Guides / Money & banking / Starting a business
Renewing your commercial registration, licence and establishment card in Qatar
How to renew a Qatar company's commercial registration (CR), commercial licence and establishment card on time: what to fix first, renewing in the MOCI app or the Single Window, what it costs, how the establishment card now updates in Metrash, and what happens if you are late.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- When
- In the 30 days before the CR and licence expire
- Where
- MOCI app (Comprehensive Renewal) or the Single Window at sw.gov.qa
- Basic cost
- About QAR 1,000 a year for one activity (CR QAR 500 plus licence QAR 500), plus Chamber fees
- Establishment card
- Updated automatically after the CR and licence renewal; view it in Metrash
Every company and shop in Qatar holds a set of documents that expire, usually every year: the commercial registration (CR) from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), the commercial licence for the premises, the establishment card that links the company to the Ministry of Interior (MOI) so it can sponsor staff, and in most cases a Qatar Chamber membership. When one lapses, things stop: staff visas and QID renewals stall, banks may freeze dealings and government services refuse requests. Since 2024 renewing the CR and licence through the Single Window also renews the establishment registration, and since September 2026 the whole renewal can be done in the MOCI app. This guide is for owners, managers and the PRO (the person who handles government paperwork) of an existing business. The order is: check every expiry date, fix what blocks renewal, renew the CR and licence together in the app or Single Window, then confirm the establishment card in Metrash and update everyone who relies on your CR.
Before you start
- A National Authentication System (Tawtheeq) login linked to a valid QID of someone authorised on the CR, such as the owner, manager or authorised signatory
- The CR number and the expiry dates of the CR, commercial licence, establishment card and Qatar Chamber membership
- A valid, registered lease for the licensed premises that runs well into the new licence period
- Valid QIDs for the owner, manager and authorised signatories (renew any that are about to expire first)
- Approvals from other bodies if your activity is regulated, for example health, education, food or transport
- A Civil Defence certificate for the premises if your activity or building needs one
- A payment card that works for online government payments
- Any outstanding MOCI fines or violations paid or settled
Step by step
Check every expiry date
Start about a month before the CR expires. Look up the CR and licence dates in the MOCI app or the Single Window, the establishment card in Metrash (MOI's app), and the Chamber membership on its certificate. These documents do not always expire on the same day, and the one that lapses first is the one that causes trouble. If the CR and licence have different expiry dates, you can align them when you renew. Put the dates in a shared calendar so the next renewal does not depend on one person remembering.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Fix what blocks renewal first
Most rejected renewals fail for the same few reasons: an expired or unregistered lease, an expired QID for the manager or signatory, or a company name, activity or address that does not match across the CR, licence and lease. Renew or re-register the lease and any QIDs before you open the renewal. Pay any outstanding MOCI fines. If you added or dropped an activity without telling MOCI, correct the CR first, because the law requires changes to be recorded within 30 days and the renewal is checked against your registered data.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Understand what is automatic and what is not
In July 2024 MOCI and MOI launched what was announced as automatic renewal. In practice it means that when you renew the CR and licence through the Single Window, the establishment registration (establishment card) is renewed and updated with it, so you no longer need a separate visit to the immigration department. The CR and licence themselves are not renewed for you: someone still has to submit the renewal and pay. Do not wait for a renewal that will not happen on its own.
Get any outside approvals
If your activity is regulated, the renewal may need a valid approval from the ministry or authority in charge, such as the Ministry of Public Health for clinics and pharmacies or the education ministry for training centres. Shops and offices may also need a valid Civil Defence certificate, and new businesses exempted from Civil Defence pre-approval still had to get their safety clearance after opening. The Single Window shows which approvals your activity needs. Start these early, because they can take longer than the renewal itself.
Renew in the MOCI app
Since September 2026 the MOCI app has a Comprehensive Renewal service. Sign in with your Tawtheeq login, select the establishment you want to renew, review the renewal details, complete and submit the request, then pay in the app. You can track the request in the app afterwards. This suits simple renewals where nothing has changed. If you need to upload documents or change something at the same time, the Single Window on a computer may be easier.
Read guide: Tawtheeq (National Authentication System): signing up and logging in →Or renew in the Single Window
On a computer, go to sw.gov.qa, sign in with Tawtheeq and choose Comprehensive Renewal. Pick the establishment, upload the attachments it asks for, such as the lease and any approvals, and check the data summary line by line: activities, trade name, manager and licences. Choose the renewal period if you are offered a choice; fees are charged for each year. MOCI says simple renewals are usually done within about a day, while regulated activities take longer.
Pay and download the new documents
The system works out the fee: in MOCI's fee table, renewing a CR with one main activity is QAR 500 a year, each additional activity QAR 300, and renewing a commercial licence QAR 500 (QAR 300 for a home licence). Pay online, then download the renewed CR and licence as PDFs. MOCI requires the CR and licence to be displayed clearly at the licensed premises, and the licence number to appear on your shop sign, so print and put up the new copies.
Confirm the establishment card in Metrash
After the renewal is complete, open Metrash and check the establishment's details. The establishment registration should show the new expiry date and your updated data. If it has not updated after a few working days, or the card was already expired for a different reason, use the establishment update and renew service in Metrash or contact MOI. A valid establishment card matters because without it you cannot renew staff residence permits, apply for new visas or use most company services in Metrash.
Read guide: Metrash: registering and using Qatar's Ministry of Interior app →Renew the Chamber membership
Most mainland companies must also keep their Qatar Chamber membership current, and its fee depends on capital and company type. It is often renewed at the same time as the CR, and banks and some authorities ask for the Chamber certificate. Check that it shows the same expiry period as the new CR.
Get certificates and tell the people who rely on your CR
The MOCI app can now issue eight common certificates instantly, including the CR and licence status certificate, the company extract and the negative certificate by ID number; you can preview them before you pay, and MOCI says some are free while others cost QAR 50. Send the renewed CR and licence to your bank, which may restrict the business account when they expire, and update any supplier, landlord or government portal that keeps a copy. Keep your tax filings with the General Tax Authority up to date as well, because a tax compliance certificate is often asked for alongside the CR.
Read guide: Company tax returns on Dhareeba: registration, deadlines and penalties →If your CR has already expired
Renew as soon as possible; do not keep trading as if nothing happened. Under the Commercial Register Law the ministry may allow renewal after expiry, but the fee is charged from the date it expired, so you gain nothing by waiting. If an entry is not renewed within 90 days after MOCI notifies you, the ministry may delete it, and re-registration is at its discretion. If the business has stopped trading, cancel the CR and licence properly instead of letting them lapse, because an open CR keeps obligations such as tax returns alive.
Read guide: Starting a business in Qatar as an expat: commercial registration step by step →
What it costs
| CR renewal, one main activity (per year) | QAR 500 |
| Each additional activity on the CR (per year) | QAR 300 |
| Commercial licence renewal for premises or branch (per year) | QAR 500 |
| Home business licence renewal (per year) | QAR 300 |
| Certificate of data from the register | QAR 50 |
| Negative certificate | Free |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Thinking 'automatic renewal' means the CR renews by itself. It is the establishment card that updates automatically once you renew the CR and licence; you still have to submit and pay.
- Starting the renewal with an expired lease or an expired QID for the signatory. Fix those first or the request will be returned.
- Leaving the renewal to the last day. MOCI asks you to renew in the 30 days before expiry, and outside approvals can take longer than that.
- Adding a new activity, manager or address in practice without updating the CR within 30 days.
- Forgetting the establishment card and Chamber membership, then finding staff QID renewals blocked.
- Letting a dormant company's CR lapse instead of cancelling it, which leaves tax and other obligations open.
- Paying a middleman to 'fast-track' a renewal you can do yourself in the MOCI app in a few minutes.
Questions people ask
Does my CR renew automatically now?
No. The service launched by MOCI and MOI in 2024 renews the establishment registration automatically when you renew the CR and commercial licence through the Single Window. The CR and licence still need someone to submit the renewal and pay. You can now do that in the MOCI app as well as on sw.gov.qa.
How early can I renew, and what if I miss the date?
MOCI asks businesses to renew in the 30 days before expiry. If you miss it, renew as soon as you can: the fee is charged from the expiry date anyway, and an entry left unrenewed for 90 days after MOCI notifies you can be deleted. An expired CR can also block bank transactions and staff visa services.
How much does it cost to renew a CR and licence?
For a simple company with one activity, MOCI's fees are QAR 500 for the CR and QAR 500 for the commercial licence per year, so about QAR 1,000. Each extra activity adds QAR 300. Qatar Chamber membership and any approvals from other authorities are extra, so check the total the system calculates before you pay.
My establishment card is expired but the CR is valid. What do I do?
Open Metrash and check the establishment's details; if it has not updated, use the establishment update and renew service there. If that does not work, contact MOI, because the card may be held up by something outside MOCI, such as unpaid fees. Staff residence renewals usually need a valid establishment card.
Can I renew for more than one year?
The Single Window may offer a choice of renewal period for some establishments, and fees are charged for each year chosen. If you are not offered a choice, the renewal is for one year. A longer period means fewer renewals but the lease and approvals must cover it too.
Who is allowed to submit the renewal?
The renewal is done with a Tawtheeq login linked to a valid QID of someone authorised on the establishment, such as the owner, manager or authorised signatory. A PRO or company representative can do it if they are registered for the establishment. If the authorised person is outside Qatar, their login still works online.
Do I need a new lease to renew the licence?
You need a valid, registered lease for the licensed premises. If your lease ends soon after the renewal date, renew or re-register it first, because an expired or mismatched lease is the most common reason renewals are rejected.
My home business licence is due. Is it the same process?
Yes, the home licence is renewed every year through the same MOCI renewal services, at QAR 300 per year. If you also sell online, check your e-commerce licence dates too. See our home business licence guide for the rules that apply to running a business from home.
Official sources
- MOCI: Automatic renewal of establishment registration with the CR and licence (July 2024) ↗
- MOCI: Investor obligations (renew 30 days before expiry, display the CR and licence) ↗
- MOCI: Fee table for commercial register and licence services ↗
- Gulf Times: MOCI and MOI launch automatic renewal of commercial licence and registration ↗
- Marhaba: MOCI app adds certificates and Comprehensive Renewal (September 2026) ↗
- Al Tamimi: Commercial Register law changes (renewal, deletion, fines) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.