Set up a foreign-owned company in Saudi Arabia: MISA investor registration and commercial registration

We register you as a foreign investor with MISA, reserve your trade name, draft the articles, get the commercial registration through the Saudi Business Center and hand you a checklist for ZATCA, GOSI, Qiwa and the bank. You get one owner of the whole file instead of five agencies.

SAR 9,500One time

For: Foreign individuals and foreign companies who want to own all or part of a Saudi LLC or simplified joint stock company, including Indian and other expat founders already living in the Kingdom and overseas groups opening a Saudi subsidiary.

What we need from you

Passport copies of all foreign shareholders and the manager
Investor registration and CR
Parent company CR, articles and board resolution, attested and translated
Corporate shareholder proof
Proposed trade name in Arabic and English
Name reservation under the Trade Names Law
Business activities using the national activity list
Some activities are excluded or need MISA approval
Capital amount and shareholding split
Articles and the investor record
National address or lease for the office
Needed for CR and later Balady licence
Name and Iqama or passport of the general manager
Manager appointment in the articles
Saudi partners' IDs if any
Mixed ownership changes Zakat and tax

What we discuss

Will a foreign company or you personally hold the shares?
Changes documents, attestation and later income tax position
Is any planned activity on MISA's excluded list or regulated by another body?
Excluded activities need MISA approval; some need a sector licence
LLC or simplified joint stock company?
Governance, share classes and future investors
Will any Saudi or GCC partner hold shares?
Their share pays Zakat; the foreign share pays 20 percent income tax
Where will the office be and do you need a shop or warehouse?
Balady licence and national address
How many staff and visas will you need in year one?
Nitaqat band, GOSI and Qiwa set-up

What we file

Register as a foreign investor with MISA
Reserve the trade name
Draft and file articles of association, issue the CR
Open bank account linked to the CR and deposit capital
Budget check for year one
Example: professional fee SAR 9,500 + CR and articles about SAR 2,500 + attestation SAR 2,000 to 6,000 + serviced office SAR 15,000 to 25,000

What you get

MISA investor registration record
Commercial registration and published articles
Post-CR checklist with owners and dates

The law

Investment Law (Royal Decree M/19, 11 August 2024): Foreign investors register with MISA before investing; licensing replaced by registration Source
Investment Law Implementing Regulations (Ministerial Decision 1086, 7 February 2025): Annual update of registration; excluded activities need MISA approval; cure period for minor violations Source
Commercial Register Law (published 4 October 2024, effective April 2025): CR has no expiry; data must be confirmed every year or the CR may be suspended or cancelled Source
Trade Names Law (effective April 2025): Names can be reserved, can be in any language and must not be similar to existing names Source
Companies Law (effective 19 January 2023): One person can own an LLC; financial statements deposited within 6 months of year end Source

Questions people ask

Online payment in SAR is not open yet. Send us a message and an adviser for Saudi Arabia confirms the scope and the fee before any work starts.