Saudi Investment Law: registration replaces licensing for foreign investors
Saudi Arabia · 31 weeks ago
The new Investment Law was issued under Royal Decree M/19 in August 2024 and entered into force in February 2025, fully repealing the previous Foreign Investment Law.
It replaces the licensing system with a registration system carrying a guarantee of equal treatment, so a prior foreign-investment licence from the Ministry of Investment is no longer a condition of market entry. Registration with the ministry is still required before undertaking activity, and procedures have been compressed to between one and ten business days for simple activities.
Full foreign ownership is permitted in most sectors without a Saudi partner. From January 2026, foreign investors may acquire real estate for commercial and residential purposes within the designated frameworks.
Source: Ministry of Investment (Royal Decree M/19)