Doha: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the Ministry of Labour (MoL) yesterday announced the launch of a service to issue provisional commercial license for all commercial activities including hotels, health facilities, and others; excluding commercial licenses for the administrative offices category such as contracting, limousine, and cleaning services.

This initiative comes as part of the national efforts to support the private sector and facilitate the procedures for doing business in Qatar.

The MoCI stressed the need to meet the following conditions when issuing a provisional commercial license: The provisional license remains valid for one year only, and it can only be renewed with the approval of the competent department; The provisional license is issued without external approvals, provided that approvals are obtained when the final commercial license is issued; The provisional commercial license does not permit launching operations, but rather offers a period to facilitate establishing business sites and obtaining approvals from third parties related to issuing the final license to practice commercial activities (establishment registration/ labour approvals/ obtaining raw materials imported for the commercial project/ bank procedures); and A note shall be placed in the title description (A provisional license, valid for one year from the date of issuance of the commercial license. Practicing the commercial activity is prohibited before all requirements are met).

Requirements to issue a provisional license include license application form (provisional license), lease agreement acknowledgment form, construction completion certificate (building permit or contract with the State), and a copy of the identity card.

The Ministry indicated that after the expiry of the provisional commercial license, valid for one Gregorian year only, all documents required to issue a final license include Civil Defence Certificate and Construction completion certificate.

Moreover, the Ministry stressed the need to abide by Law No. (5) of 2015 on Commercial, Industrial and Similar Public Stores and Street Vendors, which states in Article No. (7) that the competent department decides on the license application, and informs the license applicant of its decision on the day of submitting the license application, as long as the applicant provides the documents and data requested by the competent department.

Also, the license applicant is obligated to fulfill all general and special requirements according to the type of licensed activity. Applicants can practice the commercial activity only after obtaining all the approvals required by law from the competent authorities, provided that they commit to submitting these approvals upon renewal of the license.

The Ministry also underscored the need to comply with Article No (19) of the same law, which states that the license shall be revoked by a decision of the competent department, in the following cases: If the licensee makes an amendment to the business site or engages in any activity other than that licensed without having obtained the approval of the concerned department; and If the business becomes inoperable or does not meet the conditions stated in the license. 

Additionally, the Ministry stated the need to comply with Article No. (20) of the said law, which states:“The license shall be revoked in cases other than those stipulated in the previous article, if the public interest so requires”.

Ministry also confirmed that it would take all legal measures in event of violating Law No. (5) of 2015 on Commercial, Industrial and Similar Public Stores and Street Vendors, by applying Article No. (26) of the law, which states:“Without prejudice to any severer penalty stipulated by another law, a penalty of imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year, and a fine of not more than QR50,000, or either of these penalties, shall be imposed on any individual who violates any of the provisions of Articles 3 and 7 of this law”.

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