Law of Saudi Arabia

Module 3

Provinces, citizenship and society: the regions and governors, municipal government and urban planning, Saudi nationality and the status of foreign residents, and religion, society and the holy cities

Saudi Arabia is a unitary state, not a federation. Laws are made nationally, but they are applied on the ground by thirteen regions with governors appointed by the King, by municipalities that run planning, permits and public services, and by special authorities and zones created for large projects. A resident meets this level most often when building, renting, opening a shop or registering a business. Two other questions matter to every foreigner: who is a citizen and who is a resident, because residence is a status granted by the state and tied to a purpose, and how religion shapes public life, because Islam is the religion of the state, the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah have special rules and foreign residents are expected to respect the law and the values of Saudi society (Article 41). This module gives the map of administration, citizenship and society, and says plainly what a visitor or resident should know before arriving.

General education on the law of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts, the current regulations and the authority concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult a lawyer licensed in the Kingdom for any real matter.

This course was written on 6 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Saudi Arabia as it stood on that date. Laws change, and we may have missed or misunderstood something. If you notice a change, or have other information, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will review it and update the course. We do not claim to be the final source of the law.