Licensing a restaurant in Qatar: from C.R. to your first order
Opening a restaurant in Qatar involves several transactions with more than one entity. Doing them in the right order saves weeks of waiting. Here is a practical list in the usual order.
1. Commercial registration with the right activity
Start by reserving the trade name, then issue the C.R. with the restaurant activity that fits your business. Trade Name Reservation › New Commercial Registration (CR) ›
2. Lease and attestation
Choose a location that meets the activity's requirements, then attest the commercial lease. Commercial or Residential Lease Registration ›
3. Municipality approvals and food establishment licence
The municipality reviews the site and activity requirements, then the food establishment licence is issued once health requirements are met. Municipal Activity Approvals (Site Requirements) › Food Establishment Licence ›
4. Civil defence certificate
Required once the premises are fitted with safety equipment, and renewed periodically. Civil Defence Certificate for a Shop or Office › Civil Defence Certificate Renewal ›
5. Commercial licence
Issued once approvals are complete, and renewed every year. Trade Licence Issuance or Renewal ›
6. Staff and their health certificates
Food handlers need a valid health card and health certificate. Health Card Issuance or Renewal › Health Certificate for Food Handlers ›
7. Registering menu items and prices
Before selling, register your items and prices across all branches. New Item Registration Certificate: Data and Price (per item, 5 sales outlets included) › Work out the cost in the restaurant calculator.
One last tip
Keep all renewal dates in one schedule. If you would like us to run the whole file for a fixed monthly fee, see the management & supervision package.
This article is for guidance. Requirements vary by activity and location; the competent government entity is the reference.