
| OTT service operation license/permission | Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) |
| Broadcasting a foreign OTT platform in Nepal (via downlink) | Rs 10 lakh |
| Signal distribution of foreign OTT digital programs with downlink permission (per platform) | Rs 25 lakh (Rs 2.5 million) |
| Downlinking and broadcasting paid ad-free channels through IPTV or mobile apps (per channel) | Rs 3 lakh |
| Franchise or live broadcasting of foreign programs in Nepal | Rs 5 lakh |
| Online radio operation | Rs 50,000 |
No clear ruling for YouTube, Spotify and other foreign platforms
The National Broadcasting Act doesn’t have a clear policy on how to regulate YouTube, Spotify, and other foreign OTT platforms. Although the ruling covers paid platforms that charge customers for content, the authority hasn’t provided details on how to proceed on platforms that offer free content to viewers. That means, if they don’t come to register, the government still doesn’t have a clear path for their regulation.
In Nepal, there are popular OTT platforms such as NTTV, NetTV, ViaTV, DGo, Clear TV, etc. Now, they are under direct regulation of the government via the National Broadcasting Act.
OTT regulation in Nepal
Yes. Both domestic and foreign OTT operators must obtain a license to operate in Nepal.
An OTT operator must pay Rs 1 crore for a license.
Platforms such as NTTV, NetTV, DGo, ViaTV, and Clear TV now come under the Act.
The Act does not clearly explain how platforms like YouTube and Spotify will come under regulation.
Foreign OTT content can operate in Nepal through a licensed Nepali content aggregator.
