What is the Qatar International Court (QICDRC), and which cases can it hear?

What is the Qatar International Court (QICDRC)?

The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) is the umbrella for the Civil and Commercial Court of the Qatar Financial Centre, the QFC Regulatory Tribunal, and its mediation and arbitration services (Court User Guide, December 2023). "Qatar International Court" usually means the Civil and Commercial Court, also called the QFC Court. Article 8 of the QFC Law, Law No. 7 of 2005, created both courts.

Since Law No. 16 of 2024, one judge or three hear a first-instance case, as the Court's President decides, and appeals go to the President and two judges (Article 8(3)(a)). The Council of Ministers appoints judges for renewable five-year terms (Schedule 6, paragraph 4).

Procedure follows the Rules and Procedures issued by Minister of Commerce and Industry Decision No. 39 of 2025, in force since 5 June 2025, and the Arabic text prevails. The Civil and Commercial Procedure Law fills gaps (Schedule 6, paragraph 16).

Which disputes can go to the QFC Court, and can parties opt in?

The First Instance Circuit hears civil and commercial disputes (Article 8(3)(c) of the QFC Law):

• Between entities established in the QFC, arising in or from the QFC.
• Between QFC authorities or bodies and QFC entities.
• Between QFC entities and their contractors or employees, unless the parties agree otherwise.
• Between QFC entities and Qatar residents or companies outside the QFC, unless the parties agree otherwise.
• About other bodies that a law places under the Court.

Under that last head, disputes of free zone companies with each other, the Free Zones Authority, or Qatar residents and companies outside the zones go to the Court unless the parties agree on alternative dispute resolution (Free Zones Law, Law No. 34 of 2005, Article 44, as amended in 2021). Parties may also choose the Court's First Instance Circuit as the "competent court" for an arbitration (Arbitration Law, Law No. 2 of 2017, Article 1); see arbitration in Qatar.

Agreement alone is not enough. The Appellate Division has held that the Court has only the jurisdiction the law gives it, and that the first four heads need a party established in the QFC, so a choice-of-court clause alone cannot cover two parties from outside the QFC (University of Cambridge v The Holding WLL, 29 April 2025, paragraphs 28 and 58). The 2025 Rules dropped the rule relied on there.

If you contract with a QFC entity, the contract can keep or exclude the Court; see reviewing a contract.

How does a case run, and in what language?

1. 1

   The claimant files a Claim Form by email or on eCourt, stating the facts, the basis of jurisdiction, the legal basis and the remedy, with a statement of truth (Rules, Articles 8.2, 16 and 17.3).

2. 2

   The Registry issues the claim and the claimant serves it, including at a National Address or abroad without permission (Articles 17.2 and 18).

3. 3

   The defendant challenges jurisdiction or files a Defence. If it does neither, a money claimant can seek default judgment (Articles 19, 20 and 22).

4. 4

   The Court gives directions on documents, witnesses and experts, then hears the case in person or by video (Articles 23 and 27 to 29).

Proceedings usually run in English, but parties may use Arabic (Article 3.1). Hearings are public unless the Court orders otherwise (Article 29.3). Lawyers qualified before the superior courts of Qatar or elsewhere may appear unless the Court directs otherwise (Article 30.1). The loser usually pays the other side's costs (Article 34.2).

The Court's website says there are currently no filing fees, but Law No. 16 of 2024 lets its President set court fees (Schedule 6, paragraph 18), so check with the Registry before filing.

Claims up to QAR 100,000, counting any counterclaim, go on the small claims track: usually decided on the papers, with any hearing usually by video, and parties may act for themselves (Practice Direction 1/2022, paragraphs 4 and 8 to 11).

How are QFC Court judgments appealed and enforced?

There is one level of appeal, needing permission from a panel of three judges, sought within 30 days of the judgment (60 days before Law No. 16 of 2024), and a refusal is final (Schedule 6, paragraph 12; Rules, Article 36). The appeal is a review, not a rehearing (Article 36.6), and Appellate Circuit judgments cannot be challenged by any route, so there is no cassation stage (Schedule 6, paragraph 14).

A first-instance judgment is enforceable at once unless the Appellate Circuit stays it (Schedule 6, paragraph 11).

• The Court's judgments count as Qatari court judgments, and State authorities must give effect to them (Rules, Article 35.1).
• Applications go first to the Court's Enforcement Judge, who issues enforcement orders within the QFC (Article 35.4; Schedule 6, paragraph 17).
• English judgments are translated into Arabic when a State authority must act (Article 35.5).
• Court judgments are enforceable instruments, and the Supreme Judiciary Council's Enforcement Court alone decides enforcement requests (Judicial Enforcement Law, Law No. 4 of 2024, Articles 3 and 6).

A 2026 costs judgment describes enforcement under that law as registering with the Enforcement Court and liaising with both courts (Spine LLC v Lamaison Hotel LLC, 8 April 2026, paragraphs 17 and 21). See enforcing a judgment.

What does the QFC Regulatory Tribunal do?

The Regulatory Tribunal hears appeals by individuals and companies against decisions of the QFC Authority, the QFC Regulatory Authority and other QFC bodies (Article 8(2)(c)), and appeals over a revoked or suspended free zone licence once the Free Zones Authority's board has rejected a grievance (Free Zones Law, Article 14).

• Appeal within 60 days of the decision's publication or written notice (Schedule 5, paragraph 8; Tribunal Rules, Article 10.2).
• A written grievance to the decision-maker stops the clock; 60 days without a reply counts as refusal (paragraph 9).
• The decision stays in force unless the Tribunal suspends it (paragraph 10).
• Its judgments can be appealed to the Appellate Circuit within 30 days, with permission (Rules, Article 36.2).

Its procedure is set by Minister of Commerce and Industry Decision No. 40 of 2025.

How does the QFC Court differ from the Investment and Trade Court?

The Investment and Trade Court is the State court for the commercial disputes listed in Article 7 of Law No. 21 of 2021, such as commercial contracts and partner disputes. The main differences:

When should you speak to a lawyer?

Advice helps most before you sign with a QFC entity or when a claim arrives, as some time limits are only 14 days. Signs it is worth asking:

• You must decide whether a contract with a QFC or free zone company keeps or excludes the Court.
• You have been served with a claim and may want to challenge jurisdiction within 14 days.
• Your contract names the QFC Court, but neither party is in the QFC or a free zone.
• You want to appeal and the 30-day period is running.
• You hold an unpaid judgment and the debtor's assets are outside the QFC.
• A QFC body or the Free Zones Authority has decided against your business.

Questions people ask