How to Get a TIMS Card in Nepal in 2025 (Step-by-Step)

If you are planning any trek in Nepal, the TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System) is one of the first permits you need to sort out. The rules changed in 2023, and they changed again in late 2024 — so if you read an older blog post, you might be working with outdated information. Here is the honest, current 2025 guide to getting your TIMS Card.

What Is a TIMS Card and Do You Still Need One?

The TIMS Card was introduced in 2008 by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) to track trekkers for safety reasons. After the 2015 earthquake and several high-profile disappearances, the system was overhauled. As of 2025, TIMS is mandatory for almost every trek in Nepal except the three restricted areas (Manaslu, Kanchenjunga, Dolpo) where you need a Restricted Area Permit instead, and a few national-park-only routes where the park entry permit covers you.

TIMS comes in two flavours: Green TIMS (Independent Trekker) for trekkers going without a guide, and Blue TIMS (Organised Group) for trekkers going with a licensed guide through a registered agency. In 2023, the Nepal Tourism Board made guide-companion mandatory for all trekkers in Nepal's national parks — see the official Nepal Tourism Board notice for the current rule. In practice, this means most foreign trekkers now use the Blue TIMS route.

TIMS Card Cost in 2025

TIMS Type	Cost (USD)	Cost (NPR)	Who It's For
Blue TIMS (with guide, organised)	$10	NPR 1,000	Trekkers with a licensed Nepali guide
Green TIMS (independent)	$20	NPR 2,000	Trekkers going without a guide (only on non-restricted routes)
Free TIMS (SAARC)	Free	Free	Citizens of SAARC countries

Where to Get Your TIMS Card

TIMS Cards are issued at three official locations in Nepal, plus at the trailhead checkpoints:

1. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Kathmandu — Pradarshani Marg, Kathmandu. Open Sun–Fri, 10am–4pm. Bring passport, passport photo and cash.
2. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), Pokhara — Damside, Pokhara. Open Sun–Fri, 10am–4pm. Same process.
3. Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), Kathmandu — Maligaon, Kathmandu. Open Sun–Fri, 10am–5pm.
4. Trailhead checkpoints — TIMS desks at Lukla, Jiri, Besi Sahar, Nayapul, Dhunche, Syabrubesi. Slightly more expensive (admin fee) but you can get TIMS on the spot.

If you are trekking with an agency, the agency will arrange your TIMS Card in advance — you do not need to visit the NTB office yourself. This is the easiest route for most trekkers.

Documents You Need to Bring

• Original passport (not a copy) — the NTB staff need to see the entry stamp
• One passport-size photo (the office can take one for you for NPR 100)
• Cash — NPR or USD; the NTB office does not accept cards
• Trekking route map — they will ask which trek you are doing
• Guide's license number (if applying for Blue TIMS through an agency)
• Travel insurance details — recommended but not strictly required

Step-by-Step TIMS Application Process

1. Step 1: Download the TIMS application form from the Nepal Tourism Board website or pick one up at the NTB office.
2. Step 2: Fill in your personal details, trekking route, start and end dates, and guide information (if applicable).
3. Step 3: Bring the completed form, your passport, one passport photo and cash to the NTB office (Kathmandu or Pokhara) or TAAN office.
4. Step 4: Pay the fee at the counter. Get a receipt.
5. Step 5: Take the receipt to the TIMS counter. They will issue a paper TIMS Card with your photo, route and dates printed on it.
6. Step 6: Keep your TIMS Card safe — you will need to show it at every checkpoint on the trail. Some checkpoints stamp the card; some just check it.

TIMS Card Validity and Modifications

TIMS Cards are valid for the dates listed on the card. If you need to extend (for example, if you are delayed by weather or want to add a side trip), you can extend at the nearest ACAP office or national-park headquarters for a small fee (usually NPR 500–1,000). If you change your route entirely, you need a new TIMS Card — the original cannot be transferred.

Lost TIMS Cards can be replaced at any NTB or TAAN office for a NPR 500 fee. Bring a copy of your original receipt if you have one.

TIMS vs Other Nepal Permits — What Else Do You Need?

Trek	TIMS Required?	Other Permits Required
Everest Base Camp	Yes (Blue)	Sagarmatha National Park entry ($30)
Annapurna Circuit / ABC	Yes	Annapurna Conservation Area entry ($30)
Langtang Valley	Yes	Langtang National Park entry ($30)
Manaslu Circuit	NO TIMS	Manaslu Restricted Area Permit ($70+) + MCAP ($15)
Kanchenjunga BC	NO TIMS	Kanchenjunga Restricted Area Permit + Conservation Area
Upper Dolpo	NO TIMS	Upper Dolpo Restricted Area Permit ($500+) + Shey-Phoksundo NP
Upper Mustang	NO TIMS	Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit ($500+) + ACAP
Helambu	Yes	Langtang National Park entry ($30)
Poon Hill	Yes	Annapurna Conservation Area entry ($30)

For the full breakdown, see our Nepal trekking permits guide — it covers every permit for every major trek.

Do You Need TIMS If You Have a Guide?

Yes. Even if you have a licensed guide and are trekking through a registered agency, you still need a TIMS Card — but it is the cheaper Blue TIMS ($10) instead of the Green TIMS ($20). The agency will arrange this for you and the cost is usually included in your package price.

What Happens If You Trek Without TIMS?

If you are caught trekking without a TIMS Card, the checkpoint staff will send you back to the trailhead to get one — which can cost you 2–3 days of trekking. In addition, the agency that arranged your trek can be fined NPR 10,000–50,000. There is no real benefit to skipping TIMS; the cost is small and the system genuinely helps with trekker safety.

More importantly, if you need a helicopter rescue and do not have a TIMS Card, your insurance company may refuse to pay out — TIMS is the official proof that you are a registered trekker in Nepal.

Getting a TIMS Card is one of the easiest parts of trekking in Nepal. Bring your passport, a photo and cash, and you can have it sorted in under an hour. The bigger planning items — like how to hire a porter and what to pack — are where you should spend your prep time.