Where non-Saudis can own property in Saudi Arabia: the 2026 rules
Saudi Arabia’s Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis was issued by Royal Decree No. M/14 on 14 July 2025, published in the official gazette, Umm Al-Qura, and came into force on 22 January 2026.
On 23 June 2026 the Council of Ministers approved the law’s Implementing Regulations by Decision No. 43 of 8 Muharram 1448 AH, and on the same day endorsed the geographic zones in which non-Saudis may own property. The regulations were published in Umm Al-Qura on 3 July 2026.
| Royal Decree No. M/14 issues the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis | |
| The law is published in Umm Al-Qura | |
| The law comes into force | |
| The Council of Ministers approves the Implementing Regulations and endorses the geographic zones | |
| The Implementing Regulations are published in Umm Al-Qura |
The Real Estate General Authority (REGA) publishes the approved zones on its official Saudi Properties portal. REGA’s announcement names Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah among the cities covered. For the full list and the boundaries of each zone, use REGA’s map.
Cities
- Riyadh
- Jeddah
- Makkah
- MadinahOur head office
Official map of the approved zones: Saudi Properties portal, Real Estate General Authority (REGA) (opens in a new tab).
REGA states that in Makkah and Madinah ownership is restricted to Saudi companies and to Muslim individuals, whether they live in the Kingdom or abroad.
Conditions depend on the buyer and the location, so check a specific property before you reserve or pay. We can explain the rules that apply to any property we list in Madinah.
Ask about the ownership rules on WhatsApp (opens in a new tab)
Official sources
- REGA: the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis enters into force (22 January 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- REGA: Saudi Properties portal, approved zones (opens in a new tab)
- Umm Al-Qura: Royal Decree No. M/14 (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab)
- Umm Al-Qura: approval of the Implementing Regulations (in Arabic) (opens in a new tab)