Saudi business glossary
The terms, platforms and authorities every foreign investor meets in Saudi Arabia, explained in plain language.
MISA (Ministry of Investment) · وزارة الاستثمار (MISA)
Issues the investment license that allows foreign-owned companies to operate in Saudi Arabia.
Investment license · ترخيص الاستثمار
The MISA permit for foreign investment; categories differ by activity (services, trading, industrial, entrepreneur and others).
Entrepreneur license · رخصة ريادة الأعمال
A MISA license route for innovative startups, usually requiring an endorsement from a recognised ecosystem entity.
Commercial Registration (CR) · السجل التجاري
The company's official registration with the Ministry of Commerce and its legal identity in the Kingdom.
Articles of Association · عقد التأسيس
The company's founding document setting out shareholders, capital and management.
National address · العنوان الوطني
The official registered address system, required for many government and bank services.
ZATCA · هيئة الزكاة والضريبة والجمارك
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority: handles Zakat, corporate income tax, VAT, withholding tax and customs.
VAT · ضريبة القيمة المضافة
Value added tax applied to most goods and services; registration is required above the legal threshold.
Zakat · الزكاة
An obligation on Saudi and GCC-owned shares of a company; foreign-owned shares are generally subject to income tax instead.
Iqama · الإقامة
The residency permit for foreign employees and investors living in Saudi Arabia.
Premium Residency · الإقامة المميزة
A residency product that lets eligible foreigners live, work and invest in the Kingdom without a sponsor.
Qiwa · منصة قوى
The labour platform for work permits, contracts, sponsorship transfer and Saudization services.
GOSI · التأمينات الاجتماعية
The General Organization for Social Insurance, where employers register staff and pay social insurance.
Muqeem · مقيم
A government platform for managing expatriate employees' residency, exit and re-entry.
Nitaqat (Saudization) · نطاقات (التوطين)
The programme that classifies companies by their share of Saudi employees and links it to government services such as visas.
SFDA · هيئة الغذاء والدواء
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority: regulates food, medicines, medical devices and cosmetics, including cosmetic product notification.
Certificate of Conformity (CoC) · شهادة المطابقة
A certificate showing a shipment meets Saudi/GCC standards, needed for customs clearance of many products.
SASO & SABER · ساسو ومنصة سابر
SASO sets Saudi standards; SABER is the platform for product and shipment conformity certificates for regulated goods.
LCGPA · هيئة المحتوى المحلي والمشتريات الحكومية
The Local Content and Government Procurement Authority: sets local content policy and issues local content certificates.
Local content certificate · شهادة المحتوى المحلي
A certificate stating a company's local content score for a fiscal year, used in government procurement.
Etimad · منصة اعتماد
The government platform for public tenders and procurement.
Monsha'at · منشآت
The General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs.
SAMA · البنك المركزي السعودي (ساما)
The Saudi Central Bank: regulates banks, payments, finance companies and many fintech models, and runs a regulatory sandbox.
CMA · هيئة السوق المالية
The Capital Market Authority: regulates securities and capital-market fintech such as crowdfunding and digital advisory.
CST · هيئة الاتصالات والفضاء والتقنية
The Communications, Space and Technology Commission: regulates telecom, postal, cloud and related technology services.
PDPL · نظام حماية البيانات الشخصية
The Personal Data Protection Law governing how companies collect and process personal data in Saudi Arabia.
RHQ (Regional Headquarters) · المقر الإقليمي
The programme encouraging multinationals to base their regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, linked to government contracting.
SEZ (Special Economic Zone) · المنطقة الاقتصادية الخاصة
Designated zones offering additional incentives and regulations for qualifying activities.
Balady · منصة بلدي
The municipal services platform for shop and commercial activity licenses.
Attestation · التصديق
Legalisation of foreign documents in the home country and Saudi embassy (and in the Kingdom) before use in Saudi procedures.
