Before any contractor moves onto your plot, the building permit has to be issued. It is more than paperwork: it is the step where the authorities confirm your design meets the zoning requirements for the area and that the drawings come from an accredited engineering office. This article explains the general route to a villa building permit through the Balady platform, what to prepare, who does what, and what comes after.
Important: this is a general awareness guide. Permit procedures and requirements are updated from time to time, so always rely on what the official Balady platform shows when you apply, and ask the engineering office working with you.
What Balady is and why it comes first
Balady is the Kingdom's online portal for municipal services, and building permit applications are submitted and tracked through it. For most steps you no longer need to carry paper between offices; the owner follows progress from their own account.
Owners usually sign in through the National Single Sign-On (Nafath), and the application is linked to the engineering office that prepares and submits the drawings. That makes choosing the engineering office one of the first important decisions in the project.
Step 1: Land ownership documents and plot data
Before any design work, make sure the plot paperwork is clear:
- Proof of ownership, with the area and boundaries matching what is on the ground.
- Plot data as shown on the approved neighbourhood plan, such as plot number and permitted use.
- Zoning requirements: setbacks from the boundaries, permitted building coverage and number of floors. These vary by area and are set by the regulations in force.
If the title and the ground do not match, sort it out before design starts, because the drawings are built on this data.
Step 2: Appoint an accredited engineering office
The engineering office turns your brief into drawings that can be approved. It typically prepares:
- Architectural drawings: layout, elevations and levels, within the zoning requirements.
- Structural drawings: foundations, columns, beams, slabs and reinforcement details, based on a soil report where there is one.
- Electrical, plumbing and mechanical drawings: services, drainage and AC.
- The application on Balady, including responding to comments until approval.
Do I need a soil report?
On many projects the structural engineer asks for a soil report describing the ground, its bearing capacity and the right founding level. It directly affects the foundation type and can save surprises during excavation. Ask your engineering office whether your plot needs one.
Take your time on the design
Changing a drawing is far easier than changing concrete. Review door and window positions, bathrooms and kitchen, entrances, parking and the water tank location. A significant change after the permit is issued may require the permit itself to be amended.
Step 3: Submission and comments
Once the drawings are complete, the application is submitted on the platform with the required documents. Applications usually go through review stages that may produce comments on the drawings. When that happens, the engineering office revises and resubmits, you track the status from your account, and any further requirement shown on the platform is completed at its stage.
Comments are a normal part of the process and usually concern details that are easy to fix. What matters is that the office responds quickly.
Step 4: After the permit is issued
The permit is not the end of the procedure. Some obligations run alongside construction:
| After the permit | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Keep the permit and approved drawings on site | For reference during any visit or query |
| Register the contractor and supervising party as the platform requires | Responsibilities are clear and on record |
| Put up the project sign if required | Shows the permit details and responsible parties |
| Build exactly to the approved drawings | Deviations may be treated as violations |
| Cooperate with inspections during construction | Part of confirming compliance |
| Complete the post-construction steps shown on the platform | Needed before connecting services and moving in |
Engineering supervision during construction protects the owner first. The supervising engineer checks reinforcement before pours and confirms the work matches the drawings and the Saudi Building Code in general terms. The platform and current regulations set out when supervision by an engineering office is required.
Common mistakes at the permit stage
- Starting excavation before the permit. It risks violations and stop-work orders, and you may have to rework what was built if the approved drawings differ.
- Changing the design mid-build without amending the permit. A roof room, a moved staircase or a deeper facade projection can all conflict with the approved drawings.
- Choosing an engineering office on speed alone. Thin structural drawings lead to guesswork on site, and guesswork in reinforcement is not what you want in your home.
- Relying on old information. What a neighbour needed a few years ago may not apply today. Go back to Balady.
What the contractor does during the permit stage
The contractor usually does not obtain the permit; that is the owner's and engineering office's role. A good contractor still helps by reviewing the drawings for buildability before approval, visiting the plot to assess excavation and access, pricing from the same drawings that will be approved so items do not shift later, and planning to mobilise as soon as the permit is issued. Before choosing one, check their registration as explained in how to choose a licensed contractor in Riyadh.
How Marafi starts once the permit is issued
We review the approved drawings and permit, visit the site and prepare an itemised proposal by stage. On site we follow the engineering drawings strictly: approved termite treatment, polyethylene sheet against moisture, blinding concrete, precise foundations and footings, and column formwork fixed and checked for plumb before and after the pour. A team of labourers, technicians, supervisors and engineers works on site and owners receive photo updates at each stage. See Villa Construction, our twelve stages on How we build, and the full sequence in villa construction stages in Riyadh.
Owner's checklist
- Get the land documents in order and make sure they match the ground.
- Appoint an accredited engineering office and review the drawings carefully.
- Ask whether a soil report is needed.
- Track the application on Balady and answer comments quickly.
- Do not start any site work before the permit is issued.
- Build to the approved drawings and do not change the design without the engineering office.
- Always check the official platform, because procedures change.
Is your permit in progress or just issued? Contact us for a drawing review and site visit so we are ready to start as soon as the paperwork is complete.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for a building permit in Saudi Arabia?
Building permit applications are made online through the Balady platform, usually by an accredited engineering office on the owner's behalf. Check the official platform for current requirements.
Which documents are usually needed?
Typically proof of land ownership, architectural, structural, electrical and plumbing drawings from an accredited engineering office, a soil report where needed, and whatever else the platform asks for at the time.
Can the contractor start before the permit is issued?
It is not advisable. A professional contractor will not excavate before the permit is issued and the drawings approved, because starting early exposes the owner to violations and stop-work orders.
Do permit procedures change?
Yes. Requirements and steps are updated from time to time, so always rely on what the official Balady platform shows when you apply, and ask your engineering office.
