Guide · Qatar
Website legal requirements in Qatar
Qatar’s website legal requirements include personal data protection rules for handling breaches, children’s data and direct marketing. The Qatar Financial Centre has separate data protection regulations. Qatar imposes no VAT or sales tax, and corporate income tax depends on the entity’s ownership. When planning a site or app, consider how you will manage consent, respond to a breach and present checkout information. You can also consider Arabic and English content and a Qatar domain name.
Checked against official sources on 5 November 2026. General information, not legal advice: confirm the rules that apply to your business with an adviser.
What data protection rules apply to my website?
A controller must notify the regulator and affected individuals of a personal data breach likely to cause damage within 72 hours of becoming aware of it. Plan how your team will detect and report a breach after launch.
If your website is aimed at children in Qatar, you must obtain express approval from a parent or guardian before processing a child’s personal data. Build that approval step into the site.
- Add a prior-consent option for direct marketing.
- Check the applicable data protection regulations if your business is in the Qatar Financial Centre.
How does Qatar tax affect my online shop?
Qatar imposes no VAT or sales tax; VAT under the common GCC framework has not yet been introduced. Reflect that position when setting up your checkout and invoices.
Can my customers use Fawran?
Fawran is Qatar Central Bank’s instant payment service. It runs 24/7 and lets customers send money using the recipient’s mobile number or alias instead of an IBAN. Consider this when planning payment instructions for your shop.
Which languages should my website use?
Article 1 of Qatar’s Constitution makes Arabic the official language. Consider Arabic when planning your site’s content and forms.
English is commonly used in Qatar as a second language, especially in commerce. You can consider English content alongside Arabic.
Where can I get a Qatar domain?
The Qatar Domains Registry of the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) provides .qa and Arabic .قطر domain names. Consider either when choosing your website address.
What should be on my Qatar website checklist?
When setting contact hours, consider Qatar’s working week: Sunday–Thursday, with Friday–Saturday as the weekend.
- Plan a process for detecting and reporting personal data breaches.
- Add a parent or guardian approval step if your website is aimed at children.
- Add a prior-consent option for direct marketing.
- Set up checkout and invoices to reflect Qatar’s tax position.
- Consider Fawran when writing payment instructions.
- Plan Arabic and English content.
- Consider a .qa or .قطر domain.
Questions
Which law covers personal data on my website?
Qatar’s general personal data law is Law No. 13 of 2016 Concerning Personal Data Protection. It is overseen by the National Cyber Governance and Assurance Affairs of the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA).
Can I send direct marketing to people who use my site?
You need the recipient’s prior consent. Qatar’s data protection law prohibits unsolicited direct marketing without it.
Does the Qatar Financial Centre have separate data protection rules?
Yes. The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), an onshore business centre in Qatar, has its own separate data protection regulations.
Does corporate income tax apply to a business selling online?
It depends on the entity’s ownership. Qatar generally taxes the taxable income of partly or fully foreign-owned entities at a flat corporate income tax rate of 10%, while entities wholly owned by Qatari nationals or GCC nationals resident in Qatar are exempt.