How to Set Up an LLC in Saudi Arabia: 2026 Guide

Setting up a Limited Liability Company (LLC) remains one of the most common ways for Saudi and foreign entrepreneurs to establish a business on the Saudi mainland. Under the Saudi Companies Law, the LLC is a standard corporate form open to both local and international owners, and the process in 2026 is handled largely through government online platforms.

The core legal step — company incorporation and issuing the commercial registration (CR) — is completed through the Ministry of Commerce and the Saudi Business Center portal. The Articles of Association are notarised electronically via the Ministry of Justice through ناجز. Foreign-owned LLCs must also register with وزارة الاستثمار, while tax, Zakat, VAT and e-invoicing obligations are managed through ZATCA.

Additional steps include a municipal license through Balady, mandatory Chamber of Commerce membership, and registering an office lease and national address through the Ejar system. Platforms such as أبشر, مقيم, قوى, توكلنا and نفاذ come into play later for visas, labour, identity and access management, rather than the incorporation itself.

What the fees look like in 2026

For CR issuance, the Ministry of Commerce charges a service fee of 1,200 ريال سعودي and a publication fee of 500 ريال سعودي, with 15% VAT applied on top. In practice, CR issuance for an LLC is quoted between 1,200 and 2,000 ريال سعودي plus VAT, depending on the activity and options chosen.

Other typical costs include Articles of Association publication of around 500 ريال سعودي, notarisation between 500 and 2,000 ريال سعودي, Chamber of Commerce membership from 800 to more than 3,000 ريال سعودي annually, and a Balady license ranging from 500 to 5,000 ريال سعودي. Foreign owners may also face document attestation and certified Arabic translation costs from 2,000 to 6,000 ريال سعودي, or more for complex cases. Many 2026 guides note that the standard وزارة الاستثمار registration fee for foreign service licenses is currently suspended, which matters for investors weighing entry into the Saudi market under رؤية السعودية 2030.

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