Company registration
Choose the right legal form, reserve your name and register with the commercial registry and relevant authorities.
Company setup
Launch your company in Oman, step by step
From the first idea to your first invoice, Shati coordinates registration, licences, residency, banking and compliance, and helps you decide whether your company should own its office.
Data as of October 2026
Our services
Everything you need to launch in Oman, in one place
From the first idea to your first invoice, Shati coordinates the paperwork, the authorities and the partners, so you can focus on your business.
Licensing & permits
Identify and obtain the commercial and sector licences your activity requires.
Free zones & SEZ
Compare Sohar, Salalah and Duqm with onshore options and pick the best fit for your model.
Visas & residency
Support for investor, management and employee visas and related residency formalities.
Banking
Guidance on opening corporate bank accounts and preparing the documents banks ask for.
Local partner & sponsor
Where a partner, agent or sponsor is needed, we help you structure it safely and transparently.
Tax & compliance
Tax registration, VAT, filings and ongoing compliance, coordinated with qualified tax professionals.
Market-entry strategy
A clear plan for structure, location and timing before you commit capital.
Execution-focused market entry
Registration is only one step. We plan the route, test it before you commit and stay with you until you are operating.
Feasibility before commitment
For a foreign investment licence the ministry asks for a feasibility study from a licensed office in Oman, a timeline and the planned headcount. We help you test the numbers first.
Online commercial registration
Companies are registered on the Oman Business Platform; investors without Omani residency can log in with an email address and a one-time code.
100% foreign ownership
Under the Foreign Capital Investment Law (in force since 1 January 2020), foreign investors can own their company outright in most activities; a list of activities remains reserved.
One-stop shop in the zones
In Duqm and the Sohar, Salalah and Al Mazunah free zones, OPAZ runs a unified one-stop shop for licences, permits, approvals and visas.
A specialised commercial court
Since 1 October 2025 the Court of Investment and Commerce hears commercial and investment-contract disputes, including foreign-investment, arbitration-related and IP cases.
Residency that fits the plan
Investor residency routes run for 5 to 10 years, and owners of qualifying property can apply for residence; we match the route to your structure.
As of October 2026. Indicative only: requirements change and are confirmed case by case by the competent authorities.
Sources
- Oman News Agency, “MoCIIP exerts efforts to improve investment environment in Oman” (activities on the Oman Business Platform, investment licence requirements), accessed 21 Oct 2026. omannews.gov.om
- Oman Business Platform, login for non-residents by email and one-time code, accessed 21 Oct 2026. business.gov.om
- Foreign Capital Investment Law, Royal Decree 50/2019 (in force 1 Jan 2020), WIPO Lex. wipo.int
- OPAZ, “Implementing a unified system for one-stop shops in all special economic zones and free zones”, Duqm magazine issue 22, January 2021 (Royal Decree 105/2020). opaz.gov.om (PDF)
- Royal Decree 35/2025 establishing the Court of Investment and Commerce, issued 23 Mar 2025, in force 1 Oct 2025; Supreme Judicial Council statement, 23 Mar 2025. decree.om · sjc.gov.om
For company owners
Own your office through your Omani company
Once your company is registered, it can apply to buy the premises it works from. Under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning's company-purchase service, an Omani company may register a property for its licensed business use, turning rent into an asset on its own balance sheet.
What the official service says
- Business use only: the property's use must be residential-commercial, commercial, industrial or tourism. Purchases for purely residential or agricultural use are not allowed. Verified [1]
- The property must be in the same governorate where the company carries on its activity. Verified [1]
- Buying for real-estate development is different: the company must be wholly owned by Omanis or GCC nationals (at least 30% for public or closed joint-stock companies), with further conditions such as a minimum 5,000 m² plot. Verified [1]
- Documents include the commercial registration, Oman Chamber membership, municipal licence, approvals, partners' meeting minutes and the title deed. Verified
Government fees for the purchase
- OMR 2contract registration
- OMR 10title deed
- OMR 25application form
- 3%of the sale value
Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, "Register Sales Contract for Companies", gov.om, updated 29 July 2026. Brokerage, valuation, financing and VAT are not included. [1]
Please confirm first
Whether a 100% foreign-owned mainland company can take freehold title outside designated areas is not set out clearly in the public sources we reviewed. Reported – confirm Confirm with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning before you sign or pay a deposit.
OMR 4–6per m² per month: typical Muscat office rent for
most units, H1 2026
Savills (Times of Oman, 18 Aug 2026)
[2]
OMR 4.5–6.25Al Khuwair 4.5 · Ghubrah 5.75 · Shatti Al
Qurum 6.0 · Azaiba 6.25 per m² per month
Savills, Q2 2026
[2]
≈ OMR 450–600per m² asking price for small mainland
offices in Bausher (50–82 m²: OMR 30,000–41,000)
OpenSooq listing data, 20 Oct 2026
[4]
≈ OMR 950–1,050per m² asking price for 52–81 m² offices
in Muscat Hills (an ITC)
OpenSooq listing data, 20 Oct 2026
[4]
So OMR 20,000–30,000 buys roughly 35–65 m² of mainland office space at current asking prices. Listing prices are asking prices, not transaction prices, and vary by building, age, floor and finish.
Buy vs long-term rent: illustrative calculator
Defaults describe a ~50 m² mainland Muscat office: OMR 25,000 purchase (≈ OMR 500/m²) against OMR 250 a month rent (≈ OMR 5/m², the Savills mid-range). Change any value. Figures marked "assumption" are not market data.
Total rent paid
Total cash spent to own
Cash break-even year
Asset on the balance sheet
How it works: cost to own = price + registration fee % + OMR 37 fixed fees + yearly service/maintenance (+ return forgone, if set). Break-even is the first year cumulative rent reaches cumulative cost to own. Net cost to own subtracts the estimated asset value. Excludes VAT (5% on commercial sale and rent, generally recoverable if your company is VAT-registered), financing, brokerage, resale costs and rent deposits. Illustrative only, as of October 2026; not financial, tax or legal advice.
Why owning can work
- The office becomes a company asset, strengthening the balance sheet
- A registered title can support bank financing as collateral
- No rent escalation and no landlord renewal risk
- A fixed, stable address for your commercial registration and licences
- Tax depreciation on the building share at 4% a year for permanent buildings [6]
What to weigh up
- Capital tied up that could fund growth, hiring or stock
- Lower liquidity: selling a small office can take time
- Maintenance, service charges and repairs fall on the company
- A thinner resale market than for rentals; prices may not rise
- Use, governorate and approval restrictions limit where you can buy
Sources (as of October 2026).
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, "Register Sales Contract for Companies" service, gov.om (Arabic page updated 29 July 2026): gov.om/w/register-sales-contract-for-companies
- Savills, Oman Property Market Q2 2026 (press release, 27 July 2026) and Savills Head of Oman quoted in Times of Oman, 18 August 2026: timesofoman.com
- Savills, Oman Property Market Q1 2026 (CBD OMR 2.0, Qurum OMR 3.5 per m² per month): savills.co.uk (PDF)
- OpenSooq Oman, "Offices for Sale in Muscat" (109 listings), asking prices viewed 20 October 2026. Listing data, not transactions: om.opensooq.com
- Muscat Governorate, "Register a Lease Contract", gov.om (updated 2 July 2026): fee 3% of the rent for the contract term: gov.om/w/register-a-lease-contract. Oman Tax Authority VAT guide on real estate: commercial sale and lease at 5%.
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Oman corporate deductions (last reviewed 7 July 2026): permanent buildings 4% straight-line; land is not depreciable for tax: taxsummaries.pwc.com
Indicative only, based on public sources as of October 2026. Not legal, tax, financial or investment advice. Rules, fees and prices change; confirm with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, the Tax Authority and your advisers before you decide. See full disclaimer.
How it works
Five clear steps from first call to first customer
A simple, transparent route. We keep you informed at each stage.
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1
Discovery call
We learn about your business, goals and target market. It's free and without obligation.
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2
Structure & location
Choose the legal form and onshore or free-zone location that fits.
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3
Registration & licensing
We prepare documents and coordinate with the authorities.
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4
Banking, visas & tax
Open accounts, arrange visas and register for tax.
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5
Launch & support
Start trading, with compliance support as you grow.
Start with step one Not sure yet? Compare a 7-day study tour with year-one costs
Ready to ride the next wave into Oman?
Book a free, no-obligation consultation. Tell us your company, country and plans, and we will map your route, licences and costs.
or email info@shati.om