MISA registration in 2026: key facts
- Investment Law in force
- February 2025OfficialMISA: Updated Investment Law
- What foreign investors need now
- Registration with MISA, which replaced the licenceSecondary sourceClyde & Co: Investment Law implementing regulations (September 2025)
- MISA processing time
- About 10 working daysOfficialMISA Investor Guide, 13th edition (03-2026)
- Company formation on business.sa
- 72-hour serviceOfficialMinistry of Commerce: Establishing a company under an investment licence
- Ministry of Commerce fee for an LLC
- SAR 1,200 + SAR 500 publication + 15% VATOfficialMinistry of Commerce: Establishing a company under an investment licence
- Annual registration update
- Filed within the 60 working days before the due dateSecondary sourceClyde & Co: Investment Law implementing regulations (September 2025)
- Maximum fine under the Investment Law
- Up to SAR 300,000OfficialMISA: Updated Investment Law
Who needs MISA registration
- Foreign companies setting up a Saudi LLC or subsidiary.
- Premium Residency holders forming a company in their own name.
- Foreign-owned companies that need their annual registration update.
Who it is not for
- GCC investors whose company has no non-GCC shareholders. They are treated as local and form companies through the Ministry of Commerce.
- Saudi investors. Registration with MISA is optional for local investors.
- Foreign individuals without Premium Residency, unless they qualify for MISA's entrepreneurial registration. We explain the routes on a first call.
How MISA investment registration works
- 01
Confirm the activity and route
On a first call, our team checks your planned activity against MISA's available and restricted tracks and any capital rules. Trading with 100% foreign ownership, for example, needs SAR 30,000,000, presence in at least three regional or global markets and a five-year investment commitment.
- 02
Prepare and certify the documents
The foreign partner's CR must be certified by the Saudi embassy, and its last financial statements authenticated by the embassy. Premium Residency holders are exempt from both. We prepare the checklist and review each document before filing.
Time: Varies by country
- 03
Submit the registration to MISA
Our team prepares the application, submits it on MISA's Electronic Services Portal and tracks it to a decision. MISA's Investor Guide puts processing at about 10 working days.
Platform: MISA Electronic Services Portal (Investment Registration)Time: About 10 working days (MISA Investor Guide)
- 04
Pay the MISA fee on approval
MISA sets its fee when it approves the registration and publishes no fixed amount. Its guide gives 15 working days from the fee notice to pay, and 30 days in another section. If the fee is not paid in time, the registration is void.
Time: Short deadline after the fee notice
- 05
Form the company and issue the CR
With the registration in place, our team forms the company on business.sa, a 72-hour Ministry of Commerce service. Before the CR, the trade name decision can take up to 10 days, or 30 if other agencies are involved. The Ministry asks for a registration with at least 30 days' validity left. The LLC fee is SAR 1,200, plus SAR 500 publication and 15% VAT.
Platform: business.sa (Saudi Business Center)Time: Trade name: up to 10 days (30 with other agencies); formation service: 72 hours (Ministry of Commerce)
- 06
Complete the registrations that follow
After the CR, the company joins the chamber of commerce, with no subscription for its first 3 years. It also registers with ZATCA, GOSI and Qiwa. Our team handles these filings and the annual updates that follow.
Time: Varies
Documents MISA asks for
MISA's Investor Guide (13th edition) lists these documents for a foreign company:
- The foreign partner's commercial registration (CR), certified by the Saudi embassy.
- The parent company's CR as well, if its nationality differs from the partner's.
- The last fiscal year's financial statements, authenticated by the Saudi embassy.
- ID for any GCC individual partner who is not registered in Absher.
- Any activity-specific requirements in section 5 of the guide.
Premium Residency holders are exempt from the CR and financial-statement requirements. MISA itself does not require translations, though other ministries may. Whether MISA accepts an apostille instead of embassy certification is not confirmed, so we confirm it case by case.
MISA registration and Ministry of Commerce fees
Government fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Commerce company formation fee (LLC) | SAR 1,200 |
| Ministry of Commerce: Establishing a company under an investment licence | |
| Publication fee | SAR 500 |
| Ministry of Commerce: Establishing a company under an investment licence | |
| VAT on Ministry of Commerce fees | 15% |
| Ministry of Commerce: Establishing a company under an investment licence | |
| MISA registration fee | Set by MISA on approvalTo confirm |
| MISA Investor Guide, 13th edition (03-2026) | |
| Chamber of commerce subscription | None for the first 3 years |
| Ministry of Commerce: Chambers Law, no subscription for 3 years | |
| Embassy certification of documents | Varies by countryTo confirm |
Our fee
Our fee is quoted after a first call, once we know your activity, ownership and city. We always show it separately from government fees.
Government fees checked on 22 October 2026 against the sources listed below. MISA publishes no fixed fee amount, so we do not quote one.
What changed in 2025 and 2026
The MISA licence (formerly the SAGIA licence) is now investment registration
Under the Investment Law in force since February 2025, foreign investors register with MISA instead of obtaining a licence. Older guides still call it the SAGIA or MISA licence. One registration can cover several sectors. The regional headquarters (RHQ) licence still exists.
MISA licence renewal is now the annual registration update
Registrations are not renewed. Instead, you file an annual update within the 60 working days before the due date. The foreign parent's CR must still be valid, and missing the update may mean registering again.
CR renewal is now annual confirmation
Since the Commercial Registration Law took effect in April 2025, CRs no longer expire. The company confirms its CR data every year on business.sa. Each company has one unified national number starting with 7.
Delays we see
This section is written from our team's recent MISA registration files.
- In our recent files, the full company setup, MISA registration included, has taken up to about two months from documents in hand.
- The waiting is mostly for approvals on government portals. MISA's own guide puts registration processing at about 10 working days.
- Embassy certification of the parent company's CR and financial statements comes before filing, and its time depends on the country.
- We prepare each file completely before it is submitted, so an approval does not stall on a missing document.
What we handle
- Check your activity against MISA's tracks and capital rules before you commit.
- Prepare the document checklist and review each document before it is certified.
- Prepare and submit the MISA application, and track it to approval.
- Form the company on business.sa and obtain the CR.
- Complete the chamber, ZATCA, GOSI and Qiwa registrations that follow.
- File the annual registration update and the CR annual confirmation each year.
MISA registration questions
Do I still need a MISA licence in 2026?
No. Under the Investment Law in force since February 2025, foreign investors register with MISA instead of applying for a licence. The regional headquarters (RHQ) licence still exists.
How long does MISA registration take?
MISA's Investor Guide puts processing at about 10 working days. Preparing and certifying documents abroad comes first, and its length varies by country. We confirm your timeline after reviewing your documents.
How much is the MISA registration fee?
MISA sets the fee when it approves the registration and publishes no fixed amount. We show it as “set on approval” and confirm it with you at that stage. The Ministry of Commerce fees for an LLC are SAR 1,200, plus SAR 500 publication and 15% VAT.
Can a foreign individual register with MISA?
In two cases: if you hold Premium Residency, or through MISA's entrepreneurial registration for an innovative startup. Premium Residency holders need no foreign CR or financial statements. The entrepreneurial route needs a support letter from a Saudi university or accredited incubator. Residents applying this way also need a no-objection letter from their employer.
Do GCC investors need MISA registration?
Usually not. GCC investors are treated as local investors and form companies through the Ministry of Commerce. A GCC company with non-GCC shareholders is the exception, and we confirm that route case by case.
What is the minimum capital for a foreign-owned company?
The Companies Law sets no statutory minimum capital for an LLC, but MISA rules set minimums for some activities. Trading with 100% foreign ownership needs SAR 30,000,000 and presence in at least three regional or global markets. The company must invest at least SAR 300,000,000 over five years, or SAR 200,000,000 plus local manufacturing, R&D spending or a logistics centre. It must also train 30% of its Saudi staff each year. Trading with a Saudi partner needs SAR 26,666,667 and at least 25% Saudi ownership.
Does a MISA registration need renewing?
No. It is kept current through an annual registration update, filed within the 60 working days before the due date. MISA sets the update fee on approval. The foreign parent's CR must still be valid when you file.
What happens if a company breaks the Investment Law?
MISA can issue a warning, impose a fine of up to SAR 300,000 or cancel the registration. Decisions can be appealed in court within 30 days. Moving premises without telling MISA within 10 working days is a violation.
Sources
- MISA Investor Guide, 13th edition (03-2026) (checked )
- MISA: Updated Investment Law (checked )
- MISA: Frequently asked questions (checked )
- Ministry of Commerce: Establishing a company under an investment licence (checked )
- Ministry of Commerce: CR annual confirmation (checked )
- SAMA circular on the Commercial Registration Law (checked )
- Companies Law, official translation (checked )
- Ministry of Commerce: Chambers Law, no subscription for 3 years (checked )
- Clyde & Co: Investment Law implementing regulations (September 2025) (checked )
- Clyde & Co: Commercial Registration Law and Trade Names Law (September 2025) (checked )