Who can buy in Makkah and Madinah

Zullfa Weekly · Due Diligence

Who qualifies to own property in the holy cities under the new ownership law, for buyers abroad and for residents of the Kingdom.

Updated 18 September 2026 · 4 min

The script it was made from

Host: Bismillah. Who is actually eligible to buy a home in Makkah or Madinah?

Guest: The short answer is Muslim individuals, whether you live inside the Kingdom or abroad.

Host: And that is actual ownership, not just a long lease?

Guest: Yes, under Article two, paragraph four of the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis, the right to own property itself in Makkah and Madinah is limited to Muslim natural persons.

Host: When did that rule take effect?

Guest: The law entered into force on the twenty-second of January, twenty twenty-six.

Host: Can you buy anywhere in the two cities?

Guest: No, non-Saudi purchases are only permitted inside designated geographic zones.

Host: So the regular rule that lets residents buy one home outside zones does not work there?

Guest: That is right, that one-residence exception does not apply to the two holy cities.

Host: What about someone living overseas who wants to buy in an approved zone, in sha’ Allah?

Guest: Under Article two of the Executive Regulations, non-resident individuals must complete three steps before owning.

Host: What are those three steps?

Guest: You need a Saudi digital ID, a bank account inside the Kingdom in your own name, and a Saudi mobile number in your name linked to that digital ID.

Host: Can a company buy in the holy cities?

Guest: REGA, the Real Estate General Authority, confirms that ownership in Makkah and Madinah is restricted to Muslim individuals and Saudi companies that have non-Saudi shareholders.

Host: Does an unlisted Saudi company need extra approvals to buy in those zones?

Guest: Under Executive Regulations Article eight, paragraph three, an unlisted Saudi company with foreign shareholders can own in the designated zones without approval from the Ministry of Investment.

Host: Many people have heard about ninety-nine year leases. Does that still exist?

Guest: Usufruct rights up to ninety-nine years do remain an option alongside ownership.

Host: So the ninety-nine years is not a cap on full ownership?

Guest: No, on the official portal, allowed ownership percentage and usufruct duration are separate fields, and ninety-nine years is simply the maximum usufruct period.

Host: And what if you hold Saudi Premium Residency?

Guest: Alhamdulillah, a Muslim Premium Residency holder can own property in the designated zones under the twenty twenty-six law, because Article five protects better rights.

Host: What is the key takeaway?

Guest: If you are a Muslim individual, you can own property in Makkah and Madinah today, provided the building sits inside the official zones and you have your Saudi digital ID, bank account, and phone number in place.

Host: You can check all the zone maps and verified sources on zullfa dot com. This is information, not legal or financial advice. May Allah make your journey to the two holy cities easy and blessed.

An AI conversation generated from this script and its sources. Information, not legal or financial advice.

Sources

  1. REGA — Q&A on the updated Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis
    REGA's official Q&A on the updated law states that ownership in Makkah and Madinah is restricted to Muslim individuals and to Saudi companies with non-Saudi shareholders.

  2. Umm Al-Qura — Executive Regulations, Art. 2 · 3 Jul 2026
    Executive Regulations Art. 2 set three prerequisites for a non-resident non-Saudi individual before owning: a digital ID, a bank account in the Kingdom in their own name, and a Saudi phone number in their name linked to the digital ID.

  3. REGA — law text, Art. 2(3) · 25 Jul 2025
    In Makkah and Madinah, non-Saudi purchases are only possible inside the designated geographic zones; the 'one residence outside zones' right for residents does not apply to the two holy cities.

  4. REGA — system enters into force · 22 Jan 2026
    In Makkah and Madinah, non-Saudi ownership and real rights are limited to Muslim natural persons (Law Art. 2(4)); REGA states this applies whether residing inside or outside the Kingdom.

  5. REGA — law text, Art. 2(4) · 25 Jul 2025
    Article 2(4) of the Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis (Royal Decree M/14, in force 22 January 2026) limits the non-Saudi right to own property (تملك) and to acquire other real rights over it in Makkah and Madinah to Muslim natural persons, and the right it restricts is ownership itself, so a Muslim individual may own inside the designated zones and is not limited to usufruct.

  6. REGA — system enters into force · 22 Jan 2026
    The Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis entered into force on 22 January 2026.

  7. Umm Al-Qura — Executive Regulations, Art. 8(3) · 3 Jul 2026
    Under Executive Regulations Art. 8(3), a Saudi-incorporated company that is not listed on the Saudi Exchange and has one or more non-Saudi shareholders may own property, or acquire other real rights over it, inside the designated geographic scope (including Makkah and Madinah) without obtaining Ministry of Investment approval.

  8. Premium Residency Law (English, MISA) · 1 Nov 2024
    Usufruct rights in Makkah and Madinah of up to 99 years remain available (zone cards show 99 years; Premium Residency Law Art. 2(1)(e)).

  9. Saudi Properties portal — zone card labels (zones.rules, English)
    On the Saudi Properties portal's zone cards, allowed ownership percentage and usufruct duration are two separate labelled fields, each filled from its own value, so the 99 years is the longest usufruct term a card can show and does not limit ownership.

  10. REGA — law text, Art. 2(4) read with Art. 5 · 25 Jul 2025
    A Premium Residency holder who is a Muslim natural person may own property inside the designated zones of Makkah and Madinah under the 2026 Law of Real Estate Ownership by Non-Saudis (Art. 2(4)), because Art. 5 of that law preserves Premium Residency rights; the older Premium Residency Law wording (ownership only outside the two holy cities, usufruct of up to 99 years inside) no longer states the governing rule for such a buyer.

Where each fact above comes from, with the source’s own date where it gives one.

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