What MISA charges in 2026
The ministry's own investor guide prints no registration fee. It sets the amount on approval, gives two different payment deadlines, and explains why older fixed figures no longer describe the system.
Reference
Guides
11 guides to the cost of setting up and running a company in Saudi Arabia, written from the ministries' own service pages and laws. Each one lists its sources and the date they were opened.
Last checked
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Commercial registration fees, line by line
The establishment fee for each company type, the publication fee, VAT, and a trade name that costs more in English than in Arabic, with a worked example for a first-time investor.
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Minimum capital for a foreign-owned company
Trading is the expensive door, and the capital figure is only the start of it. The ministry table also attaches a five-year investment commitment, training targets and market-presence tests.
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Iqama, work permit and expat levy costs
The labour ministry does publish the monthly levy and the work licence fee. What it costs per foreign employee, why the annual table does not add up, and which lines still have no official price.
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Saudization: ownership rules and payroll rules
Two separate things get called Saudization. One is the Saudi share of your company, fixed per activity. The other is the Saudi share of your payroll, and it now drives your levy bill too.
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GOSI for employers: which branch covers whom
Social insurance splits into branches, and nationality decides which ones apply. GOSI's public law pages describe who is covered, but print no contribution rate.
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What a Saudi company costs to keep each year
The annual confirmation repeats your establishment fee every year, per registration. Add the ministry update, the levy on foreign staff and the small fees that pile up in a busy year.
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How long company setup takes
Published service times at MISA and Commerce are short. What decides the calendar is document attestation, the payment window after approval and the certificate that must not run out.
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Setup consultant quote checklist
How to split a proposal into government fees and service fees, the questions that expose a padded line, and what a good consultant is worth paying for.
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VAT registration for a new Saudi company
What the VAT Law itself says about who must register, the fines ZATCA publishes for getting it wrong, and the questions to settle before your first invoice.
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Regional headquarters (RHQ) requirements
The RHQ registration is its own category with its own obligations: start dates for its activities, a minimum headcount with senior executives, and a ban on ordinary trading income.