Permission for a business shoot in Qatar depends on where and how you shoot. Venues such as Qatar Museums and Qatar Foundation approve filming on their own sites. Television and film shooting needs a Ministry of Culture licence. Any drone flight needs Qatar Civil Aviation Authority approval under Law No. 10 of 2026, in designated areas and hours.
Which permission a business shoot needs
Two questions settle most of it: where the camera stands, and whether anything leaves the ground. One shoot can need two or three approvals.
| What you plan | Who decides | Notice or timing |
|---|---|---|
| Filming at a Qatar Museums site | Qatar Museums | At least two weeks ahead |
| Photos or film at Qatar Foundation sites | Qatar Foundation | Online request; no fee |
| Filming at Qatar National Library | The Library, and Qatar Foundation for its exteriors | Two weeks’ notice |
| Photos or film at QSTP | QSTP | 5 to 7 working days ahead |
| Television shooting and filming | Ministry of Culture | Online request; no fee |
| Any drone flight | Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), with the Ministry of Interior | Up to four working days |
Malls, hotels and privately run districts set their own camera rules. Ask the management in writing before the crew arrives, and keep the reply on you.
Drone permits: Law No. 10 of 2026 and the QCAA
Law No. 10 of 2026 on unmanned aircraft was issued on 29 June 2026 and published in the Official Gazette in July. It puts the QCAA in charge of drones: anything that flies with no one on board and is controlled remotely, whatever its size. Military and security drones fall outside it.
- Term of a QCAA drone licence, renewable (Art. 8)
- 3 years
- For the QCAA to decide a licence application (Art. 7)
- 30 days
- For existing operators to comply once the law applies (Art. 29)
- 6 months
- Highest fine for flying without a licence or permit (Art. 22)
- QAR 300,000
From Law No. 10 of 2026, Arabic text on Al Meezan, checked 26 Oct 2026.
The law separates the business from the person at the controls. A company needs a QCAA licence to operate, rent out, import or trade in drones (Article 5). Each pilot, assistant or observer needs an individual permit (Article 9). Every drone is registered and carries its registration marks (Articles 13 and 17).
Who can hold a drone licence
Under Article 6, the applicant is a company formed under the Commercial Companies Law, a QFC or free zone company, a sole proprietorship, or a club licensed to teach flying.
It must not be bankrupt, its managers must be of good conduct and qualified, and the drone must be insured for liability to third parties. Renewal is requested three months before expiry (Article 8).
Flying without the licence or permit, or outside approved areas, can also bring up to seven years in prison, and the court confiscates the drone (Article 22). The owner is jointly liable with the operator and crew for damage to others (Article 27).
Planning a drone shoot step by step
- Check the area and the hours
Since 29 September 2026 the Ministry of Interior allows drones only in designated areas shown in the Metrash app, from sunrise to 9:00 am and from 2:00 pm to sunset.
- Use an authorised operator
The QCAA’s terms ask for a company registered in Qatar, a letter of authorisation for its activity, pilots aged 18 or over, insurance before any flight, and no more than five drones per entity.
- Send the RPAS operation request
The QCAA form takes the project, the type of operation (photography, videography, survey or inspection), the area, the height and the dates. Processing can take up to four working days.
An approval from military headquarters, and a request letter from the government body where one has appointed the contractor.
A sheet of dates and times for jobs longer than five days, and any other supporting papers.
- Fly by the QCAA’s general rules
Keep the drone in sight, stay 5 nautical miles (9 km) from airports unless authorised, get the landowner’s permission for take-off and landing, and report an accident to the QCAA within 24 hours.
- Add the filming licence for broadcast work
For aerial shooting, the Ministry of Culture asks for a location approval, maps of the flight zone, and the pilot’s ID and licence.
Filming permits: the Ministry of Culture licence
The Ministry of Culture’s Photography and Film Shooting Licence Request covers television shooting and filming, with no fee shown. A company applies through an authorised signatory and must hold one of the ministry’s production licences; an individual applicant must be Qatari.
Attachments for ground, sea and aerial shoots
Every request: the applicant’s ID, the production licence, a letter to the Director of the Publications and Artistic Works Department, and the commercial registration.
Ground or sea shooting: the dates, the crew’s IDs or passports, and the Ministry of Transport and Communications’ approval if live broadcast equipment is used. Equipment brought from abroad needs the bill of lading.
Aerial shooting: dates, a location approval, location maps, the crew’s IDs and, for a drone, the pilot’s ID and licence and a photo of the aircraft.
| Ministry of Culture licence | Term | Fee on the page |
|---|---|---|
| Artistic production activity (programmes, series, plays and similar works) | One year | QAR 5,000 to issue or renew |
| Art studio (sound and visual studio) | One year | QAR 1,500 to issue or renew |
| Photography and Film Shooting Licence Request | Per request | No fee |
Two answers in the ministry’s FAQ matter for foreign-owned companies. A resident can apply for its licences only with a Qatari partner, and an advertising licence does not cover producing video clips.
Venues with their own filming forms
Qatar Museums
One request per location, such as the National Museum of Qatar or the Museum of Islamic Art, at least two weeks ahead. Commercial filming may carry a fee set in a written agreement.
Qatar Foundation
Companies apply online to photograph or film QF places, giving the purpose, media, dates and crew. Hukoomi lists no fee.
Qatar National Library
Inside, a tripod-mounted DSLR, a professional camcorder, a drone or a crane needs prior approval. For the exteriors, Qatar Foundation approves first.
The Library’s conditions
Filming runs from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm and is non-commercial unless agreed in advance. Two weeks’ notice, or a month for special arrangements, with proof of insurance and an equipment list.
Written consent from each person filmed, and the final footage sent to the Library for approval before publication.
Qatar Science and Technology Park
A request form 5 to 7 working days ahead. Pictures are captioned “QSTP Premises in Doha, Qatar” and nothing is moved.
Each venue may refuse, and none of these approvals replaces the QCAA for a drone.
People in the frame: what the law says
Qatari criminal law protects people’s privacy and some places, which matters once staff, customers or passers-by appear in a campaign.
| Law | What it punishes | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Penal Code, Art. 333 (as amended in 2017) | Photographing or filming people in a private place without consent; in a public place, doing so to abuse or defame them; filming accident victims | Up to 2 years, up to QAR 10,000, or both |
| Penal Code, Art. 331 | Publishing photos or news about people’s private or family life, even if true | Up to 1 year, up to QAR 5,000, or both |
| Cybercrime Law, provision added in 2025 | Sharing online photos or videos of people in public places without their knowledge or consent | Up to 1 year, up to QAR 100,000, or both |
| Penal Code, Art. 117 | Taking photos, drawings or maps of places where the competent authority has banned it | Up to 5 years |
In practice, get a signed release from each person who can be recognised, your own staff included, and file it with the pictures.
How we help
Noor Digital Technology, part of Noor Group, plans each shoot from a written shot list. Against every location, we note the permission it needs, help you prepare the venue forms and the details for an aerial request, and check that whoever flies a drone holds QCAA authorisation. The venue, the ministry or the QCAA decides each request.
