How to Get a Car Dealership Licence in Oman

Introduction 

Thinking about opening a used-car showroom and need to know exactly how to secure a car dealership licence in Oman? You’re in the right place. The process is mostly online, surprisingly quick, and far less bureaucratic than it was five years ago—provided you tick each box in the right order. That means picking the correct activity code (6519 for vehicle sales), uploading the right PDFs to InvestEasy, and booking one smooth ROP inspection instead of two or three costly repeats. Get it right and you can print your e-licence in under ten working days; get it wrong and you’ll be stuck juggling re-inspection fees, rejected CCTV specs, or a lease in the wrong zoning district. The guide that follows is written for first-timers and seasoned traders alike, so you can focus on stocking cars rather than chasing paperwork. 

 

TL;DR – five things to know before you click “Apply” 

 

• Reserve a trade name and select activity code 6519 (sub-code 651903 if you plan to sell used cars only).
• You’ll need a lease or title deed for a showroom of at least 600 m² in a commercial zone, plus a refundable 10 000 OMR bank guarantee.
• Standard fees: 3 OMR for name reservation, 120 OMR for the licence, 0.5 percent of stated capital in municipal tax, and 25 OMR for ROP approval.
• Upload 1080p CCTV layout, parking plan (1 : 2 ratio) and OCCI membership; inspections usually clear within a week if specs meet code.
• Once your licence is live, register the same commercial registration in the Bayan single-window portal so you can legally import stock.

Why the licence details really matter 

 

Running a car lot under the wrong activity code is like driving on bald tyres—you might roll for a while, but sooner or later you’ll get pulled over. The Royal Oman Police (ROP) audits showrooms every quarter, and the first “code mismatch” fine starts at around 500 OMR. Banks are just as strict: floor-plan financing and stock-insurance policies both require your commercial registration (CR) to list activity 6519 “Sale of motor vehicles.” Skip that, and you can forget about wholesale credit lines or coverage for cars parked on your forecourt. In short, the licence isn’t paperwork for paperwork’s sake; it unlocks financing, insurance, and the ability to clear imported cars through Bayan without delays. 

 

Pre-requisites checklist—gather these before opening InvestEasy 

1. Trade-name reservation slip (3 OMR, valid 30 days). 

1. OCCI membership—Silver tier is enough for most dealers. 

1. Lease or title deed for a minimum 600 m² showroom in zones M, C, or W, plus a parking plan showing one visitor space for every two display bays. 

1. Bank guarantee letter for 10 000 OMR—any local bank can block the amount and e-mail you a PDF. 

1. 1080p CCTV layout with 30-day storage (ROP spec). 

1. Civil-ID scans and PKI e-signature files for all partners. 

 

Have those six items ready as PDFs under 5 MB each. When you log in to InvestEasy, you’ll breeze through the upload screens instead of stopping to hunt for documents. 

The 10-step licence application—click-by-click 

1. Log in to InvestEasy and choose “Commercial Name Services → New Reservation.” Pay 3 OMR and download the reservation slip. 

1. Start a new licence request. Pick “Sale of motor vehicles” (activity code 6519) and, if you’re only trading pre-owned, tick the sub-activity 651903. 

1. Upload your lease and site map. The portal auto-checks zoning; if your plot sits in a residential district the screen will flash red—stop and renegotiate before paying anything else. 

1. Attach your OCCI certificate (Silver tier). 

1. Enter partner details and drag-and-drop each PKI e-signature file. Every shareholder must sign; one missing file stalls the app. 

1. Pay the licence fee—120 OMR plus 0.5 % of declared capital (e.g., 250 000 OMR capital generates a 1 370 OMR tax line). 

1. Click ‘Request ROP Approval.’ Upload your 1080p CCTV layout and parking plan; settle the 25 OMR traffic-department fee. 

1. Add the 10 000 OMR bank guarantee PDF under “Financial Securities.” The portal pings your bank automatically for verification. 

1. Book your inspection slot. Inspectors will check signboard size, fire exits, parking lines and whether the CCTV feed records 30 days. 

1. Download the e-licence PDF. Once every status turns green, an email arrives with your bilingual licence—print it for the showroom wall and upload a copy to Bayan for customs clearance. 

 

Time and cost breakdown—budget on one screen 

Line item	Fee (OMR)	Typical turnaround
Trade-name reservation	3	Same day
Licence + municipality tax	120 + 0.5 % of capital	48 hrs
ROP approval & inspection	25	3–5 days
Bank guarantee (blocked)	10 000	Same day
Re-inspection (if needed)	50	+2 days

Most first-time applicants who have a compliant lease and 1080p CCTV clear the whole process in 7–10 working days. Miss the zoning code or submit grainy camera specs and you’ll add at least one re-inspection and 50 OMR to the bill—so double-check before you click “Submit.” 

Common pitfalls—and the quick fixes that save you re-inspection fees 

 

• Wrong activity code. InvestEasy lists several “vehicle” codes; choose 6519 for dealerships, not 6291 (brokers). Get it wrong and your licence is void at the first audit.
• Residential zoning. A lease in Zone R or A auto-fails the municipal NOC. Use the public zoning map before you sign.
• Low-resolution CCTV. ROP specs want 1080p, 24 fps, 30-day storage. Many budget kits top out at 720p—inspectors notice immediately.
• Parking ratio miss. You need one visitor space for every two display bays; paint the lines before inspection day.
• Missing partner e-signature. Every shareholder uploads a PKI file; one forgotten upload stalls the whole application at “Pending Partner Approval.”

 

Double-check these five points and you’ll dodge the most common 50-OMR re-inspection fee. 

 

Link your new licence to Bayan—so you can import stock without hiccups 

1. Log in to the Bayan single-window portal and choose Company Registration. 

1. Enter your fresh CR number; Bayan auto-pulls activity code 6519. 

1. Upload the same 10 000 OMR bank guarantee—this covers bonded storage if you defer duty. 

1. Add authorised users (your customs broker or logistics 4PL). 

1. Test your first declaration with a dummy VIN; Bayan should flag no errors. 

 

Now you can import GCC-spec vehicles, pay just 1 % duty on non-GSO cars, and clear containers straight to your showroom—no manual forms, no surprise holds at the port. 

 

Hiring and HR essentials – people paperwork you can’t skip 

 

Oman’s Labour Ministry ties staffing quotas to your activity code, so a fresh 6519 licence comes with clear head-count rules: at least one showroom manager (Omani national) and one licensed sales executive for every 30 cars on display. Expat sales staff are fine, but you’ll need to keep the overall Omanisation ratio at 30 percent or higher; dip below that and the e-visa system blocks new work permits until you hire locals or upskill existing team members. 

 

A few more quick notes: all salespeople must hold a valid Omani driving licence—it’s a hard requirement in the ROP database. Mechanics and detailers fall under a separate workshop code; if you plan on in-house servicing, apply for that additional activity or subcontract to a certified garage. Finally, enrol sales staff in the mandatory three-hour consumer-protection workshop; slots fill fast, but inspectors check the completion certificate during the first quarterly audit. 

 

Frequently asked questions 

 

How small can my first showroom be? 

Municipal guidelines set 600 m² as the minimum display area for vehicle traders—anything smaller flags an automatic rejection in the InvestEasy zoning check. 

 

Do I need a separate licence for online-only sales? 

If you store cars off-site but sell through a website, keep activity 6519 for the stock and add sub-activity 479100 “online retail.” The 10 000 OMR bank guarantee still applies. 

 

How long does the ROP inspection actually take? 

About 20–30 minutes if your parking lines are painted, the CCTV feed is live at 1080p, and fire exits unlock. Fail one item and you’ll pay a 50 OMR re-inspection fee. 

 

Is the 10 000 OMR bank guarantee refundable? 

Yes. Close the commercial registration or change activities, and the bank releases the blocked amount once the Ministry confirms no outstanding fines. 

Conclusion 

Securing a car-dealership licence in Oman boils down to five essentials: the correct 6519 activity code, a 600 m² commercial-zone lease, a refundable 10 000 OMR bank guarantee, 1080p-ready CCTV, and the right PDFs uploaded in the right order. Nail those and the InvestEasy portal, ROP approval, and inspection flow can be wrapped up in about ten working days—no costly re-inspections, no zoning surprises. Once the licence PDF hits your inbox, register the same CR in Bayan so you can import stock, then dive into our price-guide pillar page to start filling the showroom with cars buyers actually want.