In this Law, the following terms and phrases shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the context requires otherwise:

• Private security services: Security services provided for a fee by licensed companies and firms upon request, or acquired through direct contracting with licensed private security guards.

• Private security company or firm: A sole proprietorship owned by a Saudi national, or a company fully owned by Saudi nationals, that sets up and provides - under a special license - private security services for a fee.

• Security guard: A person assigned to guard facilities to ensure the security and safety of employees, assets, and properties thereof and protect such facilities against theft and trespassing.

• Regulations: Implementing Regulations of this Law.

A. Parties specified in the Regulations shall obtain private security services for their facilities in accordance with provisions of this Law and its Regulations. No other party may obtain private security services without permission from the competent authority, as stipulated in the Regulations.

B. The Regulations shall specify the scope, location, times, and tools of private security services.

Parties required to obtain private security services, as well as those who request said services without being required to do so - whether individuals, groups, or firms - may directly contract Saudi nationals licensed to work as security guards. Parties required to obtain private security services shall establish a security department if the number of guards employed by such parties exceeds 20. The Regulations shall determine the duties and obligations of said department.

A- The following conditions are required for sole proprietorships and companies licensed to practice private civil security guarding:

• 1- The sole proprietorship must be wholly owned by a Saudi, and the company must be wholly owned by Saudis.

• 2- The license applicant must be at least twenty-five years old.

• 3- The applicant must not have been sentenced to a Shariah penalty or imprisonment for a crime involving dishonor or breach of trust, unless he has been rehabilitated.

• 4- The applicant must not have been dismissed from civil or military service for disciplinary reasons, unless at least three years have passed since then.

• 5- The applicant must have sufficient capital and the necessary means to secure security guards and equip them with guarding requirements and tools as specified by the regulation.

• 6- The institution or company must provide the required bank guarantee according to the classification and regulations specified by the regulation.

B- Deleted.

C- Deleted.

1- The Minister of Interior - or his delegate - issues licenses to private civil security guard institutions and companies, and licenses to private sector training centers to provide training courses in the fields of security and safety related to civil defense and firefighting.

2- The schedule annexed to this law specifies the fees to be paid, which are:

• A- Licensing fee for private civil security guard institutions and companies.

• B- Licensing fee for private sector training centers to provide training courses in the fields of security and safety related to civil defense and firefighting or their renewal.

• C- Fee for a civil security guard license or its renewal.

• D- Fee for a trainer license or its renewal.

• E- Fee for accrediting a training package.

• F- Fee for accrediting the professional certificate of the trainee.

The regulation specifies the necessary procedures for that.

The Council of Ministers may amend any of the fees listed in the schedule annexed to the law based on a proposal from the Minister of Interior.

All employees of security service sole proprietorships and companies as well as private security guards must be Saudi nationals. The Regulations shall specify the duties and qualifications of security guards.

A sole proprietorship or company licensed to provide private security services shall train guards and qualify them to perform their duties in accordance with the Regulations.

Security authorities are authorized to inspect security service sole proprietorships and companies as well as security guards to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Law and its Regulations.

Guards shall wear the uniform specified by the party they work for in accordance with the Regulations.

Existing security service sole proprietorships and companies shall terminate the services of non-Saudi workers and replace them with Saudi nationals within 90 days of this Law’s entry into force. To this end, a committee comprising representatives from the governorate of the province or county as well as representatives from the police and passport departments in addition to the labor office shall be formed to follow up on the implementation of this provision.