Since October 2025 commercial litigation in Oman has changed: the Court of Investment and Commerce now hears commercial and investment disputes as a specialised court, with electronic procedures and set deadlines at every stage. If you are a trader, company owner or investor, any commercial claim involving you is likely to be heard there. This guide brings together what you need to know, based on the Court's law and on the Unified Guide to Litigation Procedures before the Court issued by the Supreme Judicial Council.
What is the Court of Investment and Commerce?
The Court was established by Royal Decree 35/2025, which also issued its law. It reports to the Supreme Judicial Council, is headquartered in Muscat and began operating on 1 October 2025. It provides its services through a dedicated online platform, so litigants and lawyers can complete most steps without attending court except where the law or the nature of the step requires it.
Jurisdiction
Under Article 11 of the Court's law, it hears cases in which one party is a trader and the dispute relates to that trader's commercial business, and disputes arising from investment contracts, including:
- Disputes between partners or shareholders, and the dissolution and liquidation of companies.
- Bankruptcy and preventive composition.
- Banking and finance disputes.
- Construction disputes.
- Land, sea and air carriage, supply and brokerage contracts.
- Trademarks, patents, industrial property and unfair competition.
- Other disputes assigned to it by law.
The guide also lists among the main first-instance matters insurance disputes, tax disputes, orders to enforce foreign judgments, commercial, investment and construction enforcement disputes, interpretation of judgments and petitions for reconsideration. The appellate circuits hear actions to annul arbitral awards.
An important exception: claims for damage caused by vehicle accidents are not within the Court's jurisdiction, even against an insurer, and are heard by the other competent courts.
Three levels of court
- First-instance circuits:
- Single-judge circuit: claims up to OMR 100,000, urgent matters and petition orders linked to cases within its jurisdiction.
- Three-judge circuit: unvalued claims, claims above OMR 100,000 and matters assigned to it by law.
- Appellate circuits: three judges, hearing appeals against first-instance judgments.
- Commercial Circuit of the Supreme Court: the highest level for the Court's disputes, with five judges.
Circuits in the governorates
- Muscat appellate circuit: first-instance circuits in Muscat (Muscat Governorate) and Rustaq (South Al Batinah).
- Sohar appellate circuit: first-instance circuits in Sohar (North Al Batinah), Khasab (Musandam) and Al Buraimi.
- Nizwa appellate circuit: first-instance circuits in Nizwa (Al Dakhiliyah), Duqm (Al Wusta) and Ibri (Al Dhahirah).
- Ibra appellate circuit: first-instance circuits in Ibra (North Al Sharqiyah) and Sur (South Al Sharqiyah).
- Salalah appellate circuit: first-instance circuit in Salalah (Dhofar).
According to the guide, monetary claims and claims over movables are filed where the defendant is domiciled, and claims over real estate where the property is located.
How is a case filed?
A case is filed by a statement of claim uploaded to the Court platform and reviewed by the case preparation office, which checks the data, documents and fees, notifies the parties and manages the exchange of pleadings before referring the case to the circuit. See our step-by-step guide to filing a case online.
How long does a case take?
The defendant has 15 days to reply, the claimant 15 days to respond and the defendant 10 days for a rejoinder. The court has 15 days from referral to set a hearing and 90 days to give judgment, extendable by 45, and an expert has 60 days to file a report. See how long a commercial case takes in Oman.
Do you need a lawyer?
Under the guide, a claim must be filed through a lawyer where an individual claims more than OMR 30,000 or a company claims more than OMR 10,000, and Supreme Court challenges are always signed by a lawyer admitted before it. See when you need a lawyer at the Court.
Court fees
Fees are fixed by claim band: OMR 10 up to OMR 50,000, OMR 50 up to 100,000, OMR 200 up to 500,000 and OMR 500 above that. The full schedule is in our article on Court of Investment and Commerce fees.
Deadlines to challenge
- Appeal: 15 days, or 7 days in urgent matters and objections to petition orders.
- Challenge before the Commercial Circuit of the Supreme Court: 30 days.
- Petition for reconsideration: 30 days in the cases set by law.
These are short deadlines and missing them ends the right to challenge, so send any judgment to your lawyer immediately.
What about cases filed before the Court was created?
Courts continue to hear the cases, orders and applications filed with them before the Court's law took effect, under its transitional provisions.
Procedural guides for the court
- Court of Investment and Commerce Circuits by Governorate in Oman
- Appeal Deadlines at the Court of Investment and Commerce in Oman
- Travel Ban on a Debtor in Commercial Cases in Oman
Further reading for investors and companies
For more on matters heard by the Court of Investment and Commerce that concern investors and companies:
- Foreign Investor Guarantees and Incentives in Oman
- Investment and Usufruct Contracts in Oman
- Investment Contract Disputes in Oman
- Company Dissolution and Liquidation in Oman
- Enforcing Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards in Oman
- Tax Disputes and Objections in Oman
Frequently asked questions
Which cases does the Court of Investment and Commerce hear?
Cases where one party is a trader and the dispute concerns their commercial business, and investment contract disputes, including partner, liquidation, bankruptcy, banking, construction, transport, supply, insurance, industrial property and unfair competition disputes, but not vehicle accident damage claims.
When did the Court start operating?
On 1 October 2025, following Royal Decree 35/2025.
Where are its circuits?
Headquarters in Muscat, first-instance circuits in the governorates, and appellate circuits in Muscat, Sohar, Nizwa, Ibra and Salalah.
What is the appeal deadline?
Fifteen days, or seven days in urgent matters and objections to petition orders, and thirty days to challenge before the Supreme Court.
Sources: Royal Decree 35/2025 establishing the Court of Investment and Commerce and issuing its law, and the Unified Guide to Litigation Procedures before the Court issued by the Supreme Judicial Council, as at the date of publication.
For a commercial claim or investment dispute, see our commercial litigation lawyer service or contact Dr. Abdullah Al Rashdi Office on WhatsApp or +968 92000841.