Commercial Registration (Sijil Tijari) via MISA & Najiz in Saudi Arabia
Open a Saudi company in weeks - if you sequence MISA, CR, and Qiwa registration in the right order.
Last verified: 2026-06
Overview
Foreigners setting up businesses in Saudi Arabia start with the Ministry of Investment (MISA, formerly SAGIA) for an investor licence, then a Commercial Registration (Sijil Tijari, or CR) from the Ministry of Commerce.
After the CR is issued, the business must register with the Chamber of Commerce, Najiz (Ministry of Justice services), GAZT/ZATCA for tax, the GOSI social insurance system, Qiwa for labour, and the municipality for the actual premises licence.
Saudis and GCC nationals can typically skip the MISA step. 100% foreign ownership is allowed in most sectors since the latest investment law amendments.
Documents required
- Passport copies of shareholders and directors
- Attested company documents from the parent country (Articles of Association, board resolutions)
- Attested educational/professional credentials (for regulated sectors)
- Audited financial statements (for foreign parent)
- Saudi address/lease (Ejar-registered) for the office
- Bank reference letters
Eligibility
- Activity is permitted for foreign investors (most are; some restricted to Saudis)
- Minimum capital meets the sector threshold (varies; service sectors often 500,000 SAR, industrial higher)
- Foreign shareholders' documents are MOFA-attested
Fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MISA investor licence (annual) | 12,000 SAR | Premium / standard tier; confirm current rate on MISA. |
| MISA investor licence (5-year) | 62,000 SAR | Multi-year option; confirm current rate. |
| Commercial Registration (CR) issuance | 1,200 SAR | Per year; renewed annually. |
| Chamber of Commerce subscription | 1,000-3,000 SAR | Per year, depending on tier. |
| Municipality licence (Baladiya) | Varies SAR | Depends on activity and area; typically 1,000-5,000 SAR/year. |
| ZATCA / VAT registration | 0 SAR | Free; mandatory once turnover exceeds 375,000 SAR. |
Step by step
- 1
Reserve trade name and structure
Reserve a name on the Ministry of Commerce portal and draft the Articles of Association in Arabic with a lawyer or approved consultancy.
1-3 days · online
- 2
Apply for MISA investor licence
Submit attested foreign company documents on MISA's portal. Pay the licence fee. The licence allows you to proceed to CR.
5-15 working days · online
- 3
Issue Commercial Registration (CR)
Apply on the Ministry of Commerce portal with the MISA licence number. CR is typically issued within 1-3 days.
1-3 days · online
- 4
Register with Chamber, GOSI, Qiwa, ZATCA
Once CR is issued, complete chamber subscription, social insurance with GOSI, labour file on Qiwa, and tax registration with ZATCA. Most are auto-linked from the CR.
3-10 days · online
- 5
Municipality and premises licence
Apply at the relevant municipality (Baladiya) for the operational licence tied to your premises. Civil defence inspection may be required for certain activities.
1-4 weeks · either
Processing time: End-to-end: 6-12 weeks for foreign-owned setups; 2-4 weeks for Saudi-owned simple CRs.
Renewal
MISA licence, CR, and Chamber subscription renew annually. Munisipality licence renews on its own cycle. ZATCA filings are monthly/quarterly depending on turnover.
Fines & penalties
- Operating without CR: shop closure and fines starting at 10,000 SAR
- Expired CR: 1,000 SAR penalty plus blocked banking and government services
- Late VAT filing with ZATCA: 5-25% of unpaid tax
- GOSI non-registration of employees: 100 SAR/month per worker plus back-payment
Common pitfalls
- Starting CR before MISA - the application will be rejected for foreign shareholders
- Choosing the wrong activity code on CR - some block VAT or banking
- Forgetting Ejar-registered office contract - blocks municipality licence
- Missing the ZATCA registration threshold (375,000 SAR turnover) - back-tax plus penalties
FAQs
Yes, in most sectors since the updated investment law. A small negative list (mostly defence, some retail sub-sectors) still requires a Saudi partner. Confirm with MISA before incorporating.
MISA is the investor licence that allows foreigners to do business in Saudi Arabia. CR is the actual commercial registration issued by the Ministry of Commerce that lets the company contract, open bank accounts, and hire.
Varies by sector. Services typically 500,000 SAR for foreign-owned; trading entities can be higher (often 26.6 million SAR for pure trading). Saudi-owned LLCs have no statutory minimum for most activities.
Not in most sectors anymore. Foreign 100% ownership is allowed for the vast majority of activities under MISA's current rules.
6-12 weeks end-to-end for a foreign-owned LLC, depending on document attestation timelines and municipality processing.
15% VAT (ZATCA), 20% corporate income tax on foreign profits, and 2.5% Zakat on Saudi/GCC shareholders' share. Withholding tax applies to many cross-border payments.
Skip the hassle
A vetted typing centre can handle the paperwork end-to-end.
Get help with Commercial Registration (Sijil Tijari) via MISA & Najiz