Who is in charge of Commercial Registration in Qatar?

Who is in charge of Commercial Registration in Qatar?

Before you begin with the process of having your commercial entity registered in Qatar, it’s important to know which body of government is in charge of these requirements.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s Commercial Registration and Licenses Department is fully responsible for implementing all the necessary policies that relate to trade agents, commercial entities, and commercial registrations in Qatar. The department takes charge of monitoring the market and regulating the private sector, as well as overseeing and managing the Commercial Registry and Trade Agents Register.

All commercial license applications must be duly reviewed first by the department, and all records of economic, commercial craftsmanship, and professional activities must be kept securely. The department is also responsible for issuing commercial licenses and making sure that trade agency contracts meet the necessary standards.

According to the Qatar Commercial Registration Law No. 25 of 2005 regulating the commercial registrations at the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, all the companies regulated under the Commercial Companies Law—in order to continue carrying out commercial activities in the State—must be registered at the commercial registry.

All of the submitted information must be declared complete and correct. As such, if there is a change that significantly affects the company’s directors, authorised signatories, activities, or shareholders, a further amendment must be submitted to the commercial registration. For instance, if the court, for any reason, decides to have a manager terminated in respect to the status or ability of the company to perform obligations, a competent authority at the Ministry must be duly notified. Non-compliance with the Commercial Registration Law will incur costly penalties, both financially and non-financially.

Applying for a commercial registration at the Commercial Registration Department of the Ministry means supporting the submissions with all relevant documents. This includes a copy of the approval of the trade name, as well as a certified letter from the bank that confirms the minimum capital for the company. The letter must indicate that the necessary amount has indeed been deposited. The registration fee must also be duly paid.

In cases where the Ministry decides to reject an application, a valid reason must be provided for the rejection. The Minister of Economy and Commerce may accept or reject an appeal regarding the decision of the Ministry, provided that this is done within a period of 15 days following the date of the appeal. Afterwards, the decision of the Minister will then become final.

There are plenty of intricacies of the law and other legal technicalities that you must be aware of when applying for a commercial registration in Qatar, and having a trusted business consultancy partner to help you navigate through these meticulous requirements will facilitate the whole registration process for you.