Starting a business in Saudi Arabia with a MISA licence

Foreign investment licence, commercial registration and visas.

Saudi Arabia3 min readLast updated 29 Oct 2026Fact-checked 29 Oct 2026

In short

Foreign founders need an investment licence from the Ministry of Investment (MISA), then a commercial registration. 100% foreign ownership is possible in most sectors. Regional HQ status gives tax incentives.

Licence: MISA
Ownership: Up to 100%
Setup time: 4–8 weeks
Saudisation: Nitaqat quotas apply

Step by step

Your progress0 / 4

Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step to see what to do.

Online with business plan and audited statements of parent.
1–2 weeks

Documents checklist

Documents ready0 / 3

Parent company documents, attested
Passport
Business plan

Do’s and don’ts

Plan for Saudisation quotas

Don’t

Don’t use a cover (tasattur) arrangement – illegal

Cost estimator

MISA licenceSAR 2,000 + annual fees

Your estimateSAR 2,000

Untick what doesn't apply to you. These are rough figures and fees change often, so check with the authority.

Watch out

Using a Saudi name to hide foreign ownership (tasattur) carries heavy penalties.

Common questions

Can I freelance?

Saudis can use the freelance platform; expats generally need a company or premium residency.

Official links

MISAmisa.gov.sa

Background and more detail

Key facts

Licence: MISA
Ownership: Up to 100%
Setup time: 4–8 weeks
Saudisation: Nitaqat quotas apply

Steps

Apply for MISA licence – Online with business plan and audited statements of parent.
Commercial registration – Ministry of Commerce.
GOSI, ZATCA, Qiwa – Register for labour and tax.
Bank account – Often the slowest step.