A2P SMS regulations in Qatar.
Compliance with the CRA.
Qatar's Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) governs A2P SMS. Senders need prior, explicit recipient consent and a registered alphanumeric sender ID on each operator (Ooredoo, Vodafone). Direct-marketing texts are barred between 9pm and 9am, must identify the sender in Arabic and English, and carry a free "STOP" opt-out.
Regulator and legal framework
A2P SMS in Qatar is regulated by the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), established under Emiri Decree No. 42 of 2014. The governing rules sit across the Telecommunications Law No. 34 of 2006, the CRA's direct-marketing/anti-spam rules, and the Personal Data Privacy Protection Law No. 13 of 2016; the 2016 Spam Regulation was consolidated into the CRA Communications Consumer Protection Regulation issued in October 2024.
- Primary regulator: CRA (cra.gov.qa).
- Anchored in Telecom Law No. 34 of 2006.
- 2024 Consumer Protection Regulation superseded the standalone 2016 Spam Regulation.
Sender-ID registration
Alphanumeric sender IDs are supported and must be pre-registered separately on each Qatari mobile network before traffic flows; dynamic or unregistered sender IDs are blocked. Enterprises typically submit a No-Objection/authorization letter on company letterhead plus a Commercial Registration certificate (or equivalent for overseas senders), and the sender ID should match the brand name.
- Register with both Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar.
- Sender ID should match the brand/company name.
- Dynamic/unregistered sender IDs are blocked.
- Allow up to ~2 weeks lead time per operator.
Promotional vs. transactional classification
Qatar's rules turn on whether a message is "Direct Marketing" versus a service/transactional message. Direct-marketing texts require prior consent, opt-out and timing compliance. Transactional and relationship messages (OTPs, fraud alerts, delivery and account notifications) fall outside marketing-consent rules where they relate directly to a service the customer already has, though sender-ID registration and content rules still apply.
- Marketing = opt-in, opt-out, and 9am–9pm window.
- Transactional/service messages are exempt from marketing-consent rules.
- Consent can be presumed within an existing customer relationship if relevant.
- All categories still require a registered sender ID.
Content, timing and consent rules
Direct-marketing messages must not be sent between 9:00pm and 9:00am (allowed window 9am–9pm). Every marketing message must clearly identify who requested it and how to contact them, in both Arabic and English, valid for at least 30 days. No direct marketing may be sent without prior express consent — the burden of proving consent rests on the sender — and recipients opt out by replying "STOP" (and the Arabic equivalent); the sender must action withdrawal within two business days and confirm.
- Prohibited sending window: 9:00pm–9:00am.
- Sender identity + contact in Arabic and English, valid ≥30 days.
- Prior express consent required; sender must prove it.
- Opt-out honoured within 2 business days, then confirmed.
Data protection (PDPPL, Law No. 13 of 2016)
The Personal Data Privacy Protection Law No. 13 of 2016 (PDPPL), administered by the National Cyber Governance and Assurance Affairs (NCGAA) under the National Cyber Security Agency, independently governs the personal data used for messaging. Its Article 22 prohibits electronic direct marketing without the individual's explicit, unambiguous consent, and requires each message to disclose the sender's identity and a valid means to withdraw consent.
- Explicit, unambiguous opt-in for electronic direct marketing (Art. 22).
- Disclose controller identity + working opt-out/withdrawal address.
- Individuals may withdraw consent at any time.
- Enforced by NCGAA/NCSA.
Penalties and operator landscape
Breaches are escalated first through the service provider's complaints process, then to the CRA, which can refer matters to the Public Prosecutor under the Telecommunications Law — exposing violators to criminal proceedings and fines. Separately, PDPPL data-protection violations carry administrative fines from QAR 1,000,000 up to QAR 5,000,000. Qatar has two MNOs — Ooredoo Qatar and Vodafone Qatar — and senders must onboard with both.
- Post-opt-out messaging is classed as spam and actionable.
- PDPPL fines: QAR 1,000,000–5,000,000.
- Two MNOs: Ooredoo Qatar and Vodafone Qatar.
- No national do-not-call registry — suppression is the sender's responsibility.
- Submit your KYC packTrade licence, authorisation letter and sample messages
- BroadNet files the applicationWith the operators or the regulator, as the market requires
- Review and approvalTypical lead time5-7 business days
- Send under your brandYour approved sender ID on every message
Technical facts for Qatar
Network codes, message lengths and sender-ID rules in one table. Segment lengths are the GSM standard values (3GPP TS 23.038).
| Mobile country code (MCC) | 427 |
|---|---|
| Dialling code | +974 |
| Operators (MCC-MNC) |
|
| SMS length, GSM-7 (Latin alphabet) | 160 characters in a single SMS; 153 per part when concatenated |
| SMS length, UCS-2 (Arabic, Cyrillic and other scripts) | 70 characters in a single SMS; 67 per part when concatenated |
| Regulator | CRA (Communications Regulatory Authority) |
| Sender-ID rules | Sender IDs pre-registered with CRA. Promotional senders require explicit opt-in language. Arabic and Latin both supported. |
| Sender-ID lead time | 5-7 business days |
How to register a sender ID in Qatar
What to prepare, who approves it and how long it takes. Send us the documents below and BroadNet coordinates the registration with the operators, the regulator or the registry, as the market requires.
- Who approves
- The operators Ooredoo Qatar and Vodafone Qatar, under CRA rules. The ID is registered separately on each network.
- Typical lead time
- 5–7 business days once the paperwork is in
- Renewal
- Annual, handled automatically
Document checklist
- Qatar commercial registration (or the equivalent for overseas senders)
- Authorisation (no-objection) letter on company letterhead
- Sample message templates in English and Arabic
- Traffic-type declaration
- Opt-out wording
Steps
- 1
Choose the sender ID: alphanumeric, Latin or Arabic, up to 11 characters, matching your brand or company name. Use one ID per use case per entity.
- 2
Send BroadNet the documents. BroadNet files with CRA and both operators in parallel; dynamic or unregistered sender IDs are blocked.
- 3
Approval typically takes 5–7 business days. Renewals are annual and handled automatically.
- 4
For marketing, hold prior express consent, identify the sender, include opt-out wording in the recipient's language, and send nothing between 9:00pm and 9:00am.
Common reasons for rejection
- Missing opt-out wording in the recipient's language
- Generic IDs such as INFO or ALERT
- A brand that does not match the trade licence
- Mixed-script abuse
Official sources
Requirements are set by the regulator and the operators and can change. Check the official sources, or ask our team, before you file.
Last reviewed
More on Qatar
Compare A2P SMS rules across the region.
Each market pairs a regulatory playbook with its live coverage and operator-direct routing detail.
Qatar rules: direct marketing vs. transactional SMS
| Capability | Direct marketing | Transactional / service (OTP) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered sender ID (per operator) | ||
| Prior express consent required | — | |
| 9am–9pm window | — | |
| Bilingual sender identity (AR/EN) | — | |
| Free STOP opt-out required | — |
Common questions
Who regulates A2P SMS in Qatar?
What hours can I send marketing SMS in Qatar?
Is opt-in consent mandatory?
Do messages need to be in Arabic?
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
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