Qatar's new .qa domain rules (22 October 2026): what businesses need to know

The short answer: since 22 October 2026, a new .qa domain can only be registered by someone with a connection to Qatar. Registrars report that individuals need a Qatar ID or eligible residency document, and businesses need a Qatari commercial registration or trade licence, or a trademark registered in Qatar. Existing .qa domains are not cancelled and keep renewing, but changes to them can trigger the new eligibility check, so make sure your details and documents are in order before you change anything.

The change matters to every business in Qatar with a .qa website or email, and to online sellers who need a .qa or .com.qa domain under the new e-commerce licence. Here's what registrars have reported, what's still unclear, and what to do now.

Odysense builds websites and online stores; we're not a domain registry or a law firm. The registry hadn't published its full updated guidelines when several of the notices below were written, so confirm the details with your registrar or the Qatar Domains Registry before acting.

What changed on 22 October 2026.

The Qatar Domains Registry, operated by Qatar's Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), moved to a new technical platform and a new set of domain policies on 22 October 2026. Registrar notices describe these main changes:

• Eligibility for .qa: a second-level .qa domain (yourname.qa) can no longer be registered by anyone, anywhere. You need a connection to Qatar.
• Individuals: a valid Qatar ID (QID) or an eligible Qatar residency document.
• Businesses: a valid Qatari commercial registration (CR) or applicable trade licence, or a trademark registered in Qatar.
• No reselling: the new policy prohibits selling, renting or leasing a second-level .qa domain.
• .com.qa: this ending already required a Qatari entity or a Qatari trademark, and new .qa names now follow similar rules.

What it means for existing .qa domains.

Registrars agree that existing .qa domains were not cancelled on 22 October and that renewals continue. The catch is in changes: according to registrar notices, changing a domain's registration details brings the new eligibility requirements into play. Domain Name Wire reported that changing nameservers is one of those triggers, while changing individual DNS records such as A or CNAME records at your DNS host is not.

Some registrars are also asking existing holders to provide eligibility documents now, so they're ready when the registry checks. If your registrar has asked, don't ignore the email.

What's still unclear.

• Whether, and how, companies based outside Qatar can register .qa names. Reports differ; a trademark registered in Qatar is the route most often mentioned.
• The exact documents each registrar will accept, and how long checks take.
• Transfer and renewal details: at least one registrar reports a 60-day transfer lock on newly registered or transferred domains, and terms of up to 10 years.
• Availability: some registrars paused new .qa registrations and transfers around the switchover. Check with yours before you plan a launch date around a new domain.

What to do now.

• Check who the domain is registered to. It should be your business, with your current CR or trade licence, not a former employee, freelancer or agency.
• Have your documents ready: CR or trade licence for a company, QID for an individual, or your Qatar trademark registration.
• Talk to your registrar before changing nameservers, moving hosting providers or transferring the domain, so a routine change doesn't stall on an eligibility check.
• Keep renewals on auto-renew with a payment method that works. A domain that lapses would have to be registered again under the new rules, and someone else could take it.
• Planning a new brand or store? Confirm the .qa name is available and that you're eligible before you print packaging or launch campaigns.
• Selling online under the e-commerce licence? The licence requires a .qa or .com.qa domain through one of the eight CRA-approved providers, so sort the domain early.

If you're moving your site to a .qa domain.

Moving an existing website or store from .com to .qa is routine when it's planned: one-to-one 301 redirects, an updated sitemap and canonical tags, and Google Search Console told about the move. Our guide to setting up a .qa domain for an online store walks through the steps so you keep your search rankings.

We can help with the website side.

Odysense builds and maintains websites and online stores for businesses in Qatar and the GCC, and we plan domain moves so rankings, email and payments keep working. Book a free consultation and we'll check your setup and plan any move with you and your registrar.