Yes. Non-Saudis have been able to own property in Saudi Arabia since 22 January 2026, when the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis, issued by Royal Decree M/14 dated 19/1/1447H, came into force. Ownership is allowed inside geographic zones set by the Council of Ministers, which approved them together with the Implementing Regulation on 23 June 2026. A legal resident may also own one home for their own residence outside those zones, except in Makkah and Madinah.
This guide explains who can buy, where, and the steps, fees and penalties, as set out in the law, in its regulation published in the official gazette Umm Al-Qura, and in announcements by the Real Estate General Authority (REGA), checked on 5 October 2026. For a short definition, see the glossary entry on foreign ownership.
What changed for foreign property ownership in 2026?
The new law replaced the Law of Real Estate Ownership and Investment by Non-Saudis issued by Royal Decree M/15 dated 17/4/1421H. It ties ownership to published geographic zones and moves applications online, through one portal linked to the Real Estate Registry.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 14 July 2025 (19/1/1447H) | Royal Decree M/14 approves the law, based on Council of Ministers Decision No. 42 dated 13/1/1447H |
| 25 July 2025 | The law is published in the official gazette and takes effect 180 days after publication |
| 22 January 2026 (3/8/1447H) | The law enters into force; REGA announces that applications are received through the Saudi Properties portal |
| 23 June 2026 (8/1/1448H) | The Council of Ministers approves the Implementing Regulation and the geographic zones where non-Saudis may own |
| 3 July 2026 (18/1/1448H) | The Implementing Regulation is published in Umm Al-Qura, including the fee rates and the table of violations and penalties |
Who can own property under the new law?
The law defines a non-Saudi as an individual without Saudi nationality, a non-Saudi company, a non-Saudi non-profit entity, or any other non-Saudi legal person named by the Council of Ministers. Rights and requirements depend on the category:
| Category | Where they can own | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Legal resident (individual) | Inside the zones, plus one home for their own residence outside them, except in Makkah and Madinah | Apply with the iqama (residency) number; eligibility is checked automatically |
| Non-resident (individual) | Inside the zones only | A digital identity, a bank account in the Kingdom in their name, and a Saudi phone number linked to the digital identity |
| Non-Saudi company | Inside the zones, except Makkah and Madinah | Registration with the Ministry of Investment disclosing direct and indirect owners, a legal representative holding an ID issued under Saudi rules, and a bank account in the Kingdom |
| Unlisted Saudi company with foreign shareholders | Inside the zones, including Makkah and Madinah; outside them (except the two cities) for its business activities and staff housing | Ministry of Investment approval is required only for ownership outside the zones |
| Listed companies, investment funds and special purpose entities | Across the Kingdom, including Makkah and Madinah | Under the Capital Market Law and Capital Market Authority rules, coordinated with REGA |
| Non-Saudi non-profit entity | Inside the zones, except Makkah and Madinah | Registration with the National Center for Non-Profit Sector disclosing who controls it |
| Diplomatic missions and international bodies | Their official premises; for missions, also housing for the head and members | Reciprocity and approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
Under Article 6 of the law, owning property gives no rights or privileges beyond those the law grants to any holder of a real right.
Can an expat resident buy an apartment in Riyadh?
Yes, in two ways. A legal resident can buy inside Riyadh’s approved zones like any non-Saudi. Or they can buy one property for their own residence outside the zones; the law excludes only Makkah and Madinah from this right, and the Royal Decree keeps in force other rules that bar ownership in specific places and sites.
The law and regulation attach conditions to the second route:
- Only one property, and it must be for the resident’s own home.
- A resident’s spouse and non-Saudi children count as dependants, so none of them can separately own a home unless the marriage ends or the child turns 25 (Article 7 of the regulation).
- Article 2 of the law leaves the details of this right to the regulation, and the portal checks eligibility automatically when you apply with your iqama number.
The portal places premium residency holders, GCC residents and diplomats living in the Kingdom in the resident category. Non-residents can own only inside the zones.
Where are the foreign ownership zones in Riyadh and Jeddah?
In Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, REGA describes the zones as limited sites within each city, not the whole city. The Saudi Properties portal shows interactive maps that set out, for each zone, the permitted ownership percentage, the types of rights that may be acquired, the maximum usufruct period and the related conditions.
Zones REGA announced after the Cabinet approval, as reported by Saudi media including Arab News, include:
- Riyadh: among others Qiddiya, New Murabba, the Sports Boulevard, the Arts District, Diriyah Gate, King Salman Park, Sidra, the King Abdullah Financial District and King Salman International Airport.
- Jeddah: the city centre and development zones 1 to 55 across the governorate.
- AlUla: zones 1 to 17.
- Giga projects and special economic zones: including NEOM, AMAALA and the Red Sea project, and the special economic zones in Jazan, Ras Al-Khair and King Abdullah Economic City.
The portal notes that a project listed on it does not mean ownership requirements are met, and offers a property requirements inquiry service to confirm that procedures can be completed for a specific property before you start.
Can foreigners buy property in Makkah and Madinah?
Yes, but under tighter rules than elsewhere. Article 2 of the law limits non-Saudi ownership in the two cities to Muslim individuals, and REGA has confirmed that ownership there is limited to Muslim individuals, living inside or outside the Kingdom, and to Saudi companies.
- The resident’s one-home right outside the zones does not apply in Makkah or Madinah; ownership there is only inside the approved zones.
- An unlisted Saudi company with foreign shareholders may own inside the zones of the two cities without Ministry of Investment approval, but not outside them.
- Listed companies, investment funds and special purpose entities may own there under the Capital Market Law and Capital Market Authority rules.
Announced zones in Makkah include Abraj Makkah, Al-Manar, Burj Ajyad, King Salman Gate, Tilal Village, Jabal Omar, Dhakhir Makkah, Dahiyat Sumou, Masar, and Makkah Zones 1 and 2. In Madinah they include Al-Ghurra, Madinah Zones 1 and 2, Al-Mahwa, Darat Al-Hijra, Downtown Madinah, Diyar Al-Maqar, Ruaa Al-Madinah, Knowledge Economic City and Mishraf.
How do you buy property through the Saudi Properties portal?
The whole journey is online; where you start depends on your category.
Residents in the Kingdom
- Register on the portal as an individual and sign in through Nafath with your iqama number.
- Check your own eligibility and the property’s, using the portal’s ownership and property requirements inquiry services.
- Choose the property; the portal points buyers to licensed real estate brokers for listings.
- Complete the remaining steps online: upload documents, pay the fees and document the contract.
- Ownership and the title deed are completed in the Real Estate Registry; ownership is valid only once registered there (Article 8 of the law).
Non-residents (from abroad)
Article 2 of the regulation requires three things before buying: a digital identity, a bank account in the Kingdom in your name, and a Saudi phone number in your name linked to the digital identity. The portal describes the route as follows:
- Create an account on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website and book an appointment at a Saudi mission to apply for the digital identity.
- Visit the mission, submit the required documents and record your biometrics, then wait for notice that the identity has been issued.
- Get a Saudi eSIM from a Saudi telecom provider, activate it through Nafath, then activate your digital identity through Absher.
- Open an account with a Saudi bank from outside the Kingdom.
- Register on the portal with your digital identity number through Nafath, then follow the same steps as residents.
Companies and entities
A non-Saudi company with no presence in the Kingdom first registers with the Ministry of Investment through the Invest Saudi platform and obtains a unified number starting with 7, then completes ownership online. It must notify the ministry within 15 days if 5% or more of its ownership changes hands, or if arrangements give another party influence over its decisions. A foreign non-profit registers with the National Center for Non-Profit Sector.
In every case, Article 6 of the regulation requires all payments related to the ownership to go through electronic payment methods under the Saudi Central Bank’s Payments and Payment Services Law. For questions, REGA refers people to its unified contact centre on 920017183.
How much are property fees for foreigners in Saudi Arabia?
A non-Saudi’s property transactions are subject to a specific fee collected by REGA, on top of the general taxes and fees. Article 9 of the law imposes a fee of up to 5% on the value of a non-Saudi’s transaction in real rights over property, without prejudice to any other fees or taxes, and leaves the exact rate to the regulation, to be set by type of right, purpose and geographic zone.
The regulation, published on 3 July 2026, set the fee at 2% in the cities of Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah and in Jeddah Governorate, for all types of real rights and all uses, and at zero for transactions elsewhere in the Kingdom. REGA’s official spokesperson confirmed that this fee is additional, so the 5% RETT, which applies to Saudis and non-Saudis alike, is charged as well. Neither the law nor the regulation states which side of a deal, buyer or seller, bears the fee.
| Item | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Saudi transaction fee (REGA) | 2% in the cities of Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah and Jeddah Governorate; zero elsewhere | The law’s ceiling is 5%; the texts do not say which side of the deal bears it |
| Real Estate Transaction Tax (RETT) | 5% of the transaction value | Legally due from the seller; the parties may agree who bears it |
| Broker’s commission, if a broker is used | 2.5% of the deal value | Unless agreed otherwise in writing; paid by the party that hired the broker |
The state’s RETT support on a first home is reserved for Saudi citizens holding a Sakani eligibility certificate, so it does not cover non-Saudi buyers. You can estimate the tax with the RETT calculator and the commission with the brokerage commission calculator.
When is the fee zero?
Article 10 of the regulation lists transactions charged at a zero rate, including:
- Division of an estate among heirs.
- A transaction carried out under a final court judgment or an order from a competent judicial body.
- Expropriation for public benefit.
- A transfer without consideration to a waqf or a public legal person.
- Return of the property to the non-Saudi owner within 180 days of documenting the first transaction, with no change to the property or the price.
- Partition of jointly owned property that does not increase any partner’s share.
- Transactions by diplomatic missions or international and regional bodies, subject to reciprocity.
- An individual transferring property to a company or fund established in the Kingdom that they wholly own.
- Sale of units a non-Saudi developed on land they own, if development finishes within the licence period and the sale happens within one year of the licence expiring.
What are the penalties for breaking the non-Saudi ownership law?
The general penalty is a warning or a fine of up to 5% of the value of the real right involved, capped at SAR 10 million, under Article 10 of the law, without prejudice to any harsher penalty in another law.
The most serious case is a non-Saudi knowingly giving false or misleading information that leads to ownership. The Public Prosecution investigates, the competent court decides, and the penalty is a fine of up to 5% capped at SAR 10 million plus a forced sale of the right. The offender then gets back the lower of the sale price or what they paid, after fines, taxes, fees and sale costs are deducted, and the rest goes to the state treasury.
| Violation | First time | Second time | Third time |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Saudi company with foreign shareholders giving false information about its need for property to obtain Ministry of Investment approval | 0.5% to 1%, capped at SAR 1,000,000 | 1% to 2%, capped at SAR 2,000,000 | 2% to 3%, capped at SAR 4,000,000 |
| Obstructing inspectors, or failing to fix a violation within the deadline | 0.1% to 0.5%, capped at SAR 500,000 | 1% to 2%, capped at SAR 2,000,000 | 2% to 3%, capped at SAR 4,000,000 |
| A non-Saudi company or entity failing to report changes to its registration body on time | Warning | 0.5% to 1%, capped at SAR 1,000,000 | 1% to 2%, capped at SAR 2,000,000 |
Percentages are of the value of the real right. Violations go to a committee formed by REGA’s board, which sets a correction period of 10 to 180 days in its decision; its decisions can be challenged before the Administrative Court within 60 days of notification. Notice is legally effective when sent through the portal’s contact channels or by text message to the mobile number registered in government systems.
Are GCC citizens and pre-2026 owners treated differently?
Yes, in both cases. Article 5 of the law does not affect the regulation on property ownership by GCC citizens issued by Royal Decree M/22 dated 3/4/1432H, the Premium Residency Law, or any other law that gives non-Saudis better rights. The GCC regulation lets GCC citizens own property for housing or investment and treats them like nationals, but land must be built on or used within four years of registration.
Article 4 of that regulation excludes property inside Makkah and Madinah. In Decision No. 42, which approved the new law, the Council of Ministers decided to take the statutory steps to cancel that provision, with the cancellation effective from the date the law came into force.
For anyone who owned property before 22 January 2026, the Royal Decree states that the new law does not affect property rights a non-Saudi lawfully acquired before it took effect.
Summary
- Non-Saudis can own property since 22 January 2026, inside geographic zones the Cabinet approved on 23 June 2026.
- A legal resident may own one home for their own residence outside the zones, except in Makkah and Madinah.
- In Makkah and Madinah, individual non-Saudi ownership is limited to Muslims and to the approved zones only; Saudi companies may own there under their own rules.
- The non-Saudi transaction fee is 2% in the cities of Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah and Jeddah Governorate and zero elsewhere, in addition to the 5% RETT.
- Everything runs through the Saudi Properties portal, and ownership is valid only once registered in the Real Estate Registry.
Official sources
- Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis, Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
- Implementing Regulation of the Law, Umm Al-Qura official gazette
- Council of Ministers decisions of 23 June 2026, Umm Al-Qura
- REGA: the law enters into force (22 January 2026)
- Saudi Properties portal, REGA
- Regulation on property ownership by GCC citizens, Bureau of Experts
- Arab News: the zones announced by REGA
- Okaz: REGA spokesperson on RETT and the additional fee for non-Saudis