How do you verify a property before paying token money in Nepal?
Verify first, pay second: check the owner, the Malpot record, the map, the road, ward rules and dues, then sign a written token agreement and pay by bank.
Khadak Thapa · Co-Founder & CEO, MeroBhumi
·7 min read
The short answer
Verify first, then pay the token. Confirm the owner and the Lalpurja, check the record at the Malpot office for loans and holds, walk the land with the survey map, confirm the road and the ward office rules, and check that dues are paid. Only then sign a written token agreement and pay a modest amount through the bank.
Token money, or bayana (बैना), is the first payment that locks a deal. It shows the seller you are serious and takes the property off the market. It is also the moment when most buyers lose their protection, because the money is gone and the checking has not started.
The correct order is the opposite. Verify first, then pay the token. Here is exactly what to do, and in what order. If you want the full list of what to look for on a plot, start with our land buying checklist for Nepal. This article is about sequence: what must be finished before money moves.
What is the right order before paying bayana?
Each step below depends on the one before it, so do them in this order. Most buyers can finish them in a few days.
- Confirm who owns the property, using the original Lalpurja and the seller's citizenship.
- Check the record at the Malpot office for the true owner, area, category, loans and holds.
- Get the survey map and walk the land with it.
- Confirm the access road is on the map, not only on the ground.
- Ask the ward office what may be built and whether any project affects the plot.
- Check that land revenue and other dues are paid.
- Write and sign the token agreement.
- Pay a reasonable token through the bank.
| Step | Where | What you leave with |
|---|---|---|
| Owner check | With the seller | Photos of the Lalpurja and citizenship, front and back |
| Record check | Malpot / Land Revenue Office | Confirmation of owner, area, category, and no loan or hold |
| Map and site | Survey Office, then the plot | Field map copy and photos of boundary marks |
| Road and rules | Ward office | What may be built, setbacks, and any road widening plans |
| Dues | Municipality or ward office | The latest tax receipt |
| Agreement and payment | With the seller and witnesses | A signed agreement and a bank transfer record |
1. How do you confirm who owns the property?
Ask for the original Lalpurja (लालपुर्जा), the land ownership certificate, and the seller's citizenship certificate. Match the names and numbers carefully. Our guide on how to check a Lalpurja goes through every line on the certificate.
If someone else is signing on the owner's behalf, examine the power of attorney, the akhtiyarnama (अख्तियारनामा), closely and try to contact the owner directly. A token paid to the wrong person is very hard to get back.
2. Why check the record at the Malpot office before paying?
The office record is the truth, not the paper in the seller's hand. At the Malpot / Land Revenue Office (मालपोत कार्यालय) for that area, confirm the current owner, the plot area and the land classification.
Ask whether the land is under a bank mortgage or any legal hold. This single visit prevents most disasters. If the plot is mortgaged, the token agreement must say how and when the loan will be cleared before registration.
3. Why walk the land with the survey map?
Take a copy of the field map, the naksa (नक्सा), from the Survey Office (नापी कार्यालय), then visit the site with it. Confirm the boundaries, the shape, the neighbours and the access road.
If anything is unclear, arrange a field measurement before you pay. Once the token is paid, a seller has little reason to hurry a measurement that might shrink the plot.
4. How do you confirm the access road?
Ask whether the road is a public road recorded on the map or a path the neighbours allow. This one question has saved many buyers from an unsellable plot. Check the width on the ground, and see that the road on the map actually touches your kitta (कित्ता).
5. What should you ask the ward office?
Confirm what construction is allowed, what setbacks apply, and whether any road widening or public project affects the plot. Municipal plans are public information, and the ward office (वडा कार्यालय) will usually tell you.
This matters before the token because a road widening line can quietly take the front of a plot. You want to know that while the price is still open.
6. How do you check the dues?
Ask for the latest land revenue receipt, the Malpot tax receipt (तिरो रसिद), and confirm nothing is outstanding. Unpaid dues delay registration and become your problem if you are careless. Where the tax is paid to the municipality, check the receipt there.
7. What must the token agreement say?
A verbal token payment is not enough. Put the terms in a written agreement signed by both parties and witnesses. Each clause below answers a question that otherwise turns into a quarrel.
| Clause | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| The exact plot details, including kitta number and area | Ties the payment to one specific plot, as shown on the Malpot record |
| The total agreed price and the token amount | Fixes the price so it cannot be raised before registration |
| The date for full payment and registration | Stops the deal from drifting for months |
| Who pays the registration fee, taxes and other costs | Avoids an argument at the Malpot counter |
| What happens if the buyer withdraws | Sets out what, if anything, you lose |
| What happens if the seller withdraws or fails to register | Sets out what the seller must return, and on what terms |
| The refund terms and the time limit for the refund | Turns a promise into a date you can hold them to |
Add the names and citizenship numbers of both parties and the witnesses, and attach copies of the Lalpurja and the field map. If the plot has a loan, a name correction or heirs who must sign, write in who will sort it out and by when. For what the costs in clause four add up to, see the real cost of buying land in Nepal.
Have a lawyer who works on land matters read the agreement before you sign. Ask them, too, whether the agreement should be registered for your plot.
8. How should you pay the token money?
Transfer the token money to the seller's account and keep the record. Cash payments without receipts are almost impossible to recover in a dispute. Pay into an account in the name of the owner on the Lalpurja, not a relative or a broker.
How much token money is reasonable?
Pay enough to show commitment, but do not hand over a large share of the price before registration. The token is a booking, not the purchase. If the seller pushes for a large token, ask why they need it before the sale is registered.
What if the seller refuses verification?
A seller who objects to you visiting the Malpot office is telling you something important. Genuine owners are usually relieved when a buyer is careful, because it means the deal will actually close.
Verification takes a few days. It is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy on a purchase of this size. When you are ready to look, browse property for sale on MeroBhumi, and speak to our team before you pay any token money.
Frequently asked questions
What is bayana in Nepal?
Bayana (बैना) is token money, the first payment that books a property and takes it off the market. It is a booking, not the purchase.
Should I pay token money before checking the Lalpurja?
No. Confirm the owner, the Malpot record, the map, the road and the dues first. Once the money is paid, your bargaining power drops.
Is a verbal token agreement valid?
It is not enough. Put the plot details, price, dates, costs, withdrawal terms and refund terms in writing, signed by both parties and witnesses.
Should I pay token money in cash?
No. Pay by bank transfer into the account of the owner named on the Lalpurja, and keep the record.
How long does verification take before paying bayana?
Usually a few days, covering the Malpot office, the Survey Office, the ward office and a site visit.
What if the seller will not let me check the documents?
Treat it as a warning. Genuine owners are usually relieved when a buyer is careful, because it means the deal will close.
Talk to us before the token, not after
Listings marked verified on MeroBhumi have had their ownership documents reviewed by our team, and we are open about anything that still needs confirmation. It is a strong first check, not a replacement for your own visit to the Malpot office.
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All guides
How do you check a Lalpurja before buying land in Nepal?
Match the Lalpurja to the seller's citizenship, confirm it at the Malpot office, compare the survey map, check tax receipts and see how the seller got it.
What should you check before buying land (jagga) in Nepal?
Check the Lalpurja, survey map, land category, loans, heirs, road access, ward rules, soil and services, then sign a written deal and pay by bank.
How do you calculate the real cost of buying land in Nepal?
Add the price, the Malpot registration fee, taxes, unpaid dues, survey, legal, broker and loan costs, and site work. Ask the office for current rates.