How do I check the zoning and permitted building rules for a plot in Saudi Arabia?

This answer was reviewed against official sources on 2026-10-05

Short answer

Look the plot up in the Balady platform’s Urban Maps (U Maps) service, which is free and instant: search by plan number, plot number, property ID number and region, or click the plot on the map, and its data appears according to the permissions granted to you; the service is designed to show land uses and building regulations. The competent body is the municipality (amanah or baladiya) where the land lies: the Law of Municipalities and Villages, issued by Royal Decree M/5 dated 21/2/1397H, makes the municipality responsible for organising the town under an approved plan and for licensing buildings. When you build, the designs are checked in the Balady building permit application for compliance with the Saudi Building Code.

What the Urban Maps service shows

Balady describes it as a government digital map that brings data for Saudi cities onto one platform: roads, land uses with their categories and areas, building regulations and the locations of services. According to the user guide, selecting a location shows basic data, building data, building regulations, the property identity and the national address. The service is online only, and its FAQ says the data shown depends on the permissions granted to the user.

What building rules cover

The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing’s Residential Building Construction Requirements (1446H/2024, listed as in force on the ministry’s website) require compliance with the approved plan of each planning zone for permitted uses, building coverage, setbacks, number of floors and height. Their general limits include:

They bind every amanah, except for parking and setbacks on commercial streets and building coverage in special areas the amanah defines, and they do not override building rules issued by regional and city development authorities. So rely on your own plot’s rules, not on the general figures.

Villas: at most two floors plus a roof annex; coverage on the ground floor (including ground-level annexes) and on the first floor may each not exceed 75% of the plot.
Apartment and residential-commercial buildings: 65% on the ground floor and 75% on the first and typical floors; in both types the roof annex may not exceed 70% of the floor below.
Villa front setback: one fifth of the street width and at least 3 metres on streets narrower than 30 metres, and at least 6 metres on streets 30 metres wide or more.

Getting a building permit on Balady

The Issuing a Building Permit service runs online through a design engineering office that the owner authorises; a technical inspector checks the designs against the Saudi Building Code, then the amanah or municipality reviews them and issues a design approval certificate. The permit takes effect only once its fees and the latent defects insurance policy are paid; Balady says this insurance is mandatory for non-government buildings. Requirements include:

An updated electronic title deed from the Ministry of Justice, a housing contract or an investment contract.
A survey (cadastral) decision for construction, requested through Balady’s Issuance of a Cadastral Report service, with the survey carried out by an engineering office classified for surveying; the decision is valid for 3 years.
Contracts with a design office, a supervising office and a building contractor classified on Balady, plus a soil study report and a traffic study if the activity requires one.

The legal basis

Article 5 of the Law of Municipalities and Villages tasks the municipality with organising the town under a regulatory plan approved by the competent bodies and with licensing and monitoring constructions and buildings. The Law of Municipal Licensing Procedures (M/59 dated 23/9/1435H) requires a municipal licence, which covers permission to build, to be issued within 10 working days of the application once its procedures are complete. The Saudi Building Code Implementation Law (M/43 dated 26/4/1438H) applies the code to all building work in the public and private sectors.

There is no law called the “Urban Planning Law” numbered M/30; the ministry’s website describes an initiative to prepare a unified urban planning law for the Kingdom.

Steps

Log in to the Balady platform, choose the Urban Maps service and click Start Service, or use its link umaps.balady.gov.sa given in the service FAQ.
Type the place in the Search for Location field, or open Advanced Search, choose Lands and fill in the plan number, plot number, property ID number and region; or zoom the map and click the plot itself.
Review the plot’s building regulations, building data and basic data; you can share the location with the Share icon.
Before buying or building, or if no data appears, confirm the plot’s use and rules with the amanah or municipality: book an appointment through Balady’s Electronic Appointment Booking service, or call Balady customer service on 199040.

Follow-up questions

What can I do if my licence application is refused?

A refusal must be written and reasoned. You can file a grievance with the committee formed by ministerial decision at the amanah or municipality to hear such grievances, and then challenge the committee’s decision at the Administrative Court within 60 days of learning of it (Articles 5 and 13 of the Law of Municipal Licensing Procedures).

Can I move in as soon as construction ends?

No. The Saudi Building Code Implementation Law bars occupying a building without an occupancy certificate matching its code classification, and since Article 9 was amended by Royal Decree M/88 dated 10/4/1446H the certificate is a basic condition for the full connection of electricity.

Official sources

General information for guidance, not legal advice; the governing regulations and official bodies are the final reference.

Managing properties?

Amlakire organises leases, instalments, collection and reports in one place, with a permanently free plan for individual owners.

Explore the platform