Tourism Accommodation Facilities

A facility is deemed to be operating without a license if it engages in activities such as receiving tourists, confirming their reservations, or providing them with units within the facility. These activities are not permitted unless the facility has obtained a license from the Ministry of Tourism.

1. Application Submission: Submit the license application via the tourism licensing portal .

2. Provide Basic Requirements: Through the application form on the portal, provide the required information, including commercial register details, a commercial license from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, a Shomoos subscription, and specific data about the facility.

3. Facility Inspection: Once the application is submitted, the Ministry will schedule an inspection visit to verify the facility’s category and ensure it meets at least the minimum classification standards.

4. Fee Payment: After the facility passes the inspection and the investor approves the report, an invoice will be issued for the financial fee.

5. License Issuance: Upon payment of the fee and integration with the tourism monitoring platform, the license will be issued. It will be available for printing through the tourism licensing platform, and the unified electronic code will be updated at the Saudi Business Center.

A license application cannot be submitted using invalid documents, permits, or licenses. Invalidity includes cases where the document, permit, or license has expired, been canceled, deleted, or otherwise fails to grant the applicant the right to continue their activity under the requirements of the relevant government entity.

Regulatory Reference: Article 4 of the Tourist Accommodation Facility Regulations.

Selecting the commercial activity labeled as a tourist accommodation facility in the commercial records serves as the facility owner's confirmation that their activity meets the criteria of a tourist accommodation facility.

The Ministry, through inspection visits conducted after license applications, verifies that the facility aligns with the required specifications, categories, and classification grades necessary to obtain the license.

The application cannot proceed if any required licenses or documents necessary for obtaining the license have expired, been canceled, or are no longer valid. The Ministry may cancel the submitted application if the investor fails to meet any of the licensing conditions outlined in Article Four of the Tourism Accommodation Facility Regulations.

The application submitted by the individual listed as the director of the commercial register or their authorized representative is considered as submitted by the legal entity of the facility.

To streamline the business process, the Ministry may automate the attachment or verification of documents and permits in coordination with relevant government agencies, eliminating the need for direct intervention from the applicant. However, the license application will not be completed until the applicant confirms the accuracy of the data.

The Ministry will notify the applicant of the inspection visit date. The applicant must ensure that the facility is fully equipped in accordance with the required category classification, minimum grade, and licensing standards. The facility should not be occupied by residents. The Ministry representative will specify the type and number of units to be inspected, which must be made available prior to the visit.

It is recommended that the facility review the category and classification criteria through the following link:

Click here

The facility should verify the mandatory criteria for the lowest category required to obtain the license. If aiming for a higher classification, the points system and corresponding mandatory criteria for the targeted category and classification should also be reviewed and calculated.

During the inspection, the Ministry focuses on ensuring that the facility meets the definition of a tourist accommodation facility, adheres to the criteria of its specific category, and fulfills the requirements for a lower grade within that category or licensing criteria for categories without grades. For instance, a hotel "A" must conform to the definition and scope of a tourist accommodation facility, meet the specifications of the hotel category, and satisfy the criteria for a lower grade within that category.

The inspection visit concludes with a report sent to the applicant via the tourism licensing platform, indicating whether the facility has passed or failed this stage. Passing is determined based on two key criteria: 1) Does the facility meet the specifications of the required type of tourist accommodation facility? 2) Does it meet the minimum standards required for that type? The Ministry representative will outline any shortcomings or observations that led to the facility not passing in the inspection report.

Once the facility passes the inspection, the investor is notified—via the tourism licensing platform—of the visit report's results, which detail the maximum and minimum limits for the applicable classification degree. After the applicant approves the report and selects the desired classification degree, they receive a notification to pay the corresponding fee through a payment invoice.

Yes, the applicant can select the desired license period based on the options available for the facility category on the tourism licensing platform.

Licensing periods range from one to three years for hotels, serviced apartments, camps, holiday homes (chalets), hostels, hotel apartments, resorts, hotel villas, and heritage hotels. --- For temporary accommodation facilities, licenses can be requested for either three or six months.

A license renewal request can be submitted—via the tourism licensing platform—during the last 60 days before its expiration.

The fee can be paid within 30 days after the license expires, and the renewal becomes effective starting from the day immediately following the expiration of the previous license.

No, the renewal extension cannot be granted.

No, the facility is not permitted to continue practicing the activity after the license expires. According to the provisions of Article Two of the Regulations: “It is not allowed to practice the activity of operating a tourist accommodation facility without obtaining a license, or after its expiration or cancellation, or during its suspension period.” Any practitioner found operating without a valid license will be subject to penalties as outlined in the violations and penalties table issued by the Ministry .

No, it is not possible. The applicant must apply for a new license for the facility.

The licensee must ensure that the same prerequisites that were required at the time of obtaining the license continue to apply. This includes verifying the validity and accuracy of the commercial register, municipality license, civil defense permit, continued connection with the tourism monitoring platform, continued connection with the “Shomoos” system, trademark rights, facility data, means of communication, geographical location, and any other data specified in the license form displayed on the platform. Additionally, the licensee must inform the Ministry or update the platform if there are any changes to this information or if any of these documents and requirements are no longer valid.

No, a license renewal application does not require an inspection visit from the Ministry prior to approval. However, the Ministry conducts regular inspection visits to the facility after the license is renewed to ensure ongoing compliance with the requirements.

Yes, the licensee must submit a request for approval to the Ministry, through the tourism licensing platform, before temporarily closing the facility—whether for maintenance, modifications, updates, or any other reasons that would halt operations and prevent visitor access during a specific period. The request should specify the dates of closure and the reasons for it.

For permanent closures—such as changes to the facility's specifications, category, services, or the number of rooms—the licensee must submit a request for approval either through an official letter addressed to the Ministry or by contacting the unified tourism call center (930).

The licensee must submit a request for license cancellation through the tourism licensing platform when ceasing or terminating the activity.

The Ministry will consider the activity at the facility to be ongoing unless the licensee submits a request for approval in cases of temporary or permanent closure or cancellation of the license.