Beauty salons and women's workshops are among the most widespread activities, but they combine real fire risks: heating and drying appliances running for hours, flammable cosmetics and sprays, and small spaces often with a single exit. So Civil Defense requirements for salons are not a formality.
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?
Activity Classification
The Civil Defense regulations classify facilities into groups by type of use, including commercial buildings and public markets. Salons usually fall under commercial or service uses, and their exact requirements depend on the floor area and the building. If the salon is part of a mixed-use building, the regulations treat the section dedicated to each purpose as a separate fire compartment regardless of its area.
Essential Safety Requirements
- Fire extinguishers suited to the type of hazard (electrical and flammable materials), in visible and accessible locations, with regular maintenance.
- Detectors and an alarm system according to the area and classification. The regulations require all buildings and shops subject to Civil Defense licensing to be equipped with appropriate firefighting, alarm and prevention equipment.
- A clear emergency exit that is unlocked and unobstructed, with illuminated exit signs and emergency lighting.
- Sound electrical wiring: a distribution board with suitable breakers, and not overloading sockets with heating and drying appliances at once.
- Safe storage of cosmetics and sprays away from heat sources.
- Ventilation for dye and chemical rooms.
Common Mistakes in Salons
- Using the emergency exit as a store, or locking it for privacy.
- Temporary electrical connections (multi-plug adapters) for high-power appliances.
- Extinguishers overdue for maintenance.
- Changing the activity or adding services (such as a Moroccan bath or steam room) without reviewing the requirements. Read: Changing a shop's activity and safety requirements.
Municipal Licensing
Alongside the Civil Defense license, salons have specific municipal requirements among those published on the Balady platform (such as the requirements for men's barbershops for similar activities). The building permit is one of the attachments for the commercial license, depending on the activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a small salon need a technical report?
It depends on what the investor journey on Salamah specifies; some activities only need a safety equipment certificate, while others require a technical report.
Can a salon be opened in a residential apartment?
The use is subject to municipal requirements and the building's permitted use, and a change requires applying the safety requirements of the new activity.
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 For professional support, see 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.