A sports club may look like a simple activity, but Civil Defense regulations treat it as an assembly building once occupancy reaches a certain level, which raises the safety requirements. Here are the Civil Defense requirements for sports clubs and gyms.
How to Find Your Activity's Requirements on the Salamah Portal
Civil Defense licenses are issued through the Salamah portal. The application track is determined by the establishment's data: the request type, the main activity and the activity's floor area. Civil Defense guidance documents describe two tracks: an instant track completed online by attaching the requirement (an invoice or safety equipment certificate, or a technical report from an engineering office accredited on the portal, depending on the case), and a non-instant track that includes a site inspection. Read: Instant and non-instant activities on Salamah and When is a technical report required, and when is a safety equipment certificate enough?
The Sports Club as an Assembly Building
Civil Defense's preventive requirements define assembly buildings as buildings, or parts of them, intended for gatherings of 50 or more people for entertainment, culture, sport or exhibition, and list sports clubs and indoor courts among the examples.
Escape Route Requirements in Assembly Buildings
- Applying the general escape route (emergency exit) requirements in addition to the specific ones.
- According to the requirements, escape routes must be protected as a fire compartment built of non-combustible materials with at least one hour of fire resistance, with one-hour self-closing fire doors (in the categories specified by the regulation).
- The number and width of exits must match the number of occupants.
Other Common Requirements
- A fire alarm system, emergency lighting and exit signs.
- Suitable fire extinguishers, especially near electrical and plant rooms.
- Good ventilation for workout halls and saunas, if any.
- Keeping corridors clear of exercise equipment.
- Defining and monitoring the capacity at peak times.
Mixed Use
If the club is inside a commercial building, the regulations treat the section dedicated to each purpose as a fire compartment. Category (A) assembly buildings may not be mixed with other uses, except ancillary uses linked to the nature of the assembly, such as a restaurant or cafeteria; anything else is studied case by case.
Municipal Licensing
Sports buildings have specific municipal requirements published among the requirements on the Balady platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a small gym considered an assembly building?
The classification depends on the number of occupants and the nature of the use; the regulation's definition starts at 50 people or more.
Do I need approved safety drawings?
Usually for medium and large clubs. Read: Fire system drawings.
Are the requirements the same for all establishments with the same activity?
No, they vary with floor area, number of occupants, classification and the building the establishment is in, and the actual requirements appear in the investor journey on the Salamah portal.
Who is responsible for maintaining fire systems?
The Ministry of Municipalities' requirements for warehouses and workshops, for example, state that the owner is responsible for installing and maintaining firefighting systems, with regular maintenance and calibration according to Civil Defense instructions.
How Abak Engineering Consultancy Helps
Abak is an accredited engineering office in Riyadh that provides safety and fire protection services: designing and approving safety drawings, technical reports, compliance reports and following up licensing through the Salamah portal. Learn about our Civil Defense license service, or Learn more about our Civil Defense Permit service. contact us to identify your facility's requirements.
Start with the complete guide: Salamah portal: the complete guide to Civil Defense licensing.
Information is based on the regulations and requirements of the General Directorate of Civil Defense (998.gov.sa) and the Saudi Fire Code; Civil Defense guidance documents do not replace the code. Requirements vary by activity, area and classification, so always refer to the investor journey on the Salamah portal. Last reviewed: October 2026.