Doha: Qatar has enacted Law No. (8) of 2026, amending certain provisions of Law No. (4) of 2008 concerning the leasing of real estate, introducing a QR250 lease registration fee, expanding mandatory lease registration requirements for certain beneficiaries of state property, and revising procedures governing rental disputes, appeals and penalties.
According to the Official Gazette issued by the Ministry of Justice, Issue No. (13) of 2026, the law provides as follows:
Article (1)
The provisions of Articles (20, Clause 2), (22), (24), and (26 bis) of Law No. (4) of 2008 shall be replaced with the following:
Article (20), Clause (2):
The Office shall collect a registration fee of QR 250 (two hundred and fifty Qatari riyals) for each transaction involving the registration of a real estate lease agreement, for each residential, commercial or other unit specified in the building permit of the property.
This fee may be amended by a decision of the Council of Ministers upon the proposal of the Minister.
Article (22):
The Committee shall have exclusive jurisdiction to expeditiously adjudicate all disputes arising from lease relationships between landlords and tenants, including disputes arising from the cases exempted under Article (2) of this Law.
Lawsuits filed by interested parties before the courts concerning disputes falling within the Committee's jurisdiction shall not be admissible unless an application has first been submitted to the Committee and a decision has been rendered thereon.
The Council of Ministers shall, by decision, determine the procedures for hearing applications, the rules and procedures to be followed before the Committee, the mechanism for enforcing its decisions, and the fees to be collected for applications submitted to it.
Article (24):
Interested parties may appeal the Committee's decisions before the Court of Appeal within 15 days from the date of the Committee's decision if rendered in the presence of the parties, or from the day following notification of the decision if rendered in absentia.
Article (26 bis):
Without prejudice to any more severe penalty prescribed under another law, any person who violates the provisions of Article (3), second paragraph, or Article (20 bis) of this Law shall be punished with a fine not exceeding QR 10,000 (ten thousand Qatari riyals).
The Minister, or any person authorized by the Minister, may settle the offence provided for in this Law before the initiation of criminal proceedings or during their consideration and before a final judgment is issued, in return for payment of one-tenth of the maximum prescribed fine, in addition to payment of the applicable registration fee.
Such settlement shall result, as the case may be, in preventing the initiation of criminal proceedings or terminating them.
Article (2)
A new Article (20 bis) shall be added to Law No. (4) of 2008, reading as follows:
Article (20 bis):
Without prejudice to the provisions of Article (2) of this Law, beneficiaries of public and private State property shall register lease agreements concluded with third parties with the Office, where their contracts permit such leasing, within two months from the date the lease agreement is concluded.
Such agreements shall be exempt from the registration fee prescribed under Article (20) of this Law.
Article (3)
All competent authorities, each within its respective jurisdiction, shall implement this Law, which shall be published in the Official Gazette.
