Oman issues Executive Regulations of the Special Economic Zones and Free Zones Law
20 September 2026
On 20 September 2026 Oman's Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ) issued the Executive Regulations of the Special Economic Zones and Free Zones Law.
The law was promulgated by Royal Decree No. 38/2025; the regulations are Regulation No. 81/2026.
Applications for land and property allocation, licences, approvals, permits and certificates go through the One-Stop Shop, with automatic licensing after automated checks.
A strategic project must have an investment cost of no less than 10 million Omani Rials and meet one qualitative criterion, such as technology transfer or local content.
The regulations cover off-plan sales, escrow accounts and freehold ownership of units by non-Omanis in qualifying real estate projects.
HE Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef is Chairman of OPAZ.
In plain words
OPAZ Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones — The Omani authority that regulates Oman's special economic zones, free zones and industrial cities.
One-Stop Shop — A single window where investors obtain all approvals and licences.
Escrow account — A regulated account that holds buyers' payments until set conditions are met.
Freehold — Full, permanent ownership of a property and its land.