Daily life · 6 min read · reviewed 23 October 2026

Alcohol in Qatar: where you can drink, the resident permit and the rules

Where you can drink, how residents get a Qatar Distribution Company permit to buy for home, the rules on carrying and drinking it, what happens at the airport, and what changes in Ramadan.

Run by Kulsum Daya in Doha. Every section lists its sources, with the date we read them.

West Bay towers lit up at night, reflected in the water of Doha Bay
West Bay at night, Doha.Photo: Pexels ↗

At a glance

  1. Do not bring alcohol into Qatar, even from duty free. It is confiscated.
  2. Outside your home, drink only in licensed hotels, restaurants and bars. You must be 21 and show original photo ID.
  3. To buy for home, apply online for a Qatar Distribution Company permit once you have your Qatar ID and three months’ residence.
  4. Ask your employer for a letter to QDC, in English, on letterhead and dated within the last 3 months.
  5. Take purchases straight home, out of sight, and drink only at home.
  6. Never drink and drive. There is zero tolerance.
  7. Expect bars and QDC to close for the whole of Ramadan.

Where you can drink

  • Only licensed hotels, restaurants and bars can sell alcohol.
  • The legal drinking age is 21. Venues ask for original photo ID when you enter, and do not accept copies.
  • Prices are high. In 2022 a half litre of beer cost about QAR 50 in a hotel bar. Figures from the cost of living sites Numbeo and Expatistan, compiled by Finder in April 2026, put a pint in Doha at about £10.
  • PwC lists a 100% tax on special purpose goods, which may include alcohol, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Sources

The QDC permit to buy for home

Residents buy alcohol for home from the Qatar Distribution Company (QDC), with a permit. QDC has two help files that disagree in places. The one linked from its home page is the newer, and we follow it here.

  • You must be over 21 and a non GCC citizen with a valid Qatar residence permit.
  • You need a basic salary, excluding allowances, of at least QAR 2,500 a month. QDC’s older help file says QAR 3,000.
  • You must have lived in Qatar for at least 3 months, and your Qatar ID must be valid for at least 3 more.
  • You need a letter or no objection certificate from your employer addressed to QDC, in English, on original letterhead and dated within the last 3 months.
  • QDC’s current help file sets no religious condition for the alcohol permit, though its food only permit is for non Muslims. Marhaba says the permit is for non Muslims. Pork is sold to non Muslims only.
  • Register a profile on qdc.com.qa, then apply online. Visits to the permit office must be booked online.
  • The fee is annual, worked out pro rata on your Qatar ID’s validity, from about QAR 150. It is not refundable. The old QAR 1,000 deposit ended in 2016.
  • Your monthly allowance depends on your basic salary and covers drinks only. QDC has sometimes doubled or tripled it for a period. Your husband or wife can hold a card on the same account.
Sources

Buying and getting it home

  • QDC has two stores, at Abu Hamour and Hotel Park, and home delivery covers some zones. Marhaba says click and collect is available only at Abu Hamour.
  • Opening hours change often, so check QDC before you go. Since April 2025 you can shop without an appointment.
  • You, the permit holder, must travel in the same vehicle as the alcohol. Take it straight home, out of sight.
  • Drink it only at your home. You may not sell or give it to anyone else, even another permit holder.
Sources

The rules in public

  • It is illegal to drink alcohol or be drunk in public. Drinking in a public place that is not licensed can bring up to 6 months in prison or a fine of up to QAR 3,000.
  • There is zero tolerance for drink driving. Any amount of alcohol can bring 1 month to 3 years in prison, a fine of QAR 10,000 to 50,000, or both. Your licence can be suspended, and you may be deported.
  • Supplying alcohol to anyone under 16 can bring up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to QAR 10,000.
Sources

At the airport

  • You cannot bring alcohol into Qatar under any condition, including from duty free.
  • Customs confiscates it, and you cannot get it back.
  • Hiding it or giving false information on arrival is a criminal offence. Smuggling alcohol can bring up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to QAR 10,000.
Sources

Ramadan and Eid

  • QDC closes for the whole of Ramadan. Marhaba says it also closes on the first day of Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha.
  • In Ramadan 2026, bars, lounges and nightclubs closed and alcohol was not served.
  • Ramadan in 2027 is expected to begin on or around 7 February.
Sources

What we could not confirm

We only state what we could check against a named source. These we could not confirm yet, so ask your employer or check the official service pages:

  • When QDC lowered the minimum salary from QAR 3,000 to QAR 2,500, and whether the older help file still applies anywhere.
  • QDC’s current opening hours and its Ramadan 2026 dates. Its notices would not open for us.
  • Whether venues accept a Qatar ID as well as a passport.
Check the official source: Qatar Distribution Company
A note on current rules: Information and services can change. This guide is a practical starting point, not legal or medical advice. Verify details with the official source for your own situation.
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