Can a foreigner buy property in Saudi Arabia?
Short answer
Yes: the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis, issued by Royal Decree M/14 and in force since 22 January 2026, lets non-Saudi individuals and companies buy property inside geographic zones the Council of Ministers approved on 23 June 2026, including specific sites in Riyadh and Jeddah. A legal resident may also own one home to live in outside those zones, except in Makkah and Madinah. Applications are made online through the Saudi Properties portal run by the Real Estate General Authority (REGA).
Who can buy, and on what conditions?
Rights and requirements depend on the type of buyer:
- Legal residents: can buy inside the zones, plus one home for their own residence outside them, except in Makkah and Madinah; other legal bans on ownership in specific places still apply.
- Non-residents: can buy inside the zones only, and first need a digital identity (the application starts at a Saudi embassy or consulate), a bank account in the Kingdom in their own name and a Saudi mobile number linked to the digital identity.
- Non-Saudi companies: can buy inside the zones, except in Makkah and Madinah, after registering with the Ministry of Investment and disclosing their direct and indirect owners.
Where is ownership allowed, and what about Makkah and Madinah?
In Riyadh and Jeddah the zones are limited sites, not the whole city. Sites REGA announced, as reported by the press, include New Murabba, Qiddiya and Diriyah Gate in Riyadh, and the city centre and development zones 1 to 55 in Jeddah. The portal shows zone maps and conditions, and warns that a project listed on it does not by itself mean the ownership requirements are met.
In Makkah and Madinah, individual non-Saudi ownership is limited to Muslims, whether they live in the Kingdom or abroad, and only inside the approved zones. Saudi companies may also own property in the two cities.
What fees and taxes apply to a foreigner’s property transactions?
The Implementing Regulation, published on 3 July 2026, sets a fee of 2% of the value of a non-Saudi’s transaction in the cities of Riyadh, Makkah and Madinah and in Jeddah Governorate, and zero elsewhere in the Kingdom; the law caps it at 5%. REGA’s spokesperson confirmed the fee is additional, so the 5% Real Estate Transaction Tax (RETT), which applies to Saudis and non-Saudis alike, is also due. The seller is legally liable for RETT, though the parties may agree who bears it.
Two points are not settled by the official texts: which side of the deal bears the 2% fee, and whether a resident buying their single home outside the zones but within Riyadh city or Jeddah Governorate pays it. The regulation names the whole city and governorate, while REGA’s spokesperson referred to the designated zones within them.
Steps
- Register on the Saudi Properties portal through Nafath: residents with their iqama number, non-residents with their digital identity number.
- Use the portal’s inquiry services to check that you meet the ownership requirements, and that the property does, before you sign.
- Complete the process online: upload documents, pay the fees and document the contract, using electronic payment methods only.
- The transfer and the title deed are completed in the Real Estate Registry, and a non-Saudi’s ownership is valid only once registered there.
Follow-up questions
Does the state’s first-home RETT relief apply to foreigners?
No. That relief is reserved for Saudi citizens holding a Sakani eligibility certificate, and covers RETT on a ready first home up to the first SAR 1,000,000 of its price.
Does buying property give me residency in Saudi Arabia?
No. Article 6 of the law says a non-Saudi’s ownership gives only the rights of a holder of a real right, so it does not by itself lead to residency. Premium Residency has its own separate law, which the ownership law leaves in force.
Official sources
- Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis, Bureau of Experts
- Implementing Regulation of the Law, Umm Al-Qura gazette
- REGA: the non-Saudi property ownership law enters into force
- Saudi Properties portal, REGA
- Okaz: REGA spokesperson on RETT and the extra fee for non-Saudis
General information for guidance, not legal advice; the governing regulations and official bodies are the final reference.
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