You
A few hours in total
Provide parent company documents, sign powers of attorney, approve the articles online, choose the premises, and travel to Saudi Arabia for the bank and the iqama.
How to start a business in Saudi Arabia, step by step
Setting up a company in Saudi Arabia as a foreigner means working through around fifteen procedures on as many government platforms, from the Ministry of Investment (MISA) to the general manager's iqama. Here are the 14 steps in order, each with its platform, who handles it and how long to allow.
- MISA processing (official)
- 10 working days1
- Condition to incorporate
- MISA registration valid for at least 30 days3
- Mandatory VAT threshold (ZATCA)
- SAR 375,000 turnover over 12 months6
Information verified in September 2026 · Notes and sources
In brief
- A foreign-owned company always starts with investment registration at MISA, processed in 10 working days according to the Investor Guide 02-2026.
- The company is then incorporated on the Saudi Business Center: trade name, articles of association, then the commercial registration (CR) for SAR 1,200 in incorporation fees and SAR 500 for publication, before VAT.
- Next come the premises (national address, Ejar lease, Balady municipal licence) and the ZATCA, GOSI, Qiwa and Muqeem registrations, several of which run in parallel.
- The bank account and the general manager's iqama are usually the longest steps, and the only ones that almost always require a trip to Saudi Arabia.
- Market providers quote 4 to 8 weeks to reach the CR, documents included; allow longer for activities that need a sector licence.
Before step 1: the documents to gather
Preparing these often takes longer than the filings themselves. The full list is in our document checklist.
If the investor is a company
- Recent commercial register extract of the foreign company
- Financial statements for the last financial year
- Shareholder or board resolution to set up the Saudi entity
- Parent company articles where the structure requires them
If the investor is an individual
- Valid passport
- Activity-specific evidence (qualifications, experience, support letter for the entrepreneur route)
- Premium Residency holders: exempt from the foreign register, financial statements and activity documents
For everyone
- Passport of the future general manager
- Power of attorney for the representative handling the filings
- Legalisation: apostille for Hague Convention countries, or Saudi embassy attestation, depending on the form accepted at filing
- Certified Arabic translation of foreign documents
The 14 steps to set up a company in Saudi Arabia
One step per platform, in the usual order. "Tasis" is what we take on, "partner" an accredited professional we work with, "authority" the body that decides, "you" what stays with you. Durations are indicative unless marked official.
- 1
Register the investment with MISA
Online application on MISA's e-services portal with legalised, translated documents. The ministry checks the activity and its conditions, then notifies the fee. It must be paid within the stated deadline or the registration is treated as void. See MISA licence and registration certificate.
- Qui
- Tasis prepares and files; authority: MISA
- Durée
- 10 working days (official)
- 2
Reserve the trade name on the Saudi Business Center
Availability search and reservation of the company name. We prepare several options to avoid a refusal and check consistency with your future trademark.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: Ministry of Commerce
- Durée
- 1 to 2 days
- 3
Draft and approve the articles of association
Capital, shareholdings, manager and powers, business purpose. Each shareholder, or their attorney, approves electronically on the Saudi Business Center. The service requires a MISA registration valid for at least 30 days.
- Qui
- Tasis drafts, you approve
- Durée
- 2 to 5 days
- 4
Obtain the commercial registration (CR)
Payment of SAR 1,200 incorporation and SAR 500 publication fees, plus VAT, then issue of the CR. Since 2025 the CR no longer expires, but its details must be confirmed every year. See commercial registration.
- Qui
- Authority: Ministry of Commerce
- Durée
- 1 to 3 working days
- 5
Join the chamber of commerce
Membership of the Riyadh, Jeddah, Asharqia or other chamber depending on the head office. The annual fee depends on the tier. Membership is needed for attestations and certificates of origin, among other things.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: chamber in the head office city
- Durée
- 1 to 3 days
- 6
Register the national address
The company's official address in the national addressing system, required by most authorities and by banks.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: Saudi Post (SPL)
- Durée
- 1 to 3 days
- 7
Sign a lease registered on Ejar
The Ejar electronic lease is the only format the authorities recognise. It is needed for the municipal licence, visa quotas and often the bank account. A business centre office is enough to start most service activities.
- Qui
- You choose the premises; Tasis and the landlord register
- Durée
- 3 to 10 days
- 8
Obtain the municipal licence on Balady
Commercial licence for the premises, issued on Balady against the CR and the Ejar lease. Some activities also need Civil Defence approval. Requirements vary with the activity and floor area.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: municipality
- Durée
- 1 to 3 weeks
- 9
Open the corporate bank account
Full KYC file (parent company, beneficial owners, group chart). Banks often ask to meet the manager and many require the manager's iqama, so this step usually closes after step 14. See corporate bank account.
- Qui
- You, with the bank; Tasis prepares the file
- Durée
- 2 to 6 weeks
- 10
Register with ZATCA (zakat, tax, VAT)
Registration with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority from incorporation. VAT registration (15%) becomes mandatory above SAR 375,000 of taxable turnover over 12 months and is available voluntarily from SAR 187,500. See VAT registration.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: ZATCA
- Durée
- 1 to 3 days
- 11
Register the establishment with GOSI
Employer file with the General Organization for Social Insurance, then registration of each employee, the manager included, and monthly contributions.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: GOSI
- Durée
- 1 to 3 days
- 12
Open the employer file on Qiwa
Qiwa handles employment contracts, visa quotas and the Nitaqat rating (Saudisation level). The general manager's work visa is requested through Qiwa. See Saudisation and Nitaqat.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: Ministry of Human Resources
- Durée
- 1 to 5 days
- 13
Subscribe to Muqeem
Muqeem is the Jawazat portal employers use to manage foreign employees' residence permits: issue, renewal, exit and re-entry visas.
- Qui
- Tasis; authority: General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat)
- Durée
- 1 to 3 days
- 14
Obtain the general manager's visa and iqama
Work visa issued against the company's quota, entry into the Kingdom, medical check and biometrics, then the iqama (residence permit). A monthly levy then applies to each foreign employee. A Premium Residency holder does not need this visa.
- Qui
- You, with Tasis; authority: Jawazat
- Durée
- 2 to 4 weeks
How long does company registration take in Saudi Arabia?
Typical timeline for a services LLC with a complete file. Phases C to E partly overlap. Indicative durations, except the MISA timeframe published by the ministry.
Table 1
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| A. Documents | 1 to 3 weeks | Collection, apostille or attestation, translation |
| B. MISA | 10 working days | Investment registration and fee payment |
| C. Incorporation | About 1 week | Trade name, articles, CR, chamber of commerce |
| D. Premises | 1 to 3 weeks | National address, Ejar lease, Balady licence |
| E. Registrations | A few days | ZATCA, GOSI, Qiwa, Muqeem, in parallel |
| F. Manager and bank | 3 to 6 weeks | Visa, iqama, then bank account completion |
What you do and what we do
Tasis
End-to-end coordination
Activity check, preparing and filing online applications, follow-up with each platform, a written progress update every week, and a single point of contact in English, French or Arabic.
Our accredited partners
Regulated acts
Certified translation, notary or local attorney where needed, bank introductions. We coordinate them; government fees are passed on at cost.
The authorities
The only decision-makers
MISA, Ministry of Commerce, municipality, ZATCA, GOSI, Ministry of Human Resources and Jawazat. Nobody can guarantee their decision or exact timing.
What most often holds up the timeline
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
What are the steps to start a business in Saudi Arabia?
Investment registration with MISA, trade name reservation, articles of association and commercial registration on the Saudi Business Center, chamber of commerce, national address, Ejar lease, Balady licence, bank account, then ZATCA, GOSI, Qiwa and Muqeem registrations, and finally the general manager's visa and iqama.
How long does company registration take in Saudi Arabia?
MISA processes a complete application in 10 working days and the CR follows within a few days. Including document preparation, providers generally quote 4 to 8 weeks to the CR, then a few more weeks for the manager's iqama and the bank account.
Can I do everything remotely?
Steps 1 to 8 and 10 to 13 are online, with a power of attorney. The bank account and the general manager's iqama require presence in Saudi Arabia in practice.
Do I need a physical office?
Yes, you need a lease registered on Ejar to obtain the municipal licence and visas. A business centre office is usually enough for a services company.
When do I need to register for VAT?
Registration is mandatory once taxable turnover exceeds SAR 375,000 over 12 months, or is expected to over the next 12 months. Voluntary registration is possible from SAR 187,500.
Which comes first, the bank account or the iqama?
The bank application starts once the CR is issued, but most banks require the manager's iqama to complete the opening. In practice the account goes live shortly after the iqama.
Notes and sources
- 1.MISA: Investor Guide, 13th edition (02-2026)
- 2.MISA: e-services
- 3.Saudi Business Center: incorporating a company under an investment registration certificate
- 4.Ministry of Commerce: Start your business
- 5.Balady: issuing a commercial (municipal) licence
- 6.ZATCA: Value Added Tax
Information verified in September 2026. Amounts and timelines are observed ranges provided for information only. Government fees are set by Saudi authorities and may change: we confirm them in writing before you commit to anything.
Rather not deal with 14 government platforms yourself?
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