Law No. 22 of 2004 promulgates the Civil Code of Qatar, the primary source of private law in the State. It governs how contracts are formed and performed, liability for harmful acts, ownership and other real rights over property, and the general rules of obligation that sit underneath nearly every commercial dispute heard in the Qatari courts. Like most Arab civil codes it descends from the Egyptian model of El-Sanhuri, adapted to Qatari practice and to principles of Islamic jurisprudence.
The code matters well beyond Doha litigation. Contracts governed by Qatari law — construction packages, supply agreements, agency and distribution arrangements — are interpreted against its provisions, so arbitrators, in-house counsel and foreign law firms regularly need a reliable English text of the full code rather than isolated articles quoted second-hand. Note that the Qatar Financial Centre operates its own civil and commercial regulations; the Civil Code applies in the wider State jurisdiction.
It is a translation of the full text of Law No. 22 of 2004, which explains the price relative to shorter instruments on this site. The code runs to over a thousand articles.
Does the Civil Code apply inside the Qatar Financial Centre?
The QFC is a separate legal jurisdiction with its own regulations and English-language courts. The Civil Code governs in the wider State of Qatar; which regime applies depends on where the entity is established and what the contract provides.
Is the translation official?
Arabic is the authoritative language of Qatari legislation. This is a professional English translation prepared for practitioners; in court proceedings the Arabic text prevails.
