Private Accommodation Unit License in Saudi Arabia: what owners need to know.
To rent an apartment to guests by the night, you need a licence from the Ministry of Tourism. Who can hold one, the key rules and how to apply.
Read the regulation (PDF, Arabic)
Not legal advice. Check your own case with the Ministry of Tourism.Last reviewed 15 September 2026
Yes, you need a licence.
Renting a private apartment to guests by the night needs a Private Accommodation Unit License. The Ministry of Tourism issues it to individuals, under a regulation issued in August 2026 by Ministerial Decision 753.
The key rules, in plain English.
- A licence is required to operate. No unit may run without one, after it expires or while it is suspended.
- Licences go to individuals only: Saudi nationals, or non-Saudis who own the unit.
- The applicant shows an electronic title deed. A Saudi applicant may instead show proof of usufruct, the right to use the unit, for the full licence term.
- The unit is in a building designated for residential, agricultural, or mixed residential and commercial use, and the owners' association rules must not ban or restrict daily rental.
- Up to 3 licences per licensee in the same building. Holding more than 3 licences in total needs a maintenance and cleaning contract covering all the licensed units.
- The fee is SAR 1,100 per licence issue, plus SAR 500 for each extra inspection visit after the first two. A licence is valid for up to one year.
- The Ministry inspects the unit before issuing the licence, and the applicant must subscribe to Shomoos, the guest registration system.
- Stays are capped at 29 consecutive nights, and at 90 nights in total for the same guest in the same unit while the licence is valid.
- Bookings and guest payments go only through Ministry-licensed travel and tourism service providers or approved platforms.
- The licence is displayed inside the unit, a sign goes at the entrance, and listings state the unit's capacity.
- Holders of the previous permit convert it on the Ministry of Tourism's portal within 90 days of the regulation's publication, or by its expiry date if sooner. Conversion is free and keeps the validity date.
A plain-English summary, not an official translation. The regulation is published in Arabic, and its term for the licence, ترخيص وحدة الضيافة الخاصة, is the authoritative one.
Saudi nationals, or non-Saudis who own the unit.
Individuals only
The licence is issued to a person, not to a company.
Saudi nationals
A Saudi owner applies with the electronic title deed. A Saudi who does not own the unit can apply with proof of usufruct, the right to use it, for the full licence term.
Non-Saudis
A non-Saudi can hold the licence only for a unit they own. A non-Saudi cannot license a unit they only rent.
The Ministry of Tourism decides each application.
Apply online, in your own name.
- 01
Read the regulation.
It sets out who can apply, the conditions, the fees and what a licence holder must do.
Read the regulation (PDF, Arabic) → - 02
Check the current conditions.
Apply on the Ministry of Tourism's platform, and check the current conditions and documents there first. The Ministry sets them and can change them.
Ministry of Tourism website → - 03
The Ministry inspects, then decides.
The Ministry visits the unit before issuing the licence. It issues once the conditions are met and the fee is paid, and gives reasons if it refuses.
Licence questions, answered briefly.
Do I need a licence to rent my apartment short term?
Yes. Renting a private apartment to guests by the night needs a Private Accommodation Unit License. No unit may operate without one, after it expires or while it is suspended.
Can a non-Saudi owner get the licence?
Yes, for a unit they own. The applicant must be a Saudi national, or a non-Saudi who owns the unit, so a non-Saudi cannot license a unit they only rent. The Ministry of Tourism decides each application.
How many units can one person license?
Up to 3 in the same building. Holding more than 3 licences in total needs a maintenance and cleaning contract covering all the licensed units. The Minister of Tourism can change the building limit for an area.
What does it cost and how long is it valid?
SAR 1,100 per licence issue, plus SAR 500 for each extra inspection visit after the first two. A licence is valid for up to one year.
I have the old permit. What do I do?
Convert it to a licence on the Ministry of Tourism's portal within 90 days of the regulation's publication, or by its expiry date if sooner. Conversion is free and keeps the validity date. You still need to meet the licensing criteria and subscribe to Shomoos.