Nikolai Timofejev
15 years in FinTech and payments. Maps your business model to the right licence scope and leads the file all the way to the CBO licence, including banking and payment rails.
Get a payment license in Oman.
Oman licenses payment service providers under the National Payment Systems Law, Royal Decree 8/2018, with the working detail in the Executive Regulation of 2019 and the central bank's Licensing Policy. Capital runs OMR 100,000, 200,000 or 500,000 by category, plus a security deposit of 5% of capital capped at OMR 100,000. Foreign founders may hold the whole company, the application fee is OMR 500, and the OMR 1,000 annual fee is waived for the first three calendar years. Article 6 gives the Central Bank of Oman 120 days to decide once the file satisfies every requirement.
27 yrs
on the international marketon the market
60+
in-house specialistsspecialists
400+
Licenses obtainedlicenses obtained
Updated
Oman in brief
One law from 2018, three capital tiers, and a 120-day clock in Article 6.
Oman's payment law is the National Payment Systems Law, issued by Royal Decree 8/2018 on 20 February 2018 - seventy-six articles, Arabic only, with an English summary of the framework published by the central bank. Its Executive Regulation followed as Board Decision 1/2019 on 22 July 2019, gazetted six days later, eighty-nine articles across eleven chapters covering licensing and electronic money. Article 7 places the licence itself in the hands of the CBO Board of Governors, and Article 40 makes the issuance of electronic money a licensed activity in its own right. The money sits in the Licensing Policy for Payment Service Providers, now at version six and published in Arabic and English: OMR 100,000 for a Category 1 provider running e-wallets, payment aggregation and a gateway; OMR 200,000 for Category 2, which adds domestic money transfer; OMR 500,000 for Category 3, which adds card issuance including prepaid, cross-border remittance and anything else the central bank approves. On top of the capital sits a security deposit with the central bank of 5% of base capital, capped at OMR 100,000. Omani or foreign persons, natural or corporate, may hold the whole company.
Article 6 prints a clock: the central bank decides within 120 days from the date the applicant satisfies all requirements, and silence past that date is a rejection, appealable within sixty days. The Licensing Policy adds two more dates - the central bank may ask for further documents, or reject an incomplete application, within sixty days of receiving it, and it notifies the outcome within thirty working days of the Board decision. The charges are small. OMR 500 to apply, non-refundable, and an annual licence fee of OMR 1,000 that is waived for the first three calendar years. Below the licence sits a registration for ancillary payment services, aggregation and gateway work, taken through a licensed bank or PSP; it turns into a licence once you connect directly to a payment system or pass a turnover threshold the central bank does not publish. Corporate tax is 15%, or 3% for small establishments, VAT is 5% with financial services exempt, and withholding on services, interest and royalties paid abroad is 10%. Personal income tax arrives in 2028 under Royal Decree 56/2025. The Banking Law was itself replaced in January 2025 by Royal Decree 2/2025. We run the file from Dubai, and plan on nine to twelve months.
The National Payment Systems Law, Royal Decree 8/2018, with the Executive Regulation of 2019 and the CBO Licensing Policy. Capital OMR 100,000, 200,000 or 500,000 by category, plus a security deposit of 5% of capital capped at OMR 100,000. Omani or foreign shareholders may hold 100%.
Article 6 gives the central bank 120 days from a complete file, with a 60-day completeness window and 30 working days to notify. OMR 500 to apply; the OMR 1,000 annual fee is waived for three years. Tax 15%, VAT 5%. Nine to twelve months realistic. We run it from Dubai.
The routes
A CBO licence in three categories - or a registration through a bank.
The Licensing Policy sets three depths of licence and one route below them. We fix the category first, because the capital, the connection model and the technical integration all follow from it.
PSP Categories 1 to 3 - or an ancillary registration through a bank.
01 - PSP LICENCE
Payment service provider, Categories 1 to 3
The licence granted by the CBO Board of Governors under Article 7 of the National Payment Systems Law. Category 1 covers account issuance and e-wallets, payment aggregation including POS acquiring, and a payment gateway; Category 2 adds domestic money transfer; Category 3 adds card issuance, prepaid products and cross-border remittance, with a direct connection to the national systems.
The licence granted by the CBO Board of Governors under Article 7 of the National Payment Systems Law. Category 1 covers account issuance and e-wallets, payment aggregation including POS acquiring, and a payment gateway; Category 2 adds domestic money transfer; Category 3 adds card issuance, prepaid products and cross-border remittance, with a direct connection to the national systems.
- ✓Category 1 - wallets, aggregation, gateway: OMR 100,000
- ✓Category 2 - adds domestic money transfer: OMR 200,000
- ✓Category 3 - cards and cross-border remittance: OMR 500,000
- ✓Security deposit of 5% of base capital, capped at OMR 100,000
- ✓E-money issuance licensed under Article 40 of the NPS Law
- ✓Omani or foreign shareholders up to 100% (Policy s.4)
02 - ANCILLARY REGISTRATION
No licence - registered via a bankAncillary payment services
Payment aggregation and payment gateway services may be provided without a licence, on registration with the central bank through a licensed bank or PSP under sections 2 and 15 of the Licensing Policy. The registration ends where the licence begins.
Ancillary payment services: aggregation and gateway, registered through a licensed bank or PSP. A licence is required for a direct system connection.
- ✓Payment aggregator and payment gateway services
- ✓Registration with the CBO through a licensed bank or PSP
- ✓Indirect connection to the national systems through that sponsor
- ✓A licence becomes mandatory for a direct system connection
- ✓And once monthly turnover passes a CBO threshold, which is unpublished
- ✓The step we use when volumes do not yet justify a Category 1 file
Costs and timelines are confirmed for your case before any work begins. The application fee is OMR 500 and the annual licence fee OMR 1,000, waived for the first three calendar years; the security deposit, the capital and substance are itemised in your quote.
Why Oman
Printed capital tiers, a printed clock, and no local partner.
Oman wrote its payment law in 2018 and its licensing policy around it, then kept the entry price low and the ownership rules open. A market of 5,368,120 people at the end of March 2026, with six providers authorised during 2024.
✓
Capital from OMR 100,000
Category 1 opens at OMR 100,000, Category 2 at 200,000 and Category 3 at 500,000 - three tiers printed in the Licensing Policy rather than set case by case.OMR 100k, 200k and 500k.
✓
A decision period in the statute
Article 6 gives the central bank 120 days from the moment the file satisfies every requirement, and treats silence past that date as a rejection you may appeal.A decision period in Article 6.
✓
100% foreign ownership
Section 4 of the Licensing Policy lets Omani or foreign persons, natural or corporate, hold the entire company. No local partner, no nominee layer.Up to 100%, no local partner.
✓
Three years without the annual fee
OMR 500 to apply and OMR 1,000 a year to hold the licence - and that annual fee is waived for the first three calendar years.OMR 500 to apply; annual fee waived.
✓
A registration under the licence
Aggregation and gateway work can start as an ancillary service registered through a licensed bank or PSP, then convert when you connect directly.Register through a bank or PSP.
✓
MP-Clear and the sandbox
The central bank runs RTGS, the ACH, cheque clearing, the OmanNet switch and MP-Clear, a 24/7 mobile payment system, and admits new models to its fintech regulatory sandbox.A 24/7 mobile payment system.
How it compares
How Oman differs from the other Gulf routes.
Oman, the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia all license payment providers, each in its own currency and on its own conditions. The honest comparison is below.
Oman vs other jurisdictions
| Feature |  Oman | Other jurisdictions |
|---|---|---|
| Capital | OMR 100,000 / 200,000 / 500,000 | AED 0.1-3M · SAR 1-10M · BD 25k-250k |
| Decision clock | 120 days from a complete file (Art. 6) | 90 days in Saudi Arabia; none printed elsewhere |
| Foreign ownership | 100% permitted (Policy s.4) | Set state by state |
| Corporate tax | 15% · 3% small establishments | 0% Bahrain · 9% UAE · 20% Saudi share |
Capital
OmanOMR 100,000 / 200,000 / 500,000
Other jurisdictionsAED 0.1-3M · SAR 1-10M · BD 25k-250k
Decision clock
Oman120 days from a complete file (Art. 6)
Other jurisdictions90 days in Saudi Arabia; none printed elsewhere
Foreign ownership
Oman100% permitted (Policy s.4)
Other jurisdictionsSet state by state
Corporate tax
Oman15% · 3% small establishments
Other jurisdictions0% Bahrain · 9% UAE · 20% Saudi share
Country by country
| Country | License type | Taxation | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oman | PSP Cat 1-3 (CBO) | 15% · 3% small | OMR 100k-500k · 120 days |
 UAE | RPS Cat I-IV (CBUAE) | 9% · 0% band | AED 0.1-3M by volume |
 Bahrain | PSP / AISP / PISP (CBB) | 0% · 15% DMTT large | BD 25k-250k by tier |
 Saudi Arabia | PI / EMI (SAMA) | 20% foreign share | SAR 1-10M by tier |
OmanLicense typePSP Cat 1-3 (CBO)
Taxation15% · 3% small
RequirementsOMR 100k-500k · 120 days
UAELicense typeRPS Cat I-IV (CBUAE)
Taxation9% · 0% band
RequirementsAED 0.1-3M by volume
BahrainLicense typePSP / AISP / PISP (CBB)
Taxation0% · 15% DMTT large
RequirementsBD 25k-250k by tier
Saudi ArabiaLicense typePI / EMI (SAMA)
Taxation20% foreign share
RequirementsSAR 1-10M by tier
Before you apply
Requirements for the CBO licence.Requirements for the licence.
The law sets the licence, the clock and the custody duties; the Licensing Policy sets the capital, the fees and the conditions. The checklist below is what a passing file contains.
01
A juristic person licensed by the central bank under section 4 of the Licensing Policy - a limited liability company, or a joint-stock company, public or closed.
02
Paid-up capital at the category applied for: OMR 100,000 for Category 1, OMR 200,000 for Category 2, OMR 500,000 for Category 3.
03
A security deposit with the central bank of 5% of base capital, capped at OMR 100,000, and more capital where the licence covers a connection to several systems.
04
Shareholders who may be Omani or foreign, natural persons or companies, holding up to 100% - the Licensing Policy sets no local-ownership floor.
05
Fit-and-proper evidence for shareholders, board and senior management under section 5, filed with the application rather than after it.
06
Custody of customer funds under Article 42 of the law: an e-money issuer keeps them in a bank account usable only for e-money obligations, under the CBO custody-account policy in Circular BM 1192.
07
Omanisation of at least 50% of the workforce under section 6 of the Licensing Policy, budgeted into the hiring plan from the first year.
08
AML/CFT procedures to the central bank's instructions, with anti-fraud controls and business-continuity and disaster-recovery plans under section 8.
09
Premises licensed for the activity, since Article 9 confines the business to them, and outsourcing only with the central bank's prior approval.
10
An external auditor and record keeping under section 12, plus the technical integration the central bank runs between in-principle approval and the final licence.
01
Omani LLC or joint-stock company (s.4).
02
Capital OMR 100k / 200k / 500k.
03
Security deposit 5%, max OMR 100k.
04
Shareholders up to 100% foreign.
05
Fit-and-proper pack under section 5.
06
Custody account under Article 42.
07
Omanisation of at least 50%.
08
AML, anti-fraud, BCP and DR (s.8).
09
Licensed premises (Article 9).
10
External auditor and records (s.12).
Reflects the National Payment Systems Law (Royal Decree 8/2018), the Executive Regulation (Board Decision 1/2019), the CBO Licensing Policy for Payment Service Providers V6 and the Banking Law (Royal Decree 2/2025), as of 2026.NPS Law RD 8/2018; Executive Regulation 1/2019; CBO Licensing Policy V6; Banking Law RD 2/2025.
How it works
From first call to the CBO licence.
01
Category and strategy
Category 1, 2 or 3, or the ancillary registration; the connection model, capital and budget fixed in writing.Category 1, 2, 3 or ancillary - in writing.
02
Company and capital
Omani company formed, capital paid to the category figure, shareholders and managers documented for section 5.Formed, paid, documented.
03
The application file
Business plan, governance, custody, AML and continuity documents filed with the OMR 500 fee - complete before the 60-day window opens.Filed with the OMR 500 fee.
04
Review and in-principle approval
Question rounds answered, in-principle approval issued, then the technical integration the policy requires before the final decision.In-principle approval, then integration.
05
Licence and launch
Board decision notified within 30 working days, security deposit lodged, rails live and the reporting calendar running.Notified in 30 working days.
Quick facts
RegulatorCentral Bank of Oman
LawRD 8/2018 · Reg. 1/2019
LicencePSP Categories 1, 2 and 3
CapitalOMR 100k / 200k / 500k
Deposit5% of capital · max OMR 100k
Decision120 days (Article 6)
Timeline9-12 months realistic
Corporate tax15% · VAT 5%
The 120-day clock starts when the file satisfies all requirements, not when it arrives, and the central bank may reject an incomplete application inside sixty days. Getting the first filing right is the whole job.
Your Oman desk
Run from our Gulf desk.
Prifinance - Gulf desk
Dubai · coordinating Omani mandates
33 Level, Al Saqr Business Tower, Dubai
01
Omani company formation
An LLC or a closed joint-stock company with the capital your category requires, held up to 100% by foreign shareholders, with the commercial registration the central bank expects.LLC or SAOC, capital, 100% foreign.
02
The CBO file
Business plan, governance, the fit-and-proper pack, AML and continuity documentation to the Licensing Policy - drafted by us and defended through the question rounds.Licensing Policy answered in order.
03
Deposit, custody and rails
The 5% security deposit with the central bank, the custody account for customer funds under Circular BM 1192, and the technical integration that precedes the final licence.5% deposit; Circular BM 1192.
04
Substance in Muscat
Licensed premises under Article 9, managers who pass section 5, and an Omanisation plan that reaches the 50% floor - the presence the licence is built on.Muscat premises, managers, Omanisation.
We also have offices in
Tallinn
Estonia
Roseni 13
Vilnius
Lithuania
Gedimino pr. 2
Prague
Czech Republic
Vlkova 532/8, Žižkov
London
United Kingdom
7 Bell Yard
Madeira
Portugal
Rua da Alegria 31, 1F
Budapest
Hungary
Korányi Sándor u. 4
Istanbul
Turkey
Perpa Ticaret Merkezi, A Blok
Good to know
Taxation of payment companies in Oman.
Fifteen per cent on profit, three for small establishments, 5% VAT with financial services exempt, and a 10% withholding on services, interest and royalties paid abroad.
Corporate tax 15%
The rate on net taxable income under the Tax Authority's schedule. Small establishments pay 3% where registered capital stays at or below OMR 60,000, gross income below OMR 150,000 and headcount under twenty-five.3% for small establishments.
VAT 5%
The standard rate, with financial services exempt. Technology and platform fees may sit outside that exemption, so the product mix is mapped before pricing.Financial services exempt.
Withholding 10%
On payments to non-residents for services, interest and royalties. The Tax Authority's rate page does not list dividends, so the position on profit distributions is confirmed for your structure.Services, interest, royalties.
Personal income tax from 2028
Royal Decree 56/2025 introduces a 5% personal income tax above OMR 42,000 from 2028 - the first in the Gulf, and worth planning founder compensation around now.Not listed on the rate page.
Payroll and Omanisation
Muscat salaries plus the 50% Omanisation floor in section 6 of the Licensing Policy. The operating budget carries the hiring plan alongside the compliance functions.5% above OMR 42,000.
Treaties
Oman's treaty network and the 10% domestic withholding together decide what an outbound service fee or royalty costs. Those flows are structured with the licence, not after it.Salaries plus 50% Omanisation.
Tax summary
Corporate tax15% · 3% small establishments
VAT5% · financial services exempt
Withholding10% services, interest, royalties
DividendsNot listed on the rate page
Personal income tax5% above OMR 42,000 from 2028
PayrollSalaries + 50% Omanisation
*Figures as of 2026 per the Oman Tax Authority. The rate page does not list a dividend withholding; treaty and regime positions are assessed per structure.
Turnkey professional support
Experienced lawyers and international consultants.
We provide end-to-end support, from company registration and the application file to regulatory interaction and compliance oversight - with an individualized approach to each client.
Oleksii Kindratenko
Builds the application itself: Omani LLC, AML/KYC policy pack, capital structure and tax registrations. His document sets are the reason reviews finish in months, not years.
Eugeniu Bevziuc
First point of contact for international founders. Runs the whole setup remotely, across time zones and languages - from the first call to a live, licensed provider.
Follow Prifinance
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Oman · CBO
Launch your payment project in Oman with expert support.
Full-service assistance - from company formation to the CBO licence, the security deposit, rails and ongoing compliance.
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Request a free conclusion →FAQ
The Omani payment licence, answered.
What licence does a payment business need in Oman?+
A payment service provider licence from the Central Bank of Oman under the National Payment Systems Law, Royal Decree 8/2018, granted by the Board of Governors under Article 7. Issuing electronic money is a licensed activity of its own under Article 40. Aggregation and gateway work alone can instead be registered as an ancillary payment service through a licensed bank or PSP.
How much capital is required?+
The Licensing Policy sets OMR 100,000 for Category 1, OMR 200,000 for Category 2 and OMR 500,000 for Category 3. On top of that the central bank takes a security deposit of 5% of base capital, capped at OMR 100,000, and may require more capital where the provider connects to several systems.
Can foreigners own the company outright?+
Yes. Section 4 of the Licensing Policy allows Omani or foreign natural persons, directly or through a company, to hold 100% of a licensed provider. The company itself has to be an Omani limited liability company or a joint-stock company.
How long does the central bank take?+
Article 6 gives it 120 days from the date the applicant satisfies all requirements; silence past that is a rejection, appealable within sixty days. The Licensing Policy adds a sixty-day window for the central bank to demand documents or reject an incomplete file, and thirty working days to notify the Board decision. Plan on nine to twelve months end to end.
What does the licence cost?+
OMR 500 to apply, non-refundable, and an annual licence fee of OMR 1,000 that is waived for the first three calendar years. Payment system operators may charge their own system fees on top. Our fees and the substance budget are quoted separately.
How are customer funds protected?+
Article 42 requires an e-money issuer to keep customer funds in a bank account usable only for e-money obligations, and Article 41(2) requires the outstanding e-money to be matched in rials. The custody arrangement follows the central bank's policy in Circular BM 1192.
Are there limits on e-money balances?+
Article 39 makes electronic money rial-denominated and delegates the maximum values to the Executive Regulation, whose text the central bank does not publish. The caps that apply to your product are confirmed with the central bank. Credit facilities are prohibited under Article 41(1), and redemption at par on request is required under Article 41(5).
What substance does the central bank expect?+
Licensed premises, since Article 9 confines the activity to them; shareholders and managers who pass the fit-and-proper test in section 5; AML/CFT and anti-fraud controls with continuity and recovery plans under section 8; an external auditor under section 12; and at least 50% Omani staff. Outsourcing needs prior approval.
Does the licence work elsewhere in the Gulf?+
No. There is no GCC passport, and an Omani licence covers Oman. Groups serving several Gulf markets license separately in each; we sequence the applications so one document set carries into the next.
Why Oman rather than the UAE or Bahrain?+
Oman prints its capital, its fees and its decision period in a public policy, waives the annual fee for three years and supervises a register small enough that each file is read at the centre. The UAE has the deeper market and a 9% rate with a zero band; Bahrain charges no corporate tax on most companies and already carries open banking in the CBB Rulebook. Groups whose volume is Omani license here first.
Which licence?+
CBO PSP Category 1, 2 or 3; e-money under Article 40.
Capital?+
OMR 100k / 200k / 500k plus a 5% deposit.
Foreign ownership?+
Up to 100%, natural persons or companies.
How long?+
120 days from a complete file; 9-12 months realistic.
Fees?+
OMR 500 to apply; OMR 1,000 a year, waived three years.
Client funds?+
Bank account for e-money obligations (Art. 42).
E-money caps?+
Set by the Regulation, which is not published.
Substance?+
Licensed premises, fit-and-proper, 50% Omanisation.
Passport?+
No - the licence covers Oman.
vs UAE / Bahrain?+
Printed tiers and fees; a much smaller register.
Client notes
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Founders who wanted it done right.
Google4.7★★★★★
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Get a free legal opinion on your project - our legal team will analyze your case at no cost and provide a written legal opinion: which jurisdiction, licence scope, or route fits your business.Free legal opinion: which Omani category fits your project and what it will cost.
✓Written legal opinion within 2-5 business days - free of charge✓A clear recommendation on the right licence scope, not a sales pitch✓Transparent fixed fees, confirmed up front✓EN · RU · ES speaking team
Prifinance is an independent law and advisory firm. We are not a regulator and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the Central Bank of Oman or any other public authority. Authorisations are granted by, and obtained directly from, the competent authorities.