Qatar sets no minimum capital for a mainland limited liability company (LLC). Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015 sets no minimum share capital for an LLC. The partners set the amount in the memorandum of association.
The QAR200,000 figure that still appears in many guides comes from the commercial companies law before 2015. Law No. 11 of 2015 removed the LLC minimum. The exceptions are public shareholding companies and regulated activities.
Capital rules depend on the route. A mainland LLC, a QFC company, and a free zone company each answer to a different authority. If you are still choosing between them, the company formation in Qatar guide compares the routes before you set the capital figure.
CAPITAL RULE CHECK
Which rule applies to your company?
Pick the entity or route. The check shows the legal minimum and the next thing to verify.
Sources: Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015; Single Window Company Types; QFC, accessed 19 October 2026.
Key Takeaways
- The mainland LLC has no legal minimum capital.
- The partners set the amount in the memorandum.
- A public shareholding company needs at least QR10,000,000 in capital.
- QFC sets no minimum for a non-regulated LLC; regulated activities are assessed on capital.
- Banks and visa files look at practical capital, not only the legal minimum.
Minimum Capital in Qatar at a Glance
CAPITAL BY ENTITY
No legal minimum.
The regulator sets the capital rule.
No minimum for non-regulated activities.
Statutory minimum.
Sources: Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015 via Al Tamimi; Single Window Company Types; QFC LLC requirements, accessed 18 October 2026.
What Minimum Capital Actually Means
Capital is the amount the partners commit to the company. The figure appears in the memorandum of association and the commercial registration. The legal question is whether the law imposes a floor for your entity type.
Four different numbers often get mixed together:
- Legal minimum. The floor set by the companies law or a regulator.
- Declared capital. The amount written in the memorandum of association.
- Paid-up capital. The amount actually contributed by the partners.
- Practical capital. The amount a bank, landlord, or visa file expects to see.
The legal minimum is zero for a mainland LLC. The declared and paid-up amounts are a commercial decision. The practical amount depends on the activity, the bank, and the hiring plan.
Mainland LLC: No Minimum Capital
Qatar’s Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015 sets no minimum share capital for an LLC. The partners set the amount in the memorandum of association.
A low declared capital does not make the company less valid. The company still needs a licensed activity, a registered address, and the fees for the registration and licence. Capital is a separate item from the setup cost.
For the company formation sequence, see the LLC company formation guide. For ownership rules, see 100% ownership in Qatar.
Practical point: A declared capital of QAR 1 is legal. A bank may still decline the account, and a landlord may still question the business plan. Set capital for the company you are actually building, not for the legal floor.
Why the QAR200,000 Figure Still Appears
The QAR200,000 LLC minimum belonged to the commercial companies law before 2015. Law No. 11 of 2015 dropped the requirement when it replaced the earlier regime.
Older templates, bank checklists, and advisory articles still repeat the figure. Some banks use QAR200,000 as an internal comfort level rather than a legal rule. A guide that states QAR200,000 as a current legal minimum is out of date.
Repeated from the pre-2015 law and from bank comfort levels. Not a current requirement under the Commercial Companies Law.
The Commercial Companies Law sets no minimum share capital for an LLC. The partners decide the amount in the memorandum.
Minimum Capital by Company Type
The answer changes with the entity and the regulator. The table covers the routes founders ask about most.
| Entity | Minimum capital | Source of the rule |
|---|---|---|
| Mainland LLC (WLL) | No minimum | Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015 |
| Sole proprietorship | No share capital | Owner-based entity |
| Public shareholding company | QR10,000,000 | Single Window Company Types |
| Branch of a foreign company | No separate share capital | Parent company capital applies |
| QFC LLC, non-regulated | No minimum | QFC |
| QFC regulated activity | Assessed by QFCRA | QFC |
| Free zone company | Authority-specific | Free zone authority |
QFC and Free Zone Capital Rules
QFC runs a separate company regime. A QFC LLC conducting non-regulated permitted activities has no minimum share capital, and the capital can be in any currency the QFC Companies Registration Office accepts.
Regulated QFC activities are different. The QFC Regulatory Authority assesses the business model, governance, and capital position before licensing. A regulated firm should treat capital as a regulatory requirement, not a number chosen in the memorandum.
Free zone companies follow the capital rules of the relevant free zone authority. There is no single mainland or QFC rule that applies to every free zone. Confirm the requirement with the authority before drafting the memorandum.
For the QFC route, see QFC company setup. For free zone options, see Qatar free zones.
Legal Capital vs Practical Capital
The legal minimum answers one question: what does the law require? The practical question is different: what does the company need to open a bank account, sign a lease, and support a visa file?
- Entity type
- Activity regulator
- Companies law threshold
- QFC or free zone regime
- Bank KYC and source of funds
- Lease and fit-out plan
- Hiring and visa plan
- Working capital runway
The two tests can produce different numbers. A company can meet the legal minimum and still fail a bank review because the capital does not match the business plan. A company can also declare more capital than the bank needs and tie up cash that the business needs for operations.
What Banks and Visa Files Look At
The declared capital is one input in a wider file. A bank reviews the business model, the source of funds, the ownership structure, and the expected turnover. Capital that does not match the plan raises a question rather than answering one.
- Bank. Source of funds, business plan, UBO file, expected transaction volume, and the capital the owners can explain.
- Landlord. Lease term, fit-out budget, and whether the company can carry the rent.
- Visa file. Establishment card, labour approval, salary, and the employee’s documents. Capital is not the visa quota.
- Regulator. Activity-specific capital, governance, and risk framework for regulated activities.
A company can satisfy MOCI with a low declared capital and still face a bank question about how the first year is funded. Prepare the answer before the bank meeting, not after.
What we see in practice: capital rarely blocks incorporation. It surfaces at the bank, at the lease, or when the first visa file needs to show a company that can support the hire.
Three Common Scenarios
Consultancy or service LLC. The legal minimum is zero. The practical number should cover the first months of rent, salaries, and setup costs. A bank will ask how the company funds those costs if the declared capital is very low.
Trading LLC. Capital should match the first purchase orders and the inventory plan. A trading company with no working capital looks underfunded even when the legal file is complete.
Public shareholding company. The QR10,000,000 statutory minimum applies. This entity suits a capital-raising structure, not a standard owner-managed company.
QFC non-regulated LLC. There is no minimum share capital. The bank and QFC onboarding still review the business plan and source of funds, and a regulated QFC activity is assessed on capital by the QFCRA.
Capital for Regulated Activities
Regulated activities sit outside the general no-minimum answer. Banking, insurance, financial services, and other licensed activities have capital rules set by the relevant regulator. The QFC Regulatory Authority assesses the capital position of a regulated QFC firm as part of the licence application.
Confirm the regulator’s capital requirement before drafting the memorandum. A capital figure that works for a consultancy may be far below the threshold for a regulated licence.
How to Set Capital in the Memorandum
- Confirm the entity type and its legal minimum.
- Check whether the activity regulator sets a capital rule.
- Estimate the working capital the business needs for its first year.
- Align the declared capital with the bank and visa plan.
- Record the amount and share split in the memorandum of association.
Changing capital later is possible, but it requires a partners’ resolution and an amendment to the company records. Set a figure that the company can defend at incorporation and at the bank.
For the amendment process, see company amendment in Qatar.
Need Your Capital Figure Checked?
Meem reviews the entity type, activity regulator, bank plan, and memorandum before the capital figure is fixed. The review catches a number that looks legal but fails the bank or the regulator.
Use PRO services in Qatar for the filing, or start with the company formation in Qatar guide.
Conclusion
The minimum capital for a mainland LLC in Qatar is zero. Commercial Companies Law No. 11 of 2015 sets no minimum share capital for an LLC, and the QAR200,000 figure is a legacy rule that no longer applies.
Holding companies, public shareholding companies, and regulated activities carry their own capital rules. Set the declared capital for the company you are building, then check the practical number with the bank and the visa plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum capital for a company in Qatar?
The Commercial Companies Law sets no minimum share capital for a mainland LLC. A public shareholding company needs at least QR10,000,000. Regulated activities follow the relevant regulator’s capital rule.
Is QAR 200,000 still required for an LLC in Qatar?
No. The QAR200,000 LLC minimum belonged to the law before 2015. Law No. 11 of 2015 removed the requirement. Some guides and bank checklists still repeat the old figure.
How much capital does a public shareholding company need?
A public shareholding company must have capital of at least QR10,000,000, according to the Single Window company-types page. The shares are negotiable and the structure is regulated differently from an LLC.
Does a QFC company need minimum capital?
A QFC LLC conducting non-regulated permitted activities has no minimum share capital. Regulated activities are assessed by the QFC Regulatory Authority on business model, governance, and capital position.
Can I set the capital to QAR 1?
A mainland LLC has no legal minimum, so a low figure is legally possible. A bank, landlord, or visa file may still expect capital that matches the business plan. Set the amount for the company you are building.
Is capital the same as the company setup cost?
No. Capital is the amount committed to the company. Setup cost covers the registration, licence, lease, and government fees. The two numbers are separate.
Does capital affect a work visa in Qatar?
Capital is not a visa quota. Work visas depend on the establishment card, labour approvals, and the employee file. A bank may consider capital, but the visa system does not use it as the quota.
Can I change the capital after registration?
Yes. A capital change requires a partners’ resolution and an amendment to the company records. The process should be completed before the company relies on the new figure for a bank or licence application.
Jisham
Head of Operations at Meem
4+ years of hands-on Qatar PRO experience, handling approvals and government procedures across multiple ministries and authorities, including establishment licensing and approvals.
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