Licensing an industrial facility within the scope of the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing in the event that there is no existing facility

  • Commercial Registration: The investor must have a valid commercial registration that includes the industrial activity they wish to license.
  • Business Plan: Submit a comprehensive technical and financial feasibility study for the project. The plan should include details about the type of products, production stages, and machinery and equipment used.
  • Engineering Plans: If no existing building is available, detailed engineering plans for the proposed facility must be submitted. These plans should comply with the engineering standards and regulations of the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing.
  • Land Lease or Ownership: The investor must have a valid land lease in the designated area or a deed of ownership for the land.
  • Environmental Approvals: Obtain an environmental permit from the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC). This permit is essential to ensure the facility complies with the Kingdom’s environmental standards.
  • Safety Certificate: Obtain a certificate from the Civil Defense or an accredited office confirming that the facility complies with fire safety and prevention standards.
  • Government Approvals: Some industries may require additional approvals from other government authorities, such as the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Energy, or the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, depending on the nature of the activity.
Therefore, the steps will be mentioned in order to obtain the required license.

This is the starting point. The investor submits a comprehensive application through the "Sanaii" platform of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources. This application must include a preliminary business plan for the project, including the type of product, expected production capacity, and the economic and technical feasibility. This step serves as an official declaration of the investor's intention to establish a project.

If the investor is from outside the Kingdom, they must obtain an investment license from the Ministry of Investment (MISA). This license is a legal document granting the foreign investor the right to invest and conduct business in the Kingdom.

The investor must identify a suitable location for the project, which in this case is outside the scope of specialized industrial cities. A land lease contract is signed or a title deed is submitted proving the right to use the land. This step is essential to securing the site on which the facility will be built.

The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issues an industrial license under establishment, which constitutes preliminary approval of the industrial concept. This license allows the investor to begin the implementation procedures for building the factory.

After initial approval, the investor must register the facility's commercial register with the Ministry of Commerce. The commercial register is the facility's legal identity and is necessary for all official transactions with government and financial entities.

The investor must contract with an engineering office accredited by the competent municipality or secretariat. This office will prepare all engineering, architectural, and structural plans and designs for the building and facility.

This step is one of the most important stages in the licensing process. The investor submits an environmental impact assessment study for the project to the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC). NCEC determines the project's category (A, B, or C) based on the level of environmental risk, and this category determines the type of study required.

After reviewing the environmental impact assessment study by the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC), the center issues an environmental approval for construction. This approval is a prerequisite for submitting a building permit application.

After obtaining environmental approval, the investor submits the approved engineering plans to the competent municipality or secretariat to obtain a building permit. This permit allows the investor to commence construction work on the designated land.

The investor must update the status of the industrial license from "Under Establishment" to "Under Construction" on the "Sanaii" platform to reflect the current stage of the project.

The investor must register with a number of other government agencies, such as: the General Organization for Social Insurance (GOSI) for employee registration, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA), and other agencies depending on the nature of the activity.

The investor must submit applications for approval of the number of visas required for the foreign labor required for the project, which is done through the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.


After obtaining visa approval, the investor can obtain visas from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to bring in the required foreign personnel.

After a significant portion of the construction work is completed, the investor must submit water and electricity connection requests to the relevant authorities to ensure the availability of the necessary infrastructure for operation.

After construction is completed, Civil Defense teams conduct a field inspection of the building to ensure it meets all safety and fire prevention standards.

After passing the Civil Defense inspection, the municipality or secretariat issues a business license. Civil Defense also issues a safety license, two essential operating documents.

After the facility is completed, an application is submitted for environmental approval for operation. The National Center for Environmental Compliance Control conducts a site visit to ensure the necessary environmental systems are installed, then issues the final approval for operation.

The investor must update the status of the industrial license to "Product" on the "Sanaii" platform. This step indicates that the factory is ready to begin production operations.

After obtaining all necessary approvals and licenses, the investor can officially begin practicing industrial activity and actual production.