Dhankuta District (Nepali: धनकुटा जिल्ला) (Listen (help·info)) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district covers an area of 891 km2 (344 sq mi) and has a population (2011) of 163,412. Dhankuta is the district headquarters of Dhankuta District.

Dhankuta was a part of Kirat Region before unification of those parts into Kingdom of Nepal.

After 1816 there were 10 districts in Nepal and Dhankuta-chainpur district was one of them. All land from east of Dudhkosi river to the Mechi river was one district Dhankuta-chainpur.

From 1885 to 1962 Nepal remained divided into 32 districts and there were six districts in eastern-hill region: East No. 1, East No. 2, East No. 3, East No. 4, Ilam and Dhankuta. Dhankuta was center of these districts. That time also dhankuta was a large (by area) district. Current Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Taplejung, Panchthar and Dhankuta districts were Incorporated under one district. The total area of the former Dhankuta district was 3,448 square miles (8,930 km2).

In 1962, Nepal divided into 75 districts and 16 districts of eastern Nepal grouped to form Eastern Development Region and Dhankuta became the headquarter of it.