How to Get a Real Estate Brokerage License in Qatar: Requirements

The Ministry of Justice in Qatar issues real estate brokerage licenses through its Real Estate Brokerage Department, following Law No. 22 of 2017.

To get a license, apply online via the Real Estate Brokers Portal on the ministry’s website (Arabic only). You must meet the eligibility requirements, set up an office that passes inspection, complete a five-day training course and exam, and pay the license fee: QAR 10,000 for individuals or QAR 20,000 for companies, as stated by the ministry.

The license is valid for two years. Practicing brokerage without a license is not allowed under Article 2 of the law.

What counts as real estate brokerage

According to the law, real estate brokerage involves making a contract or agreement to help two or more people or companies complete a property transaction.

This covers more than just connecting buyers and sellers. Activities such as promoting property, running real estate auctions, managing property for others, and valuing property are also considered brokerage under the Minister of Justice’s rules.

If your work matches this description, you must get a license before starting.

Who can be licensed

There are two types of applicants under the law: individuals and companies.

An individual applicant must:

• Nationality and capacity: hold Qatari nationality and have full legal capacity.
• Reputation: be of good conduct and reputation, with no final judgment against them in a felony or a crime involving honor or trust.
• Training: pass the specialized real estate training courses and exams.
• Clean licensing record: must not have any previous final judgment or decision that canceled a brokerage license.
• Cooling-off rule: must not have worked at the Ministry of Justice or in real estate or urban planning units in other ministries, unless at least three years have passed since leaving.
• Premises: have a suitable office in Qatar dedicated to brokerage that meets the specifications below.

A company applicant must:

• Legal form and purpose: be a company under the Commercial Companies Law whose main purpose is real estate brokerage.
• Qatari ownership: maintain the Qatari partner(s)’ share at 51% or more of the capital.
• Standing: must have its head office in Qatar and must not have any final bankruptcy judgment against it.
• Responsible manager: must appoint a manager who meets all the individual requirements listed above, except for the office requirement, which applies to the company.

Non-Qatari brokerage firms can also obtain licenses under the conditions set by Cabinet Decision No. 28 of 2019. We explain that process in a separate guide.

Prepare the office first.

Minister of Justice Decision No. 3 of 2020 sets the specifications your premises must meet.

• Exclusive use: dedicated to brokerage only, with no other activity for the licensee or anyone else.
• Safety: compliant with security, safety, and Civil Defense requirements.
• Commercial licensing: licensed as commercial premises by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• Client facilities: equipped to receive clients, including people with disabilities and the elderly, and to keep transactions confidential.
• Signage: a front signboard, in Arabic at a minimum, showing the activity type, the brokerage license number, and any other details the department requires.
• Technology: computers and up-to-date property search software.
• Secure storage: a safe place for title deeds, client documents and brokerage contracts.
• Continuity: the office must remain in place for the full term of the license.

Ministry inspectors will visit your office. If it does not meet the requirements, correct any problems and inform the inspectors so they can return for another check. Your office must be ready before you are nominated for the training course, so this step comes early in the process.

The training course and exam

Once you are nominated, you will attend the course at the Legal and Judicial Studies Center, the Ministry of Justice’s training center.

The course runs for five working days with evening sessions, and the exam takes place on the fifth day. The Real Estate Brokers Affairs Committee sets the rules and passing criteria for these courses and exams.

How to apply

1. Open the MoJ website, choose E-services, then the Real Estate Brokers Portal. (Arabic Only)
2. If you are registering a new company that does not yet have a commercial registration (CR), select registration without a CR and attach the trade name reservation certificate.
3. Fill in the application form electronically.
4. Attach the required documents: the trade name reservation certificate, the responsible manager’s QID, a valid good conduct certificate, and a valid employer statement covering the last three years.
5. Pay electronically through the portal.

The department has 15 days to review your application and inform you of its decision. If they refuse, they must explain why. If you do not receive a reply within 15 days, your application is considered rejected. You can appeal to the Committee within 60 days of being notified or after the 15 days have passed. This appeal represents your last chance before the application is closed.

Fees, card, oath, and validity

The ministry charges a license fee of QAR 10,000 for individual brokers and QAR 20,000 for brokerage companies.

Once approved, you will receive your license and a practice card showing your name, registration number, license period, and business address.

Before starting work, you must take a legal oath before the Committee to perform your duties with honor, integrity, and honesty, and to keep its confidential information.

The license is valid for two years and can be renewed for the same period.

You should apply for renewal in the month before it expires. Information about renewals, branches, and address changes is available in another guide.

Hiring a representative

A representative is someone a licensed broker hires to help with brokerage work.

The representative must have full legal capacity, a good reputation, no final judgment for a felony or a crime involving honor or trust unless rehabilitated, must not have worked at the MoJ or in real estate-related government units in the last three years, must speak Arabic fluently, and must pass a personal interview with the department.

To register a representative, go to the broker’s portal, choose the option to engage a representative, and attach these documents:

• a valid good conduct certificate
• an employment contract covering the last three years and the current year
• a Ministry of Interior certificate addressed to whom it may concern
• Representative’s QID

If there is no three-year contract, you can submit any document that proves your work history (an expired QID is accepted), along with a Ministry of Labor statement showing your employment periods and employers.