The Executive Regulations and Geographic Zones for Property Ownership by Non-Saudis: What Changed in June 2026?

On 23 June 2026 the Council of Ministers approved the executive (implementing) regulations of the system governing property ownership by non-Saudis, alongside the geographic zones within which non-Saudis may own property. This completes the operational framework for the updated system, having now defined the locations, rights, requirements and procedures that govern the ownership journey. (Saudi Press Agency, SPA)

This approval does not mean that ownership has become available in the same manner in every city or for every category of beneficiary; the options available differ according to the property's location, the geographic zone, the status of the buyer, and the type of real-estate right being acquired. Any accurate reading of the regulation therefore begins from two fundamental questions: who is the prospective owner, and where is the property located?

What did the Council of Ministers approve?

The approval covered two interlinked elements:

• The executive regulations, which set out the requirements, procedures, and mechanisms for registration, disclosure, and compliance.
• The geographic zones, which define the locations in which non-Saudis may own property or acquire certain real-estate rights.

According to the Real Estate General Authority (REGA), the approved framework specifies the locations where ownership is permitted, the types of real-estate rights, the regulated ratios, and the durations of usufruct, together with the requirements and procedures associated with each case. The Authority also clarified that the limited zones serve as a tool to regulate real-estate growth and to link opportunities to the needs of cities and their capacity to grow. (Real Estate General Authority, REGA)

In practical terms, this means that knowing the name of a city alone is not enough to make an ownership decision. Within a single city there may be approved zones and others that are not covered, and the rights available within the same zone may also differ according to the category of beneficiary and the nature of the property.

Who is covered by the ownership pathways?

The official guide divides beneficiaries into clear pathways covering residents of the Kingdom, holders of the Premium Residency, non-residents, citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council states, non-Saudi companies, non-Saudi non-profit entities, and certain legal persons designated by the governing provisions.

The rights granted are not identical across all of these categories. A resident, for instance, follows a pathway different from that of a non-resident; a Premium Residency holder may benefit from rights granted under the Premium Residency system; while companies and entities are subject to registration, disclosure, and legal-representation requirements specific to them.

For this reason, one should not rely on a general answer of the kind: «can a non-Saudi own property?». The more precise question is:

Can this person or this entity, in this capacity, own this property, in this location, and with this type of right?

What is the role of the geographic zones?

The geographic zones are the pivot of the new regulation; they do not merely define the location, but are also tied to the type of right available and its specific requirements.

The Real Estate General Authority explains that the approved zones take into account the needs of urban growth, the capacity of cities to absorb real-estate development, and the particular character of locations of a religious and regulatory nature, foremost among them Makkah and Madinah. (Real Estate General Authority, REGA)

The official guide makes clear that ownership in Makkah and Madinah is subject to a special framework, that ownership in both is confined to Muslims and within limited zones, and that some provisions differ according to the category of beneficiary and the type of right.

Accordingly, the property itself must be verified within the official map or service, rather than relying on a declaration that a project or a neighbouring district falls within a covered city.

Masar Destination: a recent example of application

On 24 June 2026, Umm Al-Qura Development & Construction Company announced the inclusion of its «Masar Destination» project within the geographic zones in which non-Saudis may own property inside the city of Makkah, in accordance with the provisions of the system, its executive regulations, and the relevant ownership rules. (Saudi Tadawul)

The company indicated that this development is expected to contribute to broadening the base of investors qualified to benefit from the investment opportunities within the project, while affirming that the financial impact cannot be determined at the present time. (Saudi Tadawul)

The significance of this example lies in how it illustrates the transition of the zones from a general regulatory framework to an application tied to a specific project. It does not, however, mean that all projects within Makkah have automatically become available, or that the ownership conditions are identical for all buyers.

How does the ownership journey begin?

The journey begins by identifying the category of beneficiary, then verifying the geographic zone, preparing the essential requirements, selecting the property, submitting the application through the official channels, and ultimately completing the real-estate registry procedures.

Depending on the category, the journey includes:

• Verifying identity or completing the regulatory registration.
• Providing a bank account and a contact number where these are required.
• Disclosing the required data and information.
• Verifying that the property falls within the approved zone.
• Issuing the eligibility certificate where the service applies.
• Completing the purchase and paying the due fees and taxes.
• Completing the conveyance, transferring ownership, and documenting the right in the real-estate registry.

The Authority also confirmed that the beneficiary's journey is linked to the «Saudi Real Estate» portal, the real-estate registry, electronic payment methods, and disclosure and compliance mechanisms, in a way that enhances transparency and safeguards the rights of those involved. (Real Estate General Authority, REGA)

What are the requirements for a non-resident?

The official guide clarifies that a non-Saudi natural person who is a non-resident needs, before owning property or acquiring certain real rights, to obtain a digital identity, open a bank account within the Kingdom in their own name, and issue a Saudi contact number in their own name linked to their digital identity.

Non-Saudi companies and entities, for their part, are subject to different requirements that may include registration with the competent authority, disclosure of direct and indirect owners or controllers, appointment of a legal representative, opening a bank account within the Kingdom, and reporting certain material changes within the statutory period.

These requirements confirm that eligibility verification should precede final negotiation or the payment of any non-refundable amounts.

What should be verified before selecting a property?

Before making a purchase decision, it is advisable to verify five interlinked elements:

1. Category of beneficiaryIs the prospective owner a resident, a non-resident, a Premium Residency holder, a Gulf citizen, a company, or another entity?
2. Property locationDoes the property actually fall within an approved geographic zone?
3. Type of rightIs what is available full ownership, a usufruct right, or another real right?
4. Use of the propertyIs the property residential, commercial, industrial, or designated for another purpose? The options may differ according to use and category.
5. Registration statusIs the property registered under the real-rights registration system, and are its data, rights, and obligations clear in the real-estate registry?

A marketing advertisement or a broker's statement should not be regarded as a substitute for official verification of these elements.

What does the regulation mean for the property market?

The Real Estate General Authority considers that the adoption of the regulations and the zones enhances the market's reliability, the clarity of transactions, and real-estate balance, and links investment opportunities to pathways of urban growth and the needs of cities. (Real Estate General Authority, REGA)

The impact, however, will not be uniform across all locations or sectors. Projects located within approved zones, equipped with clear documentation and real-estate products suited to the eligible categories, may be better positioned to benefit from the broadening of the investor base. The actual financial impact, by contrast, depends on the characteristics of each project, the volume of demand, the quality of the product, and the timing of its launch — which is also reflected in the «Masar Destination» announcement's caution against determining a financial impact at the present time. (Saudi Tadawul)

Conclusion

The adoption of the executive regulations and the geographic zones does not reduce the ownership journey to a single yes-or-no decision; rather, it moves it onto a more specific pathway built upon:

• The category of beneficiary.
• The location of the property.
• The type of right.
• The statutory requirements.
• Verification through the official channels.
• Registration in the real-estate registry.

For the full details — including the category matrices, the general requirements, and the pathways for residents, non-residents, companies, and entities — please refer to the full guide on property ownership by non-Saudis.

Note: this article is general introductory material; it does not constitute legal or investment advice, and it is no substitute for verification with the official authorities and specialists before completing any real-estate transaction.

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