The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (“MoCI”) recently reduced the licensing fees for home businesses in Qatar from around QR 1,500 to QR 300, and has introduced simplified procedures to approve home-based business activities. The move is meant to promote micro-entrepreneurship, and to encourage those running home businesses without a license to become legally compliant.
Pursuant to the new procedures, approval of home business activities only requires the submission of the Qatar ID (“QID”) of the home owner, the QID of the applicant (if different from that of the home owner), and proof that the QID address matches the home address.
Each business activity requires a separate license, and the number of available home business activities has increased from 15 to 63. Licensing applications may be submitted electronically through the MoCI’s Single Window Portal.
Permitted activities for home-based businesses include the following:
- roasting and packaging nuts
- tailoring and sewing clothing
- repairing leather products such as luggage and bags
- maintaining electrical appliances
- repairing document copying machines
- repairing computers
- trading in dates and their by-products
- trading in computers and their accessories
- designing and programming custom software
- trading in the clothing of men, women and children
- trading in shoes
- renting travel supplies
- providing translation services
- trading in accessories and perfumes
- designing jewellery
- providing photography services
and many others.
The reduced fees and simplified procedures for home businesses follow the MoCI’s recent reduction of business-related fees in Qatar.
