• The meanings of the following words and phrases - wherever they appear in this Law - are as defined below, unless the context requires otherwise:

• Private Civil Security Guarding:

  • The human security service provided by licensed institutions and companies to those who request it for a fee, or that is obtained through direct contracting with licensed civil security guards.

• Private Civil Security Guarding Institution or Company:

  • An individual establishment wholly owned by a Saudi, or a company wholly owned by Saudis, that, under a special license, provides and secures private civil security guarding for those who request it for a fee.

• Security Guard:

  • The person assigned to guard facilities to maintain the safety and security of its personnel, assets, and properties, and to protect them from theft and assault.

• Regulation:

  • The Implementing Regulation of this Law.

• A- The entities specified by the regulation are obligated to implement private civil security guards at their facilities in accordance with the provisions of the Law of Private Security Services and its executive regulations. No entity may secure private civil security guards without obtaining a license from the competent authority (Public Security), as follows:

• First: The following commercial establishments are obligated to secure private civil security guards around the clock, which are:

  • 1- Hotels

  • 2- Banks, currency exchange shops, and money transfer establishments.

  • 3- Hospitals.

  • 4- Gold and jewelry shops and their equivalents, which are located outside the establishments obligated to secure private civil security guards.

  • 5- Markets, malls, and commercial centers, both closed and open, that contain (30) shops or more, or have a commercial area exceeding (3000) square meters according to the building permit.

  • 6- Accommodation sites for human resources company workers.

  • 7- Car and heavy equipment sales centers affiliated with agencies.

  • 8- Maintenance centers affiliated with car and heavy equipment agencies that have an area exceeding (2000) square meters according to the building permit.

  • 9- Car sales exhibitions that have an area exceeding (2000) square meters according to the commercial activity license.

  • 10- Buildings and towers with more than (50) units prepared for residential or commercial rental.

  • 11- Closed residential complexes with more than (10) villas or more than (50) residential units.

  • 12- Amusement parks and tourist facilities with an area exceeding (3000) square meters according to the commercial activity license.

  • 13- Private libraries with an area exceeding (2000) square meters according to the commercial activity license.

  • 14- Entities obligated to secure private civil security guards according to other laws and regulations.

  • 15- Factories and warehouses as deemed necessary by the station police of Director after the establishment submits a feasibility study from a licensed security consultancy office, and the study is submitted within two months from the date of notification.

• Second: Establishments obligated to secure private civil security guards during working hours:

  • 1- Private and international educational and training establishments.

  • 2- Wedding and event halls.

  • 3- Private clinics, centers, and medical complexes.

  • 4- Establishments licensed by the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority or the General Entertainment Authority, during the period of the activity.

  • 5- Restaurants with an area exceeding (1000) square meters according to the commercial activity license.

  • 6- Women's sports club halls.

  • 7- Hypermarkets and food stores with an area exceeding (2000) square meters according to the commercial activity license.

  • 8- Camps and sites prepared for accommodating pilgrims in the holy sites during the period from 12/1 to 12/15 of each year.

  • - All new sites or those that arise with a security need to obligate them to secure private civil security guards, as deemed necessary by the Director of Public Security based on a report submitted by the station police of Director.

• B) The scope of civil security guarding for obligated or willing sites to place civil security guards at their facilities is determined inside and outside the facility as needed and as determined by the station police of Director, with the beneficiary entity providing a suitable place for the guard at the security site. The civil security guard should use means that enable him to perform his task, such as: vehicles, wired and wireless communication devices, electronic security monitoring devices, police dogs, and what helps him defend himself and the site he guards, such as: weapons, electric batons, wooden batons, and what the competent authority deems appropriate according to the regulations, rules, and instructions governing that.

• C) Entities obligated to contract with private civil security guard companies, or wishing to do so, must install security surveillance cameras in all their facilities according to the specifications approved by the Ministry of Interior.

• D) Private civil security guard companies must not sign or renew a security contract with any establishment unless ensuring that the establishment "by its owner" is equipped with security cameras approved by the Ministry of Interior.

Entities that are obligated or willing, or individuals (to secure self-guarding) may directly contract with licensed Saudi individuals to work as civilian security guards (based on the training certificate obtained from the General Security Training Centers). It is a requirement for the benefiting entity from the guarding service to obtain a license from the General Security (Criminal Security) for that purpose.
If the number of guards exceeds twenty, the benefiting entity from the guarding service must establish a security management department and obtain a license for that from the General Security (Criminal Security), along with providing a bank guarantee of (1000) Riyals for each guard for a period of five years. The tasks and duties of this department are as follows:
1- Direct and continuous supervision of the guarding sites and the individuals responsible for their security.
2- Coordination with the relevant security authorities (Regional Police or Governorate Police) and providing them with the names of the security guards and their locations.
3- Providing the civilian security guard with the means and equipment that enable him to perform his duties and protect himself and the site he is responsible for.
4- Implementing the Labor and Workers System and Social Insurance regarding the payment of salaries, entitlements of employees, their benefits, vacations, and working hours.
5- The responsibility of the management for all matters concerning it and its employees and locations before the relevant security authorities.
6- The use of this guarding service shall be limited to the facilities and assets of the institution or company to which this management belongs.
7- Installing electronic security monitoring devices inside and outside the facility under guard.
8- Compliance with the specified uniform for supervisors and guards as stated in Article Eight of this regulation.
9- Participation in the Shumoos system for entering data and information about the management and its personnel into the computer through the National Information Center affiliated with the Ministry of Interior.

• A) The following conditions must be met for individual institutions and companies licensed to practice private civil security guarding, which shall apply when applying for a license to the owner of the institution, and to all partners and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for companies:

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

  • 2- The age of the license applicant must not be less than twenty-five years, whether for the owner of the institution or the partners in the company.

  • 3- There must not have been a judgment issued against him for a Sharia limit or imprisonment for a crime that undermines honor and trust, unless he has had his status restored.

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

  • 5- He must have sufficient capital and the necessary means to secure the security guards and equip them with the requirements and tools of guarding.

  • 6- He must be able to read and write.

  • 7- Private civil security guarding institutions and companies are classified into three categories, and a specific bank guarantee must be provided for each category, valid for the duration of the license (five years) in the name of the Ministry of Interior/Public Security to pay the dues of employees if the entity they belong to delays in paying their salaries for the period specified under the Labor and Workers Law. The categories are:

    • 1- First category: It may employ guards up to ((1000)) one thousand guards, and a bank guarantee of one million riyals must be provided. It may increase the number of civil security guards beyond what is determined after the approval of the Minister of Interior or his delegate, and accordingly, the value of the bank guarantee increases by ((1000)) one thousand riyals for each guard.

    • 2- Second category: It may employ guards not exceeding ((700)) seven hundred guards, and a bank guarantee of seven hundred thousand riyals must be provided.

    • 3- Third category: It may employ guards not exceeding ((400)) four hundred guards, and a bank guarantee of four hundred thousand riyals must be provided.

• B) The license is issued by the Director of Public Security after obtaining written approval from the Minister of Interior or his delegate to practice private civil security guarding for a period of five years, and it is renewed for a similar period or periods according to the following conditions:

  • First: The documents required to issue a new license:

    • 1- A letter addressed to the Director of Public Security including a request for approval to practice private civil guarding, mentioning: the full name of the license applicant, family name, address, place of residence, mobile and telephone numbers, fax, postal box, and the area or areas in which he wishes to practice the activity, specifying the required category (1, 2, 3) according to the classification mentioned in paragraph (A) of this article.

    • 2- A clear copy of the ID card.

    • 3- A recent certified copy from the Civil Status of the civil registry to prove the profession.

    • 4- A fingerprint record from the forensic evidence department of the police.

    • 5- The latest academic certificate obtained by the applicant.

    • 6- Filling out the application form.

    • 7- A copy of the commercial register if available, and if not, an original certificate from the commercial registration office must be provided, including the determination and reservation of the name for the institution or company to be named, confirming that this name is not currently occupied by another institution or company, and that the certificate is for the commercial register.

    • 8- If the application is for a company, a copy of the partnership contract for the company signed by them and certified by an authorized law office must be attached.

    • 9- Filling out and signing the commitment form.

    • 10- A final bank guarantee for the specified amount for the required category for five years in the name of the Ministry of Interior/Public Security.

    • 11- Attach proof of the civil guarding institution or company’s subscription to the Shumus system for entering data and information into the computer through the National Information Center affiliated with the Ministry of Interior.

    • 12- Three recent colored photos sized (4*6).

    • 13- A delegation from the owner of the institution or company certified by the Chamber of Commerce in case there is a representative (Saudi) to review and receive the license.

  • Second: The documents required for license renewal:

    • 1- A letter addressed to the Director of Public Security stating the request for approval to renew the license.

    • 2- Renewal of the bank guarantee for the duration of the license renewal.

    • 3- A statement of the sites currently under guarding by the institution/company, if any.

    • 4- A copy of the contracts that the institution/company is currently executing, and the copies of the contracts must be certified by the entity providing the guarding and specify their validity by writing the date if available.

    • 5- A statement of the names of security guards and administrators, their ID numbers, work locations, and specifying their salaries.

    • 6- A certificate from the General Organization for Social Insurance stating that the supervisors and security guards in the institution or company or the entity they belong to are subscribed to social insurance.

    • 7- Attach the original old license.

    • 8- Attach a copy of the valid commercial register for the civil guarding activity.

    • 9- A complete update of the address of the institution/company/entity, specifying the main location, number of branches, and their locations: (location - phone - fax - mobile - postal box - postal code).

    • 10- Attach proof of the civil guarding institution or company’s subscription to the Shumus system for entering data and information into the computer through the National Information Center affiliated with the Ministry of Interior.
      11- A delegation from the owner of the institution or company certified by the Chamber of Commerce in case there is a representative (Saudi) to receive the license.

  • - Renewal shall not occur if there are observations from the police regarding the institution or company or entity unless those observations have been rectified.

  • Third: The documents required to raise the category, increase the area of activity, or change the name are as follows:

    • - All that was mentioned in the second part of paragraph (B) of Article Four.

  • Fourth: Waiver and transfer of ownership:

    • - If the license is issued, it may not be waived or transferred, including inheritance, partially or wholly, except with prior approval from the Minister of Interior or his delegate, and it is required that the transferee or the one to whom ownership is transferred meets the same conditions required for issuing the license.

• C) A fee of ((one hundred riyals)) shall be collected for each contracted security guard upon issuing the license and upon its renewal, and it shall be deposited through one of the banks operating in the Kingdom into the state treasury in the specific account for that purpose, and the license shall not be issued or renewed except after providing proof of payment among the documents required for that.

• It is required that all employees in private civil security companies and institutions be Saudi nationals, including administrators, technicians, supervisors, and security guards. Supervisors and security guards must be appointed according to the following conditions:

  • 1- Must be a Saudi national.

  • 2- Must be at least eighteen years old.

  • 3- Must have completed primary education, and preference will be given to those with higher educational qualifications.

  • 4- Must have a good reputation and conduct (Certificate of Good Conduct).

  • 5- A fingerprint record from the forensic evidence department, and verification of their security record through the police (criminal security).

  • 6- Must be medically fit (Medical Certificate).

  • 7- Must have completed the training stipulated in Article Six of this regulation.

  • 8- Must not be employed in another job.

• - The duties of the civil security guard are as follows:

  • 1- The civil guard has the authority to apprehend any person or persons caught in the act of committing a crime or attempting to forcibly enter the secured area, and must immediately notify the nearest security point or responsible security authority, as well as their supervisor, and prepare the necessary report for that.

  • 2- To maintain the security and safety of the facility they are assigned to guard and the means and tools entrusted to them.

  • 3- To adhere to the security work assigned to them and not to engage in other activities that differ from the nature of their work.

  • 4- To be familiar with the tasks and the location they are assigned to guard, and to know how to use the means and devices that assist them in performing their duties while adhering to public decency during their presence at the site.

The institution or company licensed to operate in the field of private civil security guarding, along with the entity to which the guard belongs, is obligated to train and qualify the guards to perform their duties. The training must be conducted at public security training centers or accredited training centers in accordance with the regulations and instructions governing this matter, which are in effect at public security training centers. The actual costs of training shall be borne by the institution, company, or establishment to which the trainee belongs. However, if the trainee does not belong to a specific entity, the actual training costs shall be borne by the trainee personally.

The security authorities (Public Security/Regional Police/Provincial Police) are authorized to conduct inspections and oversee private civil security institutions and companies, as well as the employees working therein, and the sites guarded by the same entity, along with their supervisors and guards, to ensure their compliance with the provisions of the law and its regulations. They must coordinate with the Regional Police or Provincial Police to determine the need for the number of guards for the site under protection and provide them with copies of the guarding contracts and a statement that includes the names of the guarded sites, the number and names of the security guards and supervisors, and their locations, with the necessity of establishing an office for the institution or company in the city where it operates.

The supervisors and civil security guards are required to wear the uniform specified and provided to them by the entity they work for, in accordance with what is stated in the Permanent Instructions Handbook for the Clothing and Equipment of Security Employees of Government Entities and Private Institutions, with the institution's or company's logo placed on the shoulder badge, and an identification card for the supervisor and guard displayed on the chest.

It is required for institutions and companies currently engaged in private civil security to terminate the services of non-Saudi employees and replace them with Saudis within ninety days from the date of the enforcement of the law and its regulations. This process shall be overseen by a committee consisting of representatives from the Emirate of the region or governorate, the police, the passport office, and the labor office, chaired by the Director of the Regional Police or the Governorate Police or their appointed representative to follow up on this matter.
Additionally, institutions and companies currently engaged in private civil security that are licensed are required to adjust their status in accordance with the private civil security law and its executive regulations upon renewing their license.

The Public Prosecution and Investigation Authority is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of violations of the Private Security Services System and its executive regulations concerning its competencies.