The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) in Qatar has announced a reduction in licensing fees for home businesses to QR300 and has streamlined the procedures to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Latifa Al Ali, Head of the Commercial Records and Licensing Department at MoCI, stated, “The licensing fees for home-based businesses have been reduced from approximately QR1,500 to QR300, which encourages entrepreneurs to formalize their small enterprises.”
In a recent interview with Qatar TV, Al Ali highlighted that the ministry has expanded the range of permissible home business activities from 15 to 63, aiming to boost micro-entrepreneurship and local investment.
She also noted that the procedures for obtaining a home business license have been simplified.
It is now sufficient for the address on the applicant’s Qatari ID (QID) to match the address registered in the “Onwani” (My Address) system.
Applicants are required to provide the QID of the home owner, the QID of the applicant, and their Onwani address.
Al Ali emphasized that each business activity must have a separate license, which is crucial for ensuring safety and compliance for both business owners and consumers.
Al Ali assured that home business licenses are issued in a manner that avoids disrupting local traffic or causing inconvenience to neighbors.
Regarding the oversight of home-based businesses, she explained that “the Ministry of Commerce and Industry handles licensing issues, while the Ministry of Public Health oversees food safety and health regulations.”
When asked about the volume of license applications, Al Ali noted a significant increase following the procedural simplifications.
License applications can be submitted online via the Single Window portal. If submitted electronically, there is no need to fill out a physical license services application form.
Permissible home business activities include: roasting and packaging nuts, tailoring and sewing men’s clothing, repairing leather products such as luggage, maintaining electrical appliances, fixing document copying machines, computer repairs, trading dates and related products, selling computers and accessories, designing and programming custom software, trading men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing, selling shoes, renting travel supplies, translation services, trading men’s accessories and perfumes, jewelry design, photography, trading women’s cosmetics and beauty products, and interior decoration, among other home-based activities.
It is also worth noting that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry previously announced the implementation of Ministerial Decision No. 60 of 2024, which reduces fees by over 90% for certain commercial services and activities, effective from July 11, 2024.
This decision is part of the ministry’s strategy to enhance the investment environment by advancing the trade, industry, and business development sectors in Qatar and achieving the goals of the Third National Development Strategy (2024-2030), which aims for sustainable economic growth and diversification in support of Qatar National Vision 2030.
