Saudi Arabia has approved executive procedures regulating how long privately owned vehicles registered in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries may remain in the Kingdom, setting a standard limit of 90 days within a 365-day period.
Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) Governor Suhail Abanmi approved the procedures in coordination with the Ministry of Interior. The new rules will take effect on Aug. 26, 2026, reported the Saudi Gazette
Vehicles already inside Saudi Arabia before the regulations take effect will be granted a 90-day grace period to regularize their status.
ZATCA and the General Directorate of Traffic said the grace period will run from Aug. 26 through Nov. 23, 2026.
The procedures apply to private vehicles registered in a GCC country and owned by a Saudi citizen or resident, including Premium Residency holders, as well as vehicles that a citizen or resident has been officially authorized to drive when entering Saudi Arabia through a customs port.
GCC-registered vehicles may remain in Saudi Arabia for a maximum of 90 days, whether consecutive or non-consecutive, during the 365 days beginning from the date the vehicle enters through a customs port.
Customs authorities will record the details of the vehicle and its owner or authorized driver upon entry and departure to track compliance with the permitted period, the Saudi Gazette said.
Saudi and non-GCC resident owners or authorized drivers of affected vehicles already in the Kingdom can regularize their status during the grace period in one of two ways.
They may take the vehicle out of Saudi Arabia before the deadline or permanently import and register it in the Kingdom to obtain Saudi license plates.
For permanent registration, owners can authorize a customs broker to submit a customs declaration through the nearest border port before completing the required procedures and paying applicable customs duties and taxes. The process does not require returning to the port through which the vehicle originally entered the Kingdom.
Vehicle owners will also be allowed to register eligible vehicles in Saudi Arabia before the permitted stay expires, subject to applicable requirements, the the Saudi Gazette said.
The procedures allow an owner or authorized driver to apply for an extension before the original 90-day period expires.
The extension may not exceed 30 days and will be calculated from the end of the original permitted period.
Applications will be submitted electronically through a platform approved by the Ministry of Interior, with the extension service set to be made available through Absher.
A valid vehicle registration and insurance policy will be required. Applications submitted after the original permitted period expires will not be accepted, the report said
Vehicles remaining in Saudi Arabia beyond the permitted period will be subject to a fine ranging from SR1,000 to SR2,000 and may be impounded until the violation is resolved.
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