Ministry of Commerce issues decree regulating free trade activities
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued Decree No. 216 of 2026 to regulate free trade activities, permitting 85 activities through single-owner companies, with specific licensing and premises requirements.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued Decision No. 216 of 2026 concerning the regulation of free trade activities. The decision permits the conduct of 85 activities through a single-shareholder company, with license applications for covered companies to be submitted through the Kuwait Business Center Administration, via the Sahol or Sahol Business application, or by any other means approved by the Minister of Commerce and Industry.
The ministry outlined the conditions for issuing the license, specifying that the company entity must be a single-shareholder company. The founder of the company must also serve as its manager, be a Kuwaiti natural person with full legal capacity, and be at least 21 years old. A designated domicile, postal box, or registered email address must be provided and updated upon any change. If the designated domicile is a private residence, the property owner’s consent is required. Additionally, approvals from relevant regulatory authorities are mandatory for certain activities, where applicable.
The ministry further noted that more than one free trade activity may be added to the same license, subject to specific conditions: the added activity must be among the free trade activities, and it must be similar, complementary, necessary, or related to the licensed activity, in accordance with each sector and its associated activities approved by the ministry.
The decision mandates that the license holder disclose the commercial registration number in all of the company’s official accounts, transactions, correspondence, settlements, and other documents issued by it, in accordance with Article 22 of Law No. 1 of 2016 on Companies.
Among the activities that do not require a physical premises for licensing is the organization of Hajj pilgrimage trips; however, this activity is conditional upon obtaining the requisite license and approvals from the competent authority responsible for Hajj affairs, and complying with the conditions and regulations governing the activity.
