Oman

Moderate

Personal Data Protection Law (Royal Decree 6/2022)

Authority: Ministry of Transport, Communications and IT | Enforcement: Pending | Enacted: February 2023

Overview

Oman enacted its Personal Data Protection Law in 2022, effective February 2023. It provides comprehensive data protection covering consent, data subject rights, and cross-border transfers. Implementing regulations are being developed.

14-Topic Coverage

Data Protection Authority

Pending Enforcement

Ministry of Transport, Communications and IT designated. Dedicated authority structure developing.

Data Subject Rights

Fully Addressed

Rights to access, rectification, erasure, restriction, and portability.

Cross-Border Transfer

Fully Addressed

Transfers to countries with adequate protection or with appropriate safeguards.

Breach Notification

Fully Addressed

Must notify authority and affected individuals of data breaches.

DPO Requirements

Partially Addressed

Required for certain categories of processors.

Children's Data

Partially Addressed

Enhanced protections for children's data. Age threshold to be defined.

Penalties & Enforcement

Fully Addressed

Fines from OMR 1,000 to OMR 500,000. Criminal penalties for serious violations.

Sector-Specific Rules

Partially Addressed

CBO financial rules, health data provisions in development.

AI & Automated Decisions

Not Addressed

No specific provisions on automated decisions.

Data Localisation

Partially Addressed

Government data and certain sectors may require local storage.

Significant Data Fiduciary

Not Addressed

No equivalent concept.

Government Data

Partially Addressed

Law applies to government with exemptions for national security and defence.