Company Formation in Qatar
Company formation in Qatar starts with two choices: the legal form, and the authority that will license you, which is the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the mainland, the Qatar Financial Centre or the Qatar Free Zones. A trade name, the commercial registration and the licence follow. We help you choose the route, prepare the documents and follow each step.
Company formation at a glance
- Mainland, a free zone or the Qatar Financial Centre
- 3 routes
- Approximate government fees for a full Single Window setup
- QAR 1,700 to 2,200
- For the registration decision, once the file is complete
- 15 days
- To register for tax after registration
- 60 days
From Invest Qatar, the company law and the General Tax Authority; see the sources at the end of the page.
New company formation, step by step
- Check your activity
Allowed for your ownership plan? Above 49% foreign, apply to the Ministry first.
- Name and memorandum
Trade name on the Single Window, then the Arabic memorandum signed before a notary, online or at an appointment.
- Commercial registration
Decided within 15 days of a complete file. No business before it.
- Licence and set-up
The commercial permit completes the trade licence. Then the establishment card, tax card and a bank account in Qatar.
Our company formation services
Our company formation services in Qatar follow your file from the first activity check to the first renewal.
Route
Mainland, a free zone or the Qatar Financial Centre, based on your activity and customers.
Legal form
Usually an LLC (WLL); a branch or representation office for a foreign company.
Ownership check
Whether your activity allows the foreign ownership you plan, and what to apply for.
Documents and attestation
Attested papers, Arabic translation and the memorandum, in the right order.
Single Window application
Trade name, registration, licence and premises approval, one at a time.
Work after the licence
Establishment card, tax card, bank account and the first renewals.
Three routes for company setup in Qatar
What you sell, and where your customers are, decide the route for company setup in Qatar. Each of the three has its own licensing authority.
Mainland- Licensed by
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry, on the Single Window
- Foreign ownership
- Depends on the activity (see below)
Qatar Free Zones- Licensed by
- Qatar Free Zones Authority (Ras Bufontas, Umm Alhoul)
- Foreign ownership
- 100%
Qatar Financial Centre- Licensed by
- Qatar Financial Centre
- Foreign ownership
- Up to 100%
LLC (WLL) and the other legal forms
Qatar’s company law lists seven forms of company. For foreign investors, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry names the limited liability company (LLC, often called WLL) as the most common, followed by branches of foreign companies, commercial representative offices and joint ventures with Qatari partners.
The LLC (WLL) in brief
- Partners
- 1 to 50, people or companies
- Liability
- Each partner up to their share
- Minimum capital
- None set by law; paid in full at formation
- Holding company
- Capital of at least QAR 10 million
Foreign ownership
Law No. 1 of 2019 allows non-Qatari investors to own up to 100% of a company in all sectors, with some exceptions. Above 49%, you apply to the Ministry first, and your activity has to be on the list approved for foreign investment.
The rule in brief
- Foreign ownership
- Up to 100%, with an application above 49%
- Ministry decision
- Within 15 days of a complete file
- Closed sectors
- Banks and insurance (unless the Cabinet allows), commercial agencies, fields the Cabinet names
Documents you need
Every document issued abroad must be attested and translated into Arabic before you upload it.
For each partner
- Passport copy (foreign partners)
- Company partner: its registration, notarised, translated into Arabic and attested at home and by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Beneficial owner declaration
- Partners’ consent letter
For the new company
- Trade name reservation
- Memorandum in Arabic, notarised by the Ministry of Justice
- Authorised signatory approval and ID; general manager’s ID
- Power of attorney for your representative
- Business plan, and any approval your activity needs
Who provides what, and what comes first
You provide the facts and the signatures, we help prepare the files, and the authorities decide.
| Item | You provide | We help prepare | Who decides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partner documents | Passports; a company partner’s registration papers, notarised abroad | Checking them, and arranging attestation and Arabic translation | Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs attests |
| Trade name and activities | Your choice of name and what the company will do | Checking the naming rules and the activity codes | The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, on the Single Window |
| Foreign ownership above 49% | Your activity description, business plan and financial plan | The application file | The Ministry, within 15 days of a complete file |
| Memorandum | Agreement on shares, managers and profits | The Arabic draft for notarisation | The Ministry of Justice notarises it |
| Premises | A site, and a lease once the site is approved | Checking the initial approval before you sign | The Ministry approves the site; larger premises need Civil Defence |
| Registration and permit | Signatures and the government fees | The applications, step by step | The Ministry issues the CR and the commercial permit |
| This step | Needs first |
|---|---|
| Single Window application, above 49% foreign ownership | The Ministry’s approval of the foreign share |
| Uploading documents issued abroad | Attestation and Arabic translation |
| Commercial registration | The trade name and the notarised Arabic memorandum |
| Signing the lease | The Ministry’s initial approval of the site |
| Trading | The commercial permit for an approved site |
| Hiring staff on work visas | The establishment card |
Government fees
- Approximate fees for a full establishment on the Single Window
- QAR 1,700 to 2,200
- Ministry application fee
- from QAR 500
- Yearly licence fee
- from QAR 500
Sources: the Single Window service page and Invest Qatar’s guide. Your exact fee depends on the legal form and activity, and the Single Window shows it for your case. Office rent, attestation and translation are paid separately.
After registration
Establishment card
Issued by the Ministry of Interior. Staff residence permits ask for it.
Tax card
Register on Dhareeba within 60 days of registration or first income.
Income tax
10% of taxable income. Companies wholly owned by Qatari nationals are exempt.
Renewals
The registration and licences are renewed in the 30 days before they expire.
One change from 2026: a company that sells online now holds the e-commerce licence created that year. The guide below lists the other changes, each with its decision number.
Related services
Common questions about company formation in Qatar
What do I need to form a company in Qatar?
Take a two-partner LLC, one person and one foreign company. It needs an activity their ownership mix allows, a trade name and an Arabic memorandum notarised by the Ministry of Justice. The person gives a passport copy, the company its attested registration papers, and the beneficial owner is declared. If the foreign share passes 49%, the investment application goes in too, along with any approval the activity carries.
Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Investment steps for foreign investors
Can I open a company in Qatar online?
Mostly, through the Single Window, which holds the whole mainland application. Even the memorandum can be signed there digitally, or at a booked appointment. What the portal cannot do is attest papers from abroad. That, and the Arabic translation, happens before you upload them.
Source: Invest Qatar, Setting up your business in Qatar (guide hosted by MOCI)
How much does it cost to form a company in Qatar?
Government fees for a full establishment are approximately QAR 1,700 to 2,200: the Single Window shows about QAR 1,700 for its Start your business service and Invest Qatar’s guide gives QAR 2,200, with the application and yearly licence each from QAR 500. Your exact figure depends on the legal form and activity, and the Single Window shows it. Office rent, attestation and translation are paid separately.
Source: Invest Qatar, Setting up your business in Qatar (guide hosted by MOCI)
Is there a minimum capital for an LLC?
The company law sets no minimum for an LLC; the partners decide it. The Single Window’s own pages show different small amounts, so check the figure on the form when you apply. The capital is paid in full at formation and deposited in a bank in Qatar. Holding companies are different: their capital must be at least QAR 10 million.
Source: Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015, as amended (Al Meezan)
Can I form an offshore company in Qatar?
No. None of the seven company types in Qatar’s company law is an offshore company. The usual choices for a foreign investor are a mainland LLC, a branch, a representation office, or a company in the Qatar Financial Centre or a free zone.
Source: Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015, as amended (Al Meezan)
Is company incorporation or business formation different from company formation in Qatar?
No. Company incorporation, business formation and company formation all describe setting up a company under the Commercial Companies Law, in one of the seven forms it lists. For a mainland LLC, the Ministry decides on the registration within 15 days of a complete file, and the company may not start business before it is registered.
Source: Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015, as amended (Al Meezan)
How long does company formation in Qatar take?
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry decides on the commercial registration within 15 days of a complete file, and on a foreign share above 49% within the same period. The total time depends on the steps before it: attesting documents from abroad, the trade name, the premises and any activity approval. We tell you which of these apply to your case.
Source: Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015, as amended (Al Meezan)
What does a company formation consultant in Qatar do?
A company formation consultant prepares and checks your file, while the authorities make every decision. In our case, that means helping you pick the route and legal form, testing the activity against the ownership rules, arranging attestation and the Arabic memorandum, and following each Single Window step. Registering and licensing the company stays with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Source: Single Window, Start your business (establishment service)
Did not find your question? Ask an adviser. We reply with what applies to your case.
Sources
Official sources for the facts on this page, last checked 19 Oct 2026.
- Law No. 1 of 2019 on investment of non-Qatari capital (Al Meezan)
- MOCI Decision No. 44 of 2020, Executive Regulations of Law No. 1 of 2019 (Al Meezan)
- Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015, as amended (Al Meezan)
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Investment steps for foreign investors
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Local investor services
- Invest Qatar, Setting up your business in Qatar (guide hosted by MOCI)
- Single Window, Start your business (establishment service)
- Single Window, Establishing companies FAQ
- General Tax Authority, Investors
- Dhareeba, Income tax
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