Countries › Dominican Republic › Guide › 12. Sectors › Key sectors and regulators

Key sectors and regulators

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Changing

Most Dominican sectors are open to foreign capital, and each has one main licensing body. Hard limits are few: transmission and large hydro are State only, foreign states cannot hold mineral rights, broadcasters and airlines have nationality tests, and oil and metal mining deals go to Congress. This page maps each sector to its law, regulator and detailed page.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar, as shown on its home page on 30 October 2026, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Electricity regulator	Superintendencia de Electricidad Ley 125-01 art. 8, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Telecom regulator	INDOTEL Ley 153-98, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Gaming regulator	Dirección General de Juegos de Azar Ley 86-26 art. 5, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Ports authority	APORDOM Ley 70 art. 1, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Aviation bodies	JAC and IDAC Ley 491-06, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. Electricity: national and foreign capital are treated the same, but transmission and hydroelectric generation stay with the State.Ley 125-01, art. 10 and 131, 2001-07-26 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. Mining: foreign states cannot hold concessions, and foreign companies need a Dominican company to exploit.Ley 146-71, art. 9 and 109, 1971-06-04 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Hydrocarbons: rights come only by contract approved by Congress.Ley 4532, art. 1 and 3, 1956-08-31 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. Telecoms: a Dominican company is needed for a concession, and radio or TV control has a nationality test.Ley 153-98, art. 22 and 73.2, 1998-05-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. Gaming: the DGJA licenses all gaming, and casinos must sit in hotels of four stars or more.Ley 86-26, art. 5 and 49, 2026-09-22 official text · verified 2026-10-30

6. Aviation: a national company needs 35% Dominican capital and board, unless owned by a foreign airline with Executive approval, and art. 239 asks for 51% for domestic service.Ley 491-06, art. 237 and 239, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Ports: private national or foreign firms can hold concessions from APORDOM for 10 renewable years.Decreto 309-98, art. 5 and 7, 1998-08-27 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. Health products and food: DIGEMAPS regulates.Decreto 82-15, art. 2, 2015-04-30 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. Environmental authorization runs across sectors, with a performance bond of 10% of works in the management program.Ley 64-00, art. 47, 2000-08-18 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Sector	Main law	Regulator	Foreign capital	Licence term	Page
Electricity	Ley 125-01	SIE, CNE	Open, except transmission and hydro	Up to 40 years	sectors/electricity-market-and-concessions
Mining	Ley 146-71	MEM, DGM	Open; no foreign states	3 years, 75 years	sectors/mining-concessions
Oil and gas	Ley 4532	MEM	Open; no foreign states	By contract	sectors/oil-and-gas-exploration
Fuels	Ley 112-00	MEM, MICM, DGII	Open	Licence	sectors/fuels-market-and-taxes
Telecoms	Ley 153-98	INDOTEL	Open; broadcasting test	5 to 20 years	sectors/telecommunications-and-broadcasting
Gaming	Ley 86-26	DGJA	Not limited by nationality in the articles read	5 or 10 years	sectors/casinos-and-slot-rooms
Tourism	Ministry sheets; Ley 158-01	MITUR, CONFOTUR	Open	Ministry licence	sectors/tourism-operating-licences
Ports	Ley 70; Decreto 309-98	APORDOM	Open	10 years, renewable	sectors/ports-and-port-concessions
Aviation	Ley 491-06	JAC, IDAC	35% national test; 51% for domestic	Up to 10 years	sectors/aviation-and-airlines
Farm imports	Decreto 554-22	Ministry of Agriculture	Open	90 day licences	sectors/agriculture-and-farm-import-licences
Health products	Decreto 82-15	DIGEMAPS	Open, local representative	Per product	sectors/medicines-food-and-health-products

Sector map

Worked example

A solar developer works through the CNE for incentives, the SIE and the Executive for the concession, the environment ministry for the authorization and a distributor for the contract. One project meets at least four offices, so a permit calendar comes before the financial model.

Step by step

Find the sector in the map.
Check the ownership limit.
List licences, then order them by what each depends on.
Add the environmental authorization and municipal steps.
Budget the sector taxes with the taxes pages.

Common traps

A concession in one sector is not a permit in another. A port terminal for fuel needs both APORDOM and ministry licences.
Reforms are active in gaming (2026), fiscal rules (2026), mining (draft) and rooftop solar (2026). Check the What changed feed.
Fisheries, forestry, tobacco and sugar are not covered, because their laws could not be verified in official text.

Sources

← Cash limits and AML rules in property dealsElectricity market and concessions →

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