Kuwait Tightens Licensing Rules for Freelancers and Small Business Owners

15/09/2025

Kuwait Tightens Licensing Rules for Freelancers and Small Business Owners

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 15: The official gazette “Kuwait alyoum” recently published Ministry of Commerce and Industry Resolution No. 168/2025, which regulates freelance business activities, specifically for companies engaged in freelance work, nano-businesses, and activities of a special nature, reports Al-Seyassah daily. The resolution stipulates specific conditions that must be met when applying for a license to practice freelance business activities, including the following:

The company applying for the license must be a single-person company.
The founder, who also serves as the company’s manager, must be a Kuwaiti national with full legal capacity and must not have been convicted by a final court ruling of a felony or a crime involving honor or trust, unless rehabilitated.
The license holder must be at least 21 years old, unless legally authorized by a court to engage in commercial activity at a younger age.
The license holder must specify an elected address, a P.O. box, or an email address registered with the Public Authority for Civil Information (PACI), according to the latest update.
If the chosen location is a private residence, the license holder must obtain approval from the property owner.
The prescribed fee must be paid.
The license holder must sign the required pledge using the designated form prepared for this purpose.
The licensed activity must not involve materials that are harmful to the environment or pose risks to public health and safety, as defined by relevant authorities.
Any additional documents required by a decision of the minister or their authorized representative must be submitted. The decision also stipulates that the license is valid for four years.

It allows for the addition of multiple activities under the same license, provided the following conditions are met:

The additional activity must fall within the scope of approved freelance business activities.
The additional activity must be similar to, complementary to, necessary for, or related to the activity covered by the existing license.