In Saudi Arabia, every activity needs an environmental permit before it begins. The Implementing Regulation for Environmental Permits for Establishing and Operating Activities sets the rules, and the National Center for Environmental Compliance oversees them. This guide summarises what you need to know before you apply.
Two permits: construction and operation
A construction permit is required before any construction work and before any change to the activity, and it is valid for three years. An operating permit is required before the facility operates; the Center sets its validity at between three and six years, and any change in the type or size of the activity needs a new permit.
How is your activity classified?
The process starts with the environmental classification form, after which the Center assigns your activity a category based on its expected impact:
- Category 1: limited impact, confined to the site.
- Category 2: moderate impact that can be controlled.
- Category 3: significant impact that may extend beyond the site.
Which study does each category need?
- Category 1: an environmental management plan, plus a rehabilitation plan for activities specified in the regulations.
- Category 2: an environmental impact assessment.
- Category 3: a scoping report, followed by a full environmental impact assessment.
These studies are prepared by a service provider licensed by the Center. Projects inside or near environmentally sensitive areas may require a more detailed assessment.
After operation starts: compliance continues
Facilities must run monitoring and measurement programmes and submit periodic emission reports, and Category 2 and 3 facilities submit an environmental audit study every three years, linked to permit renewal. Permit applications are submitted through the Center's permits and licences platform.
How to avoid violations
- Start the permit process well before construction; some studies take weeks to review.
- Do not change the type or size of the activity before obtaining the right permit.
- Keep monitoring records and reports complete, and review your permit conditions regularly.
- Renew before the permit expires, not after.
How we help
We review your facility, identify its likely category and the studies required, prepare the file and follow it until the permit is issued, then stay with you for monitoring and renewal.