Municipality: Business owners' compliance with licensing their commercial activities ensures sustainability and protects investments

Kuwait Municipality has emphasized the importance of adhering to its regulations and bylaws governing business activity licensing to ensure sustainability and protect investments from violations and penalties, which can include financial fines and the closure of commercial activities. Abdullah Al-Ajmi, Director of the Audit and Service Follow-up Department at the municipality, told KUNA that the municipality recently launched an awareness campaign titled “License Your Activity… Take the Right Steps” to enhance compliance with municipal regulations and reinforce a culture of adherence to systems and instructions. Al-Ajmi added that the campaign also aims to encourage owners of commercial, professional, craft, and industrial activities to obtain and renew the necessary licenses to operate their businesses legally. He clarified that the campaign covers all types of activities, whether conducted in commercial, investment, or industrial complexes, which require prior approval from the municipality. He noted that the municipality has disseminated awareness messages through its various social media accounts to educate the relevant audience about the types of violations and penalties, explain the importance of obtaining necessary approvals before commencing activities, and inform project owners of the consequences and prescribed fines for violations. Al-Ajmi outlined the top three violations related to commercial licenses: first, opening or operating a shop without a license or municipal approval, which incurs a fine ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 Kuwaiti dinars, in addition to the closure of the shop; second, adding unlicensed space or modifying the shop’s layout without municipal approval, resulting in a fine between 1,000 and 5,000 Kuwaiti dinars, plus shop closure; and third, adding or conducting an unlicensed activity without municipal approval, which carries a fine of 500 to 1,000 Kuwaiti dinars, along with the closure of the establishment.