MoCI in Qatar lowers its licensing fees to QAR300 to encourage more people to launch home-based enterprises

MoCI in Qatar has lowered its licensing fees to QAR300 to encourage more people to launch home-based enterprises

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) in Qatar has lowered its licensing fees to QAR300 in an effort to encourage more people to launch home-based enterprises. Additionally, it made it easier to bring home companies into compliance with the law. 

According to Latifa Al Ali, Head of the MoCI's Commercial Records and Licensing Department, "the licensing fees of home-based businesses have been reduced from about QAR1,500 to QAR300 to encourage entrepreneurs to legalize their micro-businesses." She noted that in order to encourage micro-entrepreneurship and local investments, the Ministry has also raised the number of home business activities from 15 to 63.

In accordance with the terms of the license, the applicants must present Onwani, their personal QID, and the QID of the home's owner.

According to Latifa Al Ali, home-based company licenses are being granted in a way that doesn't interfere with neighborhood traffic patterns or cause annoyance to nearby residents. She also discussed the ministry's efforts to keep an eye on activities related to home-based businesses.

Some of the activities of a home-based business are:

- Tailoring and sewing men’s clothing

- Maintenance of electrical appliances

- Repairing computers

- Trading computers and their accessories

- Designing and programming custom software

- Roasting and packaging nuts

- Repairing leather products such as luggage and bags

- Trading shoes

- Trading dates and their by-products

- Interior decoration activities

- Photography

- Trading men’s accessories and perfumes

- Translation activities

- Repairing document copying machines

- Trading clothing of men, women and children

- Renting travel supplies

- Designing jewellery

- Trading women’s cosmetics, beauty and hair care products