🇶🇦 Qatar · Company Registration
Entity types, registration process, required documents, costs, and official registries.
Quick answer
Companies register with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI); the 2019 investment law allows up to 100% foreign ownership in many sectors. The LLC is common. After the commercial registration you obtain a trade licence and establishment card and register with the General Tax Authority.
Companies are registered with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI); alternatively, businesses can set up in the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) or free zones under their own regimes.
- Mainland companies register with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- The QFC offers a separate legal and tax regime with 100% foreign ownership.
- Many mainland activities now allow up to 100% foreign ownership.
Step-by-step
- 1
Reserve the trade name
Reserve the company trade name with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI).
- 2
Prepare and authenticate the articles
Draft the articles of association and have them authenticated; foreign ownership up to 100% is allowed in many sectors under the 2019 investment law.
- 3
Obtain the commercial registration (CR)
Obtain the commercial registration (CR) from MoCI.
- 4
Get the trade licence and establishment card
Obtain the trade licence and the establishment (computer) card.
- 5
Register for tax
Register the company with the General Tax Authority (GTA).
- 6
Complete Chamber, municipal and banking steps
Join the Chamber of Commerce, obtain municipal (baladiya) approvals such as signage, and open a corporate bank account.
Checklist
- Trade name reserved (MoCI)
- Articles of association authenticated
- Commercial registration (CR) from MoCI
- Trade licence + establishment card
- Tax registration (General Tax Authority)
- Chamber of Commerce membership
- Municipal (baladiya) approvals
- Corporate bank account
Official authorities
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI)
Commercial registration.
- Invest Qatar
Official investment-promotion agency.
Frequently asked questions
Can foreigners own 100% of a Qatari company?
Under the 2019 foreign-investment law, up to 100% foreign ownership is permitted in most sectors, subject to approval.
What is the establishment card?
The establishment (computer) card registers the company with the labour and immigration authorities and is needed to sponsor employees.
Which body registers companies?
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) handles trade-name reservation and the commercial registration.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.