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Can you open an online store in Syria? A practical checklist.
Yes, selling through an online store in Syria has a legal framework: Law 3 of 2014 on Electronic Transactions defines the online seller and what buyers are shown, and the consumer protection law applies too. We found no standalone e-commerce law, and no current official rule on whether a home-based seller must be entered in the commercial register. This checklist covers what we found in official sources as of September 29, 2026, and what is still unclear.
By: Maizny team
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In short
What should you prepare before you open your store?
Here's a short list in the order we suggest. Each item is covered in the sections below.
Know which laws apply
The Electronic Transactions Law and the consumer protection law. Watch for announced changes to both.
Ask about the commercial register
We found no current official rule that settles this for online sellers, so ask the Ministry of Economy and Industry before you launch.
Prepare seller and product details
Your identity, address, and email, your prices and how long they're valid, delivery costs, and payment and delivery methods.
Write your return and exchange policy
Put it on a clear page, after you review the two different rules in the two laws.
Choose a domain and hosting
The registry for .sy publishes its own documents and fees, and a generic domain is a common alternative. Read the hosting provider's terms before you buy.
Pick a payment method that actually works
Cash is still legal, and we found no official confirmation that Syrian stores can accept cards online.
Plan delivery
Syrian Post has carried parcels between governorates since May 2026. Show delivery costs and times in your store.
The law
Which laws apply to your online store?
We found no standalone e-commerce law in Syria. Selling online falls under Law 3 of 2014 on Electronic Transactions, issued on March 11, 2014. It defines the seller as any individual or company that does business by electronic means: selling, supplying, or renting goods, or providing any service.[1]
The consumer protection law, Legislative Decree 8 of 2021, also applies. It defines the seller as anyone who offers, sells, or markets goods or services to consumers by any means, including electronic ones.[2]
The Ministry of Economy and Industry's official website has a service to file complaints and track them with a reference number.[6]
Store pages
What does the law ask your store to show?
Article 17 of the Electronic Transactions Law lists these details, and says they stay available to the buyer at every stage of the purchase:
- Seller identity, address, register number and place, and email
- The order steps, in detail
- Product type, specs, and price, and the payment currency
- Delivery costs, insurance, taxes due, and any other charges
- How long the listed prices are valid
- Payment methods, and delivery methods and times
- After-sales service and warranties
- Return, exchange, and refund methods and deadlines
- Any extra telecom costs, plus usage instructions and warnings
The law also asks that every electronic message to the consumer shows the sender's identity (Article 17). Before a sale is confirmed, the buyer must be able to review their choices and fix input errors, then confirm, change, or cancel (Article 18). Once the order is accepted, the seller sends a notice the buyer can save, with the delivery commitment and tracking and contact details (Article 19).[1]
Article 23 says anyone doing business electronically protects the other party's information and doesn't use it in a way that harms them without their explicit consent. So ask buyers only for what the order needs, and write a clear privacy policy.[1]
Under the consumer protection law, buyers have the right to know the price and correct product information, to get an invoice showing the product type, date, and price paid, and to file a complaint (Article 3).[2]
Returns
What are the rules for returns and exchanges?
The two laws set two different rules. We show both as written, and we don't judge which one applies to your case.
| Item | Electronic Transactions Law 3/2014 | Consumer Protection Law 8/2021 |
|---|---|---|
| The right | Withdraw from the purchase (Article 20) | One free exchange, or a return with a refund if the item is defective or can't be exchanged (Article 4) |
| Deadline | 10 working days: for goods from receipt, for services from when they start | 3 days from receipt for an exchange; Article 4 sets no deadline for returning a defective item |
| Return cost | The seller pays if the product information was unclear or wrong; otherwise the buyer pays | The exchange costs the consumer nothing |
| Refund | Within 7 working days of receiving the returned item, unless agreed otherwise (Article 21) | With the return, if the item is defective or can't be exchanged |
| Main exceptions | Custom-made goods, unsealed recordings and software, books and newspapers, misuse, and downloaded software (Article 22) | Perishable goods, custom-made goods, items whose condition the consumer changed, and books, newspapers, and software |
Domain and hosting
Which domain and hosting should you choose?
The .sy domain is run by the National Authority for Information Technology Services (NAITS) in Damascus, according to the IANA record last updated July 23, 2026. NAITS's official page says you can book a second-level name (ending in .sy, or the Arabic-script version of the extension) or a third-level name (such as one ending in .com.sy). Names go to whoever's request arrives first, for one year or more, up to 10 years. Booking a name gives you the sole right to use it for a renewable term, much like renting it. It doesn't make you the owner.[8][9]
The documents NAITS lists for booking a domain:
- The booking form, in Arabic or Latin script, signed, stamped, and with the required revenue stamps
- A copy of your ID if you're an individual, or the commercial register extract for a company
- A letter authorizing the agent who signs the form, if there is one (NAITS mentions this for Syrians outside Syria and for non-Syrians)
- The fee payment receipt
| Type of name | Fee per year |
|---|---|
| Latin-script second-level name | 60 new Syrian pounds |
| Arabic second-level name, or Latin-script third-level name | 40 new Syrian pounds |
| Arabic alias name | 10 new Syrian pounds |
The NAITS page doesn't state a clear nationality or residency rule, so ask NAITS about your case before you start. The common alternative is a generic domain such as .com.[9]
NAITS also offers shared hosting and virtual private servers at the National Data Center. Published shared hosting fees range from 30 to 1,750 new Syrian pounds a year, and virtual servers from 2,600 to 7,200. It asks for much the same documents.[11][10]
For hosting outside Syria, the US advisory updated in August 2026 says the US no longer imposes comprehensive sanctions on Syria. Sanctions tied to lists of specific people and groups remain in place.[12]
Payment and delivery
How will customers pay, and how will orders reach them?
The Electronic Transactions Law leaves electronic payment to the laws and rules of the Central Bank of Syria (Article 16). In August 2026 the bank announced Decision 1124, which sets a framework for payment service providers, e-money providers, and payment system operators. The decision keeps cash legal and imposes no specific payment method.[1][13]
For delivery inside Syria, Syrian Post resumed parcel and goods delivery between governorates on Sunday, May 24, 2026, after a break of more than 10 years. It takes parcels up to 30 kg, beginning with the main post office in each governorate and expanding gradually.[14]
In September 2026 the Damascus postal director said domestic parcels run through more than 350 postal branches, and that a service to send parcels from Syria abroad starts on October 1, 2026. That service was announced, and we have not confirmed that it started.[15]
We found no official source saying Syrian Post collects payment on delivery for merchants. If you plan to offer cash on delivery, agree on how payment is collected with the delivery company you choose, and write it on your shipping page.
Maizny
How can the Maizny team help?
We build your online store so the details above each have a place: seller and contact details, a shipping and returns page, a step to review the order before confirming it, and a confirmation message the buyer can save.
The wording of your return policy and terms, and questions about the commercial register and taxes, are your call, with a legal professional or the official body. We don't give legal advice. To see what the work covers for your store, print a draft of your quote from the home page.
Questions
Common questions.
Is there an e-commerce law in Syria?
We found no standalone one. Selling online falls under Law 3 of 2014 on Electronic Transactions and the consumer protection law.
Do I need to be in the commercial register to sell online from home?
As of September 29, 2026, we found no current official rule that settles it either way: none requires it and none exempts you. Ask the Ministry of Economy and Industry, or the commercial register office in your governorate, before you launch.
Can I get a .sy domain for my store?
NAITS asks for a signed and stamped booking form, a copy of your ID or a commercial register extract, and the payment receipt. Its page doesn't state a clear nationality or residency rule, so ask NAITS about your case.
Can a store in Syria accept cards online?
As of September 29, 2026, we found no official source confirming it. The Central Bank of Syria's Decision 1124 keeps cash legal and imposes no specific payment method.
Does Syrian Post deliver store orders between governorates?
Yes. Since May 24, 2026, it carries parcels up to 30 kg between governorates. We found no official source saying it collects payment on delivery.
Sources
Sources.
The sources this guide relies on, and the day we read each one.
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Note: General information, updated September 29, 2026. It is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Laws, fees, and services change, so check the official source or a qualified professional before you decide.
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