Qatar Company Search Guide 2026: How to Verify a Qatar Business

TL;DR. Qatar’s primary commercial registry is operated by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI) through the Single Window government services platform. Searches are partially available in English. Certified commercial register extracts cost QAR 100-1000 (~USD 27-275). A separate registry governs Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) entities, which are not searchable through the MOCI system. Qatar is not on the FATF grey list as of May 2026 and is a GCC and MENAFATF member state.

What is the official Qatar business registry?

Qatar’s official business registration authority is the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), operating at moci.gov.qa and through the Qatar Government Single Window portal at portal.moci.gov.qa. All companies wishing to operate in the State of Qatar must register with MOCI and obtain a Commercial Registration (CR).

The statutory basis for commercial registration in Qatar is the Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015 and its executive regulations, with subsequent amendments under Law No. 8 of 2021 which introduced updated governance requirements for shareholding structures, foreign ownership, and disclosure obligations. MOCI administers registration across all sectors of the domestic economy.

The MOCI Commercial Register covers:

• Qatari Joint Venture Companies (Shirkat Muhasa)
• Limited Liability Companies (Shirkat Dhat Mas’uliyya Mahduda)
• Sole Proprietorships
• Partnerships (General and Limited)
• Joint Stock Companies (Qatari and Foreign Participation)
• Branches and Representative Offices of Foreign Companies
• Holding Companies

A critical distinction for compliance buyers: entities licensed in the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) are registered under the QFC Companies Regulations (based on English common law principles) and are governed by the QFC Regulatory Authority (QFCRA). QFC entities are registered in a separate database at qfcra.com and do not appear in the MOCI commercial register. Financial institutions, fund managers, insurance companies, and professional service firms with QFC licenses must be verified through the QFC registry, not MOCI.

The Qatar Financial Markets Authority (QFMA) at qfma.org.qa supervises listed companies on the Qatar Stock Exchange (QSE) and maintains a separate register of licensed financial intermediaries.

What can you search?

The MOCI commercial register portal allows public searches by:

• Company name in Arabic or English transliteration
• Commercial Registration (CR) number
• Business activity category

A public search returns: entity name, CR number, entity type, registration date, principal business activities, registered address (district level), and current status (valid, expired, or suspended). Manager and ownership data are not displayed in the public-facing free search.

For full certified extracts, account holders through the Hukoomi platform or MOCI business portal can access:

• Full shareholder list with percentage holdings
• Manager and authorized signatory details
• Registered capital amount
• Business activity schedule
• Historical amendments and renewals

The QFC registry at qfcra.com provides public search for QFC-licensed entities by name or QFC registration number, returning entity type, license category, and regulatory status. QFC extracts are available in English given the QFC’s English common law basis.

Data freshness in the MOCI system is event-driven: records update when the company files a change notification, renews its CR, or MOCI takes an official action. The portal does not guarantee daily synchronization.

How much does it cost?

Prices are based on MOCI fee schedules and the Hukoomi government services portal as of May 2026. QAR/USD conversion used: 1 QAR = approximately 0.274 USD (QAR is pegged to USD at 3.64). Fee schedules may change; verify current pricing at moci.gov.qa or portal.moci.gov.qa before ordering.

Do you need a local account or ID?

Free basic status searches at the MOCI portal require no account and no Qatari identity document. The public search is accessible internationally.

For ordering certified extract documents, access through the Hukoomi government portal (hukoomi.gov.qa) requires a Qatari national ID or resident permit (QID) for the account registration step. Foreign compliance buyers without Qatari credentials cannot directly complete online certified document ordering without local credentials.

Alternatives for foreign buyers include: engagement with a licensed Qatari law firm or company secretarial agent who holds Hukoomi credentials and can retrieve certified extracts on behalf of foreign clients; or direct in-person visit to a MOCI service center in Doha. This access friction is a common feature across GCC registries.

The QFC registry process is more accessible to foreign buyers since QFC entities operate under English law and the QFCRA maintains English-language documentation.

Is the website in English?

The MOCI website at moci.gov.qa provides an English language version covering informational pages and general navigation. However, the transactional services portal, including certified document ordering, is primarily in Arabic. Some service descriptions and guidelines are available in both languages; others are Arabic only.

Official commercial register extracts are issued in Arabic. Certified translations into English are required for international use. Qatar-based legal firms and certified translation agencies routinely provide this service.

The QFC website and regulatory register at qfcra.com are fully in English, reflecting the QFC’s design as a common law-based financial center for international business.

What’s the turnaround time?

Free online entity status searches return results instantly. Standard electronic extracts through the MOCI portal are processed within 3-5 business days. During periods of high volume or national holidays (particularly Eid periods), processing may extend to 7 business days.

Apostillized documents for international use require additional processing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and may add 3-7 business days. Qatar is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention and issues apostilles for commercial documents.

QFC entity verification through qfcra.com is instant for public status checks. QFC certified extracts may be obtained through the QFCRA with a shorter turnaround than MOCI given the smaller registry volume.

Is there an API?

No public API is available from the MOCI commercial registry for third-party access as of May 2026. The MOCI has not published developer API documentation. Large-scale data access arrangements for financial institutions may be discussed with MOCI directly through formal channels.

The QFC Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) similarly does not publish a public API for its register. The GCC Secretariat facilitates some cross-border data exchange frameworks among GCC member states, but no public third-party API access to Qatari commercial registry data has been announced as of May 2026.

What you legally cannot do

Qatar’s Personal Data Privacy Protection Law (Law No. 13 of 2016) governs the processing of personal data of natural persons in Qatar. Director names, shareholder identity information, and company officer data extracted from MOCI records constitute personal data when processed by private commercial entities. Processing requires a documented lawful basis, and cross-border transfer of personal data is subject to consent or adequacy requirements under the law.

Automated bulk extraction from the MOCI or Hukoomi portals is prohibited under the platforms’ terms of service. Systematic data harvesting without MOCI authorization is not permitted.

Qatar’s AML/CFT framework is governed by Law No. 4 of 2010 on combating money laundering and terrorism financing, with the Qatar Financial Intelligence Unit (QFIU) under the Qatar Central Bank as the primary authority. Qatar is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and a MENAFATF member state (MENA Financial Action Task Force), the FATF-style regional body for the Middle East and North Africa.

Practical tips for foreign compliance buyers

• Always check which registry applies: MOCI or QFC. Qatar has two distinct corporate regimes. An entity described as “Qatar-registered” could be either MOCI (mainland Qatar, Companies Law No. 11/2015) or QFC (Qatar Financial Centre, English common law). The registries are entirely separate and a search in one will not return results from the other. Confirm the entity’s registration regime before proceeding.
• QFC entities are prominent in financial services. Banks, asset managers, insurance firms, and professional service providers often opt for QFC registration because of the English common law framework, independent courts (QFC Tribunal), and clearer ownership rights for foreign investors. If you are verifying a financial sector counterparty, check qfcra.com first.
• Qatar is not on the FATF grey list. Qatar is a FATF member state and is not on the FATF Increased Monitoring list as of May 2026. However, it is subject to MENAFATF mutual evaluation processes. For current assessment, see fatf-gafi.org.
• Foreign ownership rules have changed. Qatar’s 2019 amendment to the Investment Law allowed up to 100% foreign ownership in most sectors. Older company records may reflect historic 51% Qatari ownership structures no longer required. Verify current shareholding structure rather than relying on historical CR data.
• Annual CR renewal is mandatory. Qatari commercial registrations require annual renewal with MOCI. An expired CR is not simply dormant; it is a compliance breach. Always check the CR expiry date in addition to the registration status.
• Use this registry guide alongside the Global Business Due Diligence Guide for a GCC-wide cross-jurisdictional compliance framework. GCC member states, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, share some registry characteristics but each has distinct access requirements and entity structures.

Alternatives if you cannot access the registry directly

• OpenCorporates has limited Qatar MOCI coverage. Data lags considerably and is not suitable for compliance-grade verification. QFC entities are not covered.
• QFC Regulatory Authority (qfcra.com): For QFC-registered entities, the QFCRA public register is the authoritative source and is freely accessible in English.
• Qatar Central Bank (qcb.gov.qa): For banking and financial institution verification, the QCB published list of licensed institutions is authoritative.
• Local law firms and commercial agents: Qatari legal and company secretarial firms routinely obtain MOCI certified extracts for foreign clients as a standard service.

Local data suppliers

• Dun & Bradstreet Qatar (dnb.com). Global data provider with Qatar coverage. Produces English-language company reports, D-U-N-S registered entities, credit risk scores, and compliance due diligence tools. Reports combine MOCI commercial data with financial indicators and risk assessment. Used by multinationals conducting counterparty KYC in the Qatari market.
• CRIF Gulf (crif.com). Regional operation of CRIF S.p.A. covering Qatar and the GCC. Provides business information reports, creditworthiness assessment, and AML compliance screening. Strong GCC-wide coverage for compliance programs that span multiple Gulf markets including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Use the MOCI or QFC registry for official registry verification. Use commercial data suppliers when you need payment behavior, risk scoring, or English-language structured reports without navigating Arabic-language government portals.

FAQ

Can a foreign company access the Qatar commercial registry directly?

Yes for free public searches. The MOCI public search at moci.gov.qa and the QFC register at qfcra.com are accessible internationally without geographic restriction. Certified document ordering from MOCI requires Qatari credential-linked account access, which most foreign buyers obtain through local Qatari agents. QFC certified documents are obtainable with fewer credential barriers.

What is the Commercial Registration (CR) number in Qatar?

The Commercial Registration (CR) number is assigned by MOCI at the time of registration. It is the primary unique identifier for MOCI-registered entities in Qatar. The CR number appears on all government filings, tax documents, and regulatory submissions. It must be cited in all subsequent MOCI transactions, annual renewals, and change filings. QFC-registered entities have a separate QFC registration number assigned by QFCRA.

What entity types are registered with MOCI?

MOCI registers sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, joint stock companies, joint venture companies, partnerships (general and limited), and foreign company branches and representative offices. Financial institutions require additional licensing from the Qatar Central Bank. QFC entities are registered separately with QFCRA and are not MOCI-registered entities.

Does Qatar have a beneficial ownership (UBO) registry?

Qatar does not have a publicly searchable UBO registry as of May 2026. AML regulations under Law No. 4/2010 require financial institutions and DNFBPs to collect and verify UBO data as part of customer due diligence, consistent with FATF Recommendation 24. This data is held by regulated entities and the Qatar Financial Intelligence Unit (QFIU) rather than disclosed in a public register. Qatar’s UBO framework transparency is below EU/UK norms, a characteristic shared with most GCC jurisdictions.

How current is the data in the MOCI registry?

The MOCI registry reflects data as of the most recent filed update and registry action. Companies that renew their CR annually and file changes promptly will have reasonably current records. Annual CR renewal is mandatory, so recently renewed CRs provide higher confidence in data currency than records not recently updated. The online system may lag physical filing processing by 1-5 business days.

Is Qatar on the FATF grey list?

No. Qatar is not on the FATF grey list or the FATF High-Risk Jurisdictions list as of May 2026. Qatar is a FATF member state and participates in GCC financial intelligence sharing through MENAFATF. For current status, verify at fatf-gafi.org.

What is the difference between MOCI and the QFC registry?

The MOCI commercial register covers all companies registered under Qatari Companies Law No. 11/2015 for domestic economy operations. The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) is a separate financial and business center operating under its own legal framework based on English common law, with its own courts (QFC Tribunal) and regulatory authority (QFCRA). QFC-registered entities are not MOCI-registered; they are licensed and registered under QFC Companies Regulations. The two systems have no direct overlap. Foreign compliance buyers must determine which regime applies to their target entity before searching.

Last verified: May 2026. Source: Ministry of Commerce and Industry Qatar (moci.gov.qa), QFC Regulatory Authority (qfcra.com), Qatar Central Bank (qcb.gov.qa), FATF (fatf-gafi.org). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.