Short answer: Yes. Selling online in Oman, including through Instagram or WhatsApp, requires an e-commerce licence from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. You apply on the Oman Business Platform, the government portal lists the fee at OMR 6.5 for local investment and OMR 12.5 for foreign investment, and the licence runs for one, two or three years. Once licensed, you can verify your store on Maroof Oman.
Last updated: October 2026
Note: This is a general explanation based on published official texts, not legal advice. Fees and procedures change, so check each official service page before you apply, and consult a professional about your specific case.
Do you need a licence to sell online in Oman?
Article 2 of the E-Commerce Regulation, issued by Ministerial Decision 499/2023, is short: e-commerce may not be practised without a licence. The decision was published in Official Gazette issue 1510 on 10 September 2023 and took effect 90 days later.
The regulation defines e-commerce broadly: any activity between the licensee and a consumer, through an electronic means or an online store, to sell, display, market or promote goods or services. An Instagram account taking orders by DM is covered. So is a Salla or WooCommerce store, and so is an existing shop that starts selling online. The Ministry has said it simplified licensing on the Oman Business Platform specifically for sellers on social media such as Instagram and Snapchat, as reported by Oman Observer.
Who can get an e-commerce licence?
Article 3 sets two categories:
| Applicant | Condition |
|---|---|
| Individual | Omani national, at least 18 years old |
| Commercial company | Registered in the Commercial Register |
| Everyone | Approval from the competent authority if the activity requires it |
If you are an expatriate, you cannot hold the licence as an individual. The route is a company registered in the Commercial Register, and the government portal lists a separate "foreign investment" fee for that case.
Three starting points for small businesses
| Freelance register | Commercial Register (sole trader or company) | Home business register | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Omani individuals | Individuals and companies, including foreign investment through companies | People working from home with no other commercial registrations |
| Published fees | "Nominal fees", per the Ministry (no official figure found) | Sole trader: OMR 30 registration + OMR 6 admin, listed as "variable cost" | OMR 3 every three years + OMR 0.600 admin |
| Matching e-commerce licence | "Freelancers" service | "Commercial companies" service | Confirm with the Ministry first |
| Source | Oman Daily | gov.om | gov.om |
Fees last checked: October 2026, on gov.om service pages updated 2 July 2026.
The freelance register lets Omanis trade online for nominal fees and covers more than 200 activities, according to the Ministry's director of commercial affairs and e-commerce, quoted by Oman Daily in June 2025. The Commercial Register suits anyone planning staff, supplier contracts, VAT registration or a company structure. The home business register costs OMR 3 every three years and converts to a full commercial register after nine years; we found no official text saying which e-commerce licence service attaches to it, so ask before you apply.
How to apply on the Oman Business Platform
The government portal lists two services, e-commerce licence for commercial companies and e-commerce licence for freelancers, with the same steps:
- Log in to the Oman Business Platform.
- Add the e-commerce activity.
- Submit the application.
- Fill in your store details.
- Complete and pay.
| Item | What gov.om states |
|---|---|
| Documents required | None listed |
| Licence fee, local investment | OMR 6.5 |
| Licence fee, foreign investment | OMR 12.5 |
| Renewal | Same fees (renewal page) |
| Processing time | 30 minutes |
| Licence term | 1, 2 or 3 years, your choice (Article 4) |
Last checked: October 2026. The page does not say whether the fee is per year or per licence term, so confirm on the payment screen.
Article 5 records the specific store or electronic channel in the licence. List every channel you actually sell through: Instagram handle, WhatsApp Business number, store URL. Renew before expiry (Article 6). If refused, you can appeal to the Minister within 60 days (Article 7).
Not sure your store is ready? Send us the link through our free check and we will tell you, in plain language, what is missing.
What the licence obliges you to do
| Article | Obligation | In practice |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Disclose eight items through a link | Product information, data protection, complaints process, tax number if any, licence number and trademark, contact channels, returns and exchange policy, terms of use |
| 10 | Use a bank or payment service provider licensed in Oman | A locally licensed gateway, not ad-hoc transfers to a personal account |
| 11 | Let the order be corrected before delivery or shipping | An edit or cancel option, or a stated contact for corrections |
| 12 | Let customers stop electronic notifications | Unsubscribe links and a clear way to stop WhatsApp broadcasts |
| 13 | Notify the competent authority and the Ministry immediately after any breach | A written incident plan |
On payments, linking to the OmanNet payment gateway is a Central Bank of Oman service that requires an account with a licensed local bank; the government portal caps the private-sector fee at 1.5% per transaction, up to OMR 10 (last checked October 2026). Thawani Pay states on its website that it is licensed by the Central Bank of Oman. Whatever you choose, ask the provider for proof of its Omani licence.
If you are VAT-registered, Article 37 of the VAT Law requires prices to be displayed inclusive of VAT, and mandatory e-invoicing arrives in 2027.
Maroof Oman: the trust mark most stores skip
Articles 14 to 16 regulate store verification through a Ministry website, today Maroof Oman. Verification is still rare:
| Indicator | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed e-commerce activities, Feb 2024 to 1 Aug 2026 | 19,260 | Director General of Commerce, via Oman Observer |
| Verified stores on Maroof Oman, same period | 412 | Same source |
A verified store page shows the Maroof number, the certificate type (commercial register or freelance), returns and exchange days, contact channels and platforms, customer reviews and a button to file a commercial complaint. Once verified, you must display the certificate clearly and report any change in verified data within 15 days (Article 16). We found no published official fee for verification.
Penalties for selling without a licence
Under Article 18 the Ministry may issue a warning, impose an administrative fine of up to OMR 500 (doubled for a repeat within three years), suspend the verification certificate, block the online store in coordination with the competent authority, or cancel the licence for repeat violations. Enforcement is real: the Consumer Protection Authority received 1,851 e-commerce complaints in the first eight months of 2025 and recovered more than OMR 24,000 for consumers.
Where Naqla fits, and where it does not
Naqla does not obtain your licence or file your verification. You apply yourself, and the steps above are enough. What we build is the store the regulation expects. Our Store package (OMR 89, paid once) includes a store on a domain in your name, product pages, cart and order tracking, online payment integration and Arabic and English versions, and we prepare the Article 9 disclosure pages with you. For larger projects, see our online store service. For the wider market picture, read our Oman e-commerce report 2026, or contact us.
FAQ
Do I need a commercial registration to open an online store in Oman?
Not always. An Omani individual can be licensed through the freelance route. Companies must be in the Commercial Register (Article 3).
Does my Instagram shop need a licence?
Yes. The regulation covers selling or promoting through any electronic means, and the Ministry has confirmed social media sellers apply through the Oman Business Platform.
How much is an e-commerce licence in Oman?
According to gov.om (checked October 2026): OMR 6.5 for local investment and OMR 12.5 for foreign investment, with the same renewal fees.
Can an expatriate get an e-commerce licence?
Not as an individual; Article 3 requires individual applicants to be Omani. The route is a registered company.
How long is the licence valid?
One, two or three years, as you request (Article 4). Renew before it expires.
Is Maroof Oman verification mandatory?
The licence is mandatory; verification is regulated but not a condition for selling. If you are verified, you must display the certificate and report changes within 15 days.
By Naqla Digital SolutionsPublished All articles
