An administrative office is one of the lower-risk activities, but it is not exempt from safety: many electrical devices, paper, server rooms and staff who must be evacuated safely. This is a guide to Civil Defense requirements for offices.
The Business Office Buildings Guide (Group B)
Civil Defense Safety Affairs has issued the requirements guide for business office buildings (Group B), a guidance document that does not replace the code, which remains the main reference. The guide defines these buildings as facilities, or parts of them, used as offices or similar facilities, and notes that spaces where the number of occupants exceeds a certain limit are classified as assembly occupancies (Group A). It includes a chapter on the investor journey with its instant and non-instant tracks, and a chapter on external inspection.
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?
Essential Safety Requirements for Offices
- Fire extinguishers suited to the risk, especially near server and electrical rooms.
- Detectors and an alarm system according to the area and the building.
- Emergency exits, exit signs and emergency lighting.
- Server rooms: may need a clean-agent gas suppression system. Read: The FM-200 system.
- Electrical installations that are not overloaded.
- An evacuation plan and staff training. The regulation for residential and office buildings requires the safety officer to prepare a detailed evacuation and firefighting plan and train staff on it.
Municipal Requirements for Offices
The Balady platform has published the office requirements (1443 AH), covering location requirements depending on the office's position (standalone or part of an existing building) and general appearance requirements, including compliance with the area's urban code for facades.
Fitting Out or Modifying an Office Inside a Building
Any interior modification must not block emergency exits, lengthen escape distances or disable alarm detectors. Read: Office and corporate design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an administrative office an instant activity?
That is determined by the application track on the Salamah portal according to the activity and area; the Group B guide explains both tracks.
Is the building's license enough to cover the office?
Each establishment needs its own license according to its activity, and it benefits from the readiness of the building's systems.
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.