Qatar in 2025 offers one of the region’s most entrepreneur-friendly environments: faster registration, broader ownership, clearer rules, and new legal protections
- Regulatory Reforms: New Laws in the Pipeline
In early 2025, Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Economy, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani Al Thani, revealed plans to introduce sweeping regulatory reforms to attract foreign investment. Among these are:
- A new Commercial Registration Law aiming to streamline how businesses are registered.
- A bankruptcy law to offer structured relief for distressed businesses.
- A public-private partnership (PPP) law to encourage collaboration between government and private sector
These laws are part of a wider overhaul, spanning 27 laws across 17 ministries, aimed at boosting the private sector and drawing in more foreign capital. Qatar currently trails neighbors like Saudi Arabia and UAE in FDI, having even experienced negative inflows in 2023
- 100% Foreign Ownership & Free Zone Expansion
Recent reforms have empowered foreign entrepreneurs:
- Free zones and select sectors now allow 100% foreign ownership, removing the old requirement for a Qatari majority partner
- The Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MOCI) continues to oversee name reservation, licensing, MOA/AOA approvals, commercial registration (CR), and renewal, albeit with improved efficiency
- Commercial Registration: Faster—but With Strings Attached
The existing registration law includes practical efficiency gains:
- Same-day application decisions (if all documentation is in order).
- Rejections must be accompanied by a reason.
- Appeals now go directly to the Minister — decisions must be made within 15 days
However, the law imposes stricter timelines:
- CRs are valid for one year, renewable within 30 days prior to expiry.
- Non-renewal within 90 days may lead to automatic deregistration. Re-registration is at the Ministry’s discretion
- Step-by-Step Reality: What Entrepreneurs Are Actually Doing
Official guides and consulting practices show that the basic process remains the same, but with a few modern touches:
- Reserve a company name through the MOCI portal (~QAR 1,000).
- Draft and notarize MOA/AOA, then submit for approval.
- Open a corporate bank account, deposit capital (e.g., QAR 200,000 for an LLC).
- Obtain the Commercial Registration (CR) and trade license.
- Register with the Qatar Chamber, Municipal authorities, and regulatory bodies per activity.
- Apply for Establishment ID (Computer Card) to hire staff and issue QIDs.
- Register for tax (Dhareeba), corporate tax, VAT (if applicable), and social security
Cost estimates (e.g. in August 2025) are:
- Name reservation: QAR 1,000
- Commercial Registration: QAR 1,500–2,000
- Trade license: QAR 2,000–7,000+
- MOA/Notary: QAR 1,000–2,500
- Office rent (annual): QAR 15,000–60,000+
- Deposit capital: QAR 200,000+
- Computer card: QAR 200–500
Qatar in 2025 offers one of the region’s most entrepreneur-friendly environments: faster registration, broader ownership, clearer rules, and new legal protections. The key? Stick to deadlines, file cleanly, and you’ll find the system responsive—especially as Qatar eyes a major FDI rebound.
