Portable Cameras Now Document Restaurant Violations

Portable and body-worn cameras are now a primary tool in the Ministry of Municipality and Housing's smart monitoring system, used nationwide to document inspection rounds at restaurants and food establishments and to record any food safety breaches.

Under the updated rules, inspectors are required to use these cameras during field visits, capturing full audio and video of the inspection tour. The aim is twofold: to document violations accurately and to protect the rights of both health inspectors and establishment owners. The footage is linked in real time to the Mumtathil digital application, part of the municipal smart monitoring ecosystem, where inspection data and violations are stored to support enforcement.

Municipalities and local authorities carry out daily field rounds — across morning and evening shifts — on restaurants, kitchens, and food outlets. Inspectors check compliance with updated health requirements covering food preparation, storage, and handling, and record any breaches directly through the cameras.

For 2026, the Ministry has updated health requirements and food establishment conditions alongside the camera rollout, including stronger rules on worker health certificates, training, and food safety practices. Violations are handled under an updated table of food law penalties issued jointly with the SFDA.

How the public can report

Residents can report restaurant and food safety concerns through the unified municipal call center on 940, or via the Balady platform, which lets users submit documented reports with photos and location data and, through specific programs, qualify as certified monitors. In Riyadh, the Madinati app also accepts reports with photos and GPS location to trigger inspection campaigns.

Surveillance cameras are also part of broader licensing conditions. For example, non-food mobile cart permits issued through Balady require a pledge to install surveillance cameras. That permit is available around the clock via Balady and involves selecting the license, completing cart and permit data, submitting to the municipality, paying fees electronically, and printing the permit.

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