How to Set Up an eSewa Merchant Account for Your Online Store — Step by Step

Why eSewa Merchant Matters for Your Online Store

Most Nepali shoppers already have eSewa on their phone. If your online store doesn't accept it, you're asking customers to go out of their way — and many simply won't. Setting up an eSewa Merchant account lets you accept digital payments directly into your business wallet, withdraw to your bank, and build trust with buyers who are still cautious about paying strangers online.

This guide walks you through the exact documents you need, what the verification process looks like, and how to connect eSewa to your Saauzi store so you can go live quickly.

Before You Start: Are You Eligible?

eSewa Merchant accounts are for businesses, not personal wallets. You'll need at minimum:

• A registered business or a PAN number in your name (sole traders qualify)
• A Nepali bank account under the same name as the business or owner
• A Nepali mobile number already verified with eSewa

You do not need to be VAT-registered to apply, but if you are VAT-registered, submitting your VAT certificate speeds up approval and raises your transaction limits.

Document Checklist

Gather these before you open the application form — uploading incomplete documents is the single most common reason for delays.

For Sole Traders / Individual Businesses

• PAN certificate (from Inland Revenue Department) — mandatory
• Citizenship certificate (front and back, clear scan or photo)
• Bank account details — account number, bank name, branch, and a copy of your passbook or bank statement header showing the account holder name
• Business photo — a photo of your shopfront or workspace (even a home-based setup qualifies)

For Registered Companies / Pvt. Ltd.

• Company registration certificate (from OCR — Office of Company Registrar)
• PAN certificate in the company name
• VAT registration certificate (if VAT-registered)
• Citizenship certificate of the authorized signatory / director
• Bank account details in the company name
• Board resolution or authorization letter if someone other than the director is applying

Both Types Need

• A business logo (PNG, minimum 200×200 px) — this appears on the payment screen your customers see
• A working email address for notifications and settlement reports

Step-by-Step Application

1. Go to the eSewa Business portal — visit esewa.com.np and look for the "Business" or "Merchant" section, or search "eSewa merchant registration Nepal." The form is fully online.
2. Fill in business details — legal name, trade name (if different), business type, category (retail, food, services, etc.), and your primary contact number.
3. Upload documents — use clear, un-cropped scans. Blurry or cut-off images are rejected. File size limits are usually 2 MB per document; compress if needed.
4. Set your bank account for settlement — this is where eSewa transfers your collected payments. Settlements typically happen on a T+1 or T+2 basis (next business day or two days after the transaction).
5. Submit and note your application ID — keep this for follow-up.

What Happens During Verification

eSewa's team manually reviews merchant applications. Here's a realistic timeline based on what Nepali businesses typically experience:

• 1–3 business days — if all documents are clear and match each other (name on PAN matches bank account, etc.)
• 4–7 business days — if there are minor mismatches or if you submit during high-volume periods (just before Dashain, Tihar, or New Year)
• Rejected and resubmitted — add another 2–3 days. Read the rejection note carefully; it usually pinpoints the exact document or field that failed

During verification, eSewa may call your registered mobile number to confirm details. Answer calls from Kathmandu numbers — this is standard practice. If they can't reach you, approval stalls.

Connecting eSewa to Your Saauzi Store

Once approved, eSewa gives you a Merchant Code and API credentials (a secret key and a product code). You don't need to write any code if you're using Saauzi — the platform has eSewa integration built in, so it's a matter of pasting in your credentials rather than building a payment flow from scratch.

1. Log in to your Saauzi dashboard and go to Settings → Payments.
2. Enable the eSewa payment method.
3. Enter your Merchant Code and Secret Key from your eSewa merchant panel.
4. Run a test transaction — eSewa provides a sandbox/test mode so you can verify the flow before going live.
5. Switch to live mode and publish.

From this point, every order on your Saauzi store will show eSewa as a payment option at checkout. Customers scan the QR or enter their eSewa PIN, and the payment confirms within seconds.

Limits, Fees, and What to Watch For

• Transaction fee — eSewa charges a merchant discount rate (MDR) on each transaction. Check the current rate directly with eSewa when you sign up, as it varies by business category and volume.
• Per-transaction limits — unverified or new accounts have lower limits. VAT-registered merchants with full documentation get higher limits from day one.
• Settlement currency — NPR only. International transactions are not supported on the standard merchant account.
• Dashain and Tihar rush — approval queues get long in September–November. If you're planning for festival season sales, apply at least four weeks before Dashain begins. Don't wait until Ghatasthapana week.

What About Khalti?

Many customers use both eSewa and Khalti. The Khalti merchant registration process is similar — you'll need PAN, citizenship, and bank details — and the approval timeline is roughly the same. Once your eSewa integration is live and stable, adding Khalti as a second option meaningfully increases checkout completion rates, especially for customers in Terai districts where Khalti has strong adoption. Saauzi supports both, so you can enable them independently.

Takeaway

The eSewa merchant setup is straightforward if your documents are ready before you start. Get your PAN certificate, citizenship, and bank passbook in hand, take a clear photo of your shopfront, and submit. Plan for up to a week for verification if you're applying during peak periods. Once you have your merchant code, connecting it to your Saauzi store takes under ten minutes — and from that point, every customer with an eSewa wallet can buy from you instantly.