The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing adopts municipal requirements for commercial data centers to enhance the readiness of digital infrastructure.

Monday 28 September 2026

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The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has adopted municipal requirements for commercial data centers, in a step aimed at enhancing the readiness of the digital infrastructure in the Kingdom, creating a clearer regulatory environment for the growth of this vital sector, and facilitating the investor’s journey in establishing, developing and operating data centers according to unified and clear requirements.

The requirements stem from the vital role that data centers play in the digital economy; they represent one of the fundamental pillars upon which the public and private sectors rely in managing, processing and storing data, to support the continuity of digital services and business efficiency, and to enhance the Kingdom’s ability to continue its digital growth.

The requirements apply to independent commercial data center sites within or outside the urban area, with the requirement of easy access for operation and maintenance teams, and the availability of basic services, including electricity, communications and transportation, in addition to compliance with approved building regulations, parking requirements, setbacks, heights and landscaping, and any regulatory requirements issued by the relevant authorities.

The requirements contribute to raising the clarity of requirements for investors and reducing the variation in procedures and requirements for establishing and operating data centers, through a regulatory framework that defines spatial, technical and operational requirements, and supports the standardization of procedures and requirements for practicing the activity in various regions of the Kingdom.

The licensing requirements include obtaining Civil Defense approval before issuing the license, submitting a valid commercial registration that includes the activity or activities to be licensed, in addition to the approval of the entity supervising the activity. The procedures for issuing, renewing, amending, suspending and canceling the license are subject to the Municipal Licensing Procedures System and its executive regulations .

The requirements require commercial data centers to implement the requirements of the Saudi Building Code, and to have design and supervision work carried out by accredited engineering offices, in addition to following relevant international and local standards, including building and design requirements, fire protection, cooling systems, electrical power and backup, in order to enhance the quality, reliability and continuity of operation of these facilities .

The requirements also include requirements for facades and general appearance, lighting, flooring and ceilings, universal access for persons with disabilities, periodic maintenance, waste management, security monitoring systems, in addition to displaying the unified electronic code that allows access to the facility’s official data and documents.

The ministry affirmed that adopting the requirements represents a regulatory step that supports the growth of the data center sector, by providing a more reliable and sustainable environment, stimulating investment and innovation in information technologies, and enabling the digital infrastructure to keep pace with the expansion of digital services, which enhances the Kingdom’s competitiveness regionally and internationally and supports the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, noting that it will come into effect from the date of its publication .

The ministry called on investors and stakeholders to review the municipal requirements for commercial data centers and to comply with the approved regulatory, technical and operational requirements via the following link:

https://momah.gov.sa/sites/default/files/2026-06/alashtratat%20albldyt%20lmrakz%20albyanat%20altjaryt%20%2B%20qrar%20ala%60tmad_0.pdf .

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia