Building permits in Saudi Arabia are now a fully electronic service on the Balady platform, yet many owners do not know what happens to their application after submission, or why it sometimes goes back to the engineering office. This guide walks through the Balady building permit journey stage by stage, based on the platform's official service description.

Before You Start: Prepare These

  • A Balady account through the National Single Sign-On.
  • An updated electronic title deed from the Ministry of Justice, or a residential or investment contract.
  • A valid survey decision for construction purposes. Learn about our survey report service.
  • An accredited design engineering office with which you agree on the scope of work.

The full list of documents is in: New building permit requirements 2026.

The Balady Building Permit Journey, Step by Step

  1. Delegation: the owner, or their representative, delegates a design engineering office to start the permit procedures.
  2. Preparing the application and designs: the office accepts the delegation through Balady Business, selects the land's survey report and starts preparing the architectural and structural designs, then completes the data, attaches the files and approves the municipal undertakings.
  3. Technical review: the application is sent to the insurance company, which automatically assigns it to a technical inspection company; the reviewer checks that the designs comply with the Saudi Building Code. If there are comments, the application goes back to the office for amendment.
  4. Municipal review: after the designs are technically approved, the application is referred to the municipality. If there are comments it goes back to the office; if it is approved, a design approval certificate is issued.
  5. Contracting: the office and the owner are notified by text message to complete the contracting stage. The design office selects the supervising office and then the building contractor, and each party is notified to accept the assignment.
  6. Contractor data: the contractor reviews and accepts the assignment and completes their data and documents.
  7. Insurance policy: the system automatically sends the insurance certificate request to the insurance company, with no need to apply on another platform, and a payment link reaches the contractor and the beneficiary.
  8. Fees and issuance: the office reviews the permit fees and issues the municipal fees invoice; once it is paid, the permit is issued. The permit is not valid for use until the insurance policy amount is paid.
  9. Integration with other entities: the permit data is sent electronically to entities such as the electricity company, the water company, Civil Defense, the insurance company and the Real Estate Registry.

A Note on the Insurance Policy

According to Balady, applications submitted after 25 June 2025 have their insurance policies issued within the beneficiary's journey on the platform itself. For permits issued before that date, the building contractor applies for the latent defects insurance certificate through a separate Balady service.

Fee Payment Methods

The platform accepts payment through SADAD, mada, Visa, Mastercard and Apple Pay. You can estimate the fees in advance using Balady's fees calculator. For details, read: How long does a building permit take and how much does it cost?

Where Do Applications Usually Get Delayed?

  • At technical review, if the designs do not comply with the code.
  • At municipal review, if the plan violates the zone requirements.
  • At contracting, if the supervisor or contractor is slow to accept the assignment.
  • At payment, if the invoice or the insurance policy is paid late.

Details and how to avoid them: Why are building permits rejected? Common municipality comments and solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for a building permit myself without an engineering office?

The owner starts the application from their account and selects the survey decision, but the application is completed through a classified engineering office, because it is responsible for preparing and submitting the designs.

When can I print the building permit?

Once the municipal fees are paid, the permit is issued and can be printed electronically, bearing in mind that it is not valid for use before the insurance policy is paid.

How do I track my application?

You track it from your Balady account, and you receive text messages at the different stages of the application.

How Abak Engineering Consultancy Helps

Abak is an accredited engineering office in Riyadh that handles the entire permit journey on Balady: preparing architectural and structural drawings according to the Saudi Building Code, following up technical review and municipal comments, and then supervising construction until the occupancy certificate is issued. Learn about our new building permit service, or contact us to review your case.

For other permit types: The complete guide to building permits in Saudi Arabia.

Information is based on the "Issuing a Building Permit" service description on the Balady platform and may be updated by the competent authority. Last reviewed: October 2026.