Foreign Investors Can Own 100% in Key Saudi Sectors

Foreign investors can now own up to 100% of companies across most business activities in the Kingdom — including renewable energy, tourism, and logistics — through a licence or registration from وزارة الاستثمار. The framework is part of a wider push under رؤية السعودية 2030 to open strategic sectors to non-Saudi capital.

In a significant change for 2026, government fees for issuing and renewing وزارة الاستثمار licences are suspended for most activities. As a result, many investors pay SAR 0 to the ministry for licence issuance or registration, with costs shifting mainly to service subscriptions and commercial registration.

What the 2026 fees look like

Under the current structure, the وزارة الاستثمار registration fee is about SAR 2,000 valid for up to five years. A one-time first-year subscription to Investor Relations Centers is around SAR 10,000, while larger investors may pay up to SAR 60,000 in later years. Commercial Registration issuance costs roughly SAR 200. In total, first-year government costs for most foreign LLCs fall between SAR 12,000 and SAR 35,000, depending on the sector and activity.

Some older guides still cite issuance fees of SAR 12,000 and annual renewal of SAR 62,000, but official and advisory updates confirm these are suspended by 2026.

Minimum capital requirements vary by licence. Service, industrial, professional, agricultural and mining licences require around SAR 25,000 in minimum capital with full foreign ownership allowed. Real estate project licences require about SAR 30 million while a 100% foreign-owned trading licence needs SAR 30 million in the first year. Entrepreneurial licences carry no minimum capital and permit full foreign ownership.

For renewable energy, projects typically use industrial or service licences under the same framework, with project-level capital driven by energy regulations and tenders rather than the ministry. Such projects may also qualify for additional non-ministry incentives such as land, tariff, or financing support. The updated rules matter to residents and business owners weighing new ventures, offering clearer and lower entry costs.

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