Council of Ministers Approves New Framework
Saudi Arabia’s Council of Ministers has approved new regulations governing the presence of vehicles registered in Gulf Cooperation Council countries within the Kingdom. Under the new framework, GCC-registered vehicles will not be permitted to remain in Saudi Arabia for more than 90 days within any 365-day period, whether the days are consecutive or spread across multiple entries throughout the year.
The 90-day clock begins from the moment a vehicle enters the Kingdom through any of the Saudi customs ports. The regulation applies to vehicles owned by Saudi citizens, expatriates, or individuals authorized to drive them within the Kingdom. Rental vehicles obtained from licensed establishments in any GCC country are exempt from the new rules.
Extension Requests and Compliance Procedures
The regulations provide a mechanism for vehicle owners or authorized drivers to request an extension of the permitted stay before it expires. Such requests must be submitted to the Ministry of Interior, which will evaluate them on a case-by-case basis. The ministry has been tasked with specifying the data requirements and procedural steps for extension applications.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority will play a central role in implementing the new system. The authority is responsible for providing the Ministry of Interior with the vehicle data necessary for enforcement. Vehicle owners or authorized drivers will be required to register their vehicle information at the customs port of entry, following procedures established by the authority.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Those who exceed the 90-day limit without obtaining an extension will face penalties under Article 68, Paragraph 5 of the Saudi Traffic Law. The specific sanctions for overstaying are classified as traffic violations, and repeat offenders may face escalated enforcement measures. The governor of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority has been tasked with issuing the executive decisions needed to bring the regulations into full effect, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior.
Addressing Long-Term Vehicle Overstays
The new regulations are designed to address a long-standing issue involving GCC-registered vehicles that remain in Saudi Arabia for extended periods without being re-registered locally. In recent years, authorities have noted a growing number of vehicles entering the Kingdom on GCC plates and staying well beyond typical visit durations, creating regulatory gaps in vehicle tracking, insurance coverage, and traffic enforcement.
By establishing a clear 90-day threshold with a formal extension process, the Kingdom aims to bring greater order to cross-border vehicle movement while maintaining the ease of travel that GCC residents have long enjoyed across the Gulf. The regulations also support broader efforts to modernize the Kingdom’s transportation governance framework as part of its ongoing regulatory reform agenda.
For GCC nationals and residents who frequently travel to Saudi Arabia by road, the new rules represent an important change that will require advance planning. Those who intend to stay longer than 90 days will need to either arrange for local registration or submit a timely extension request to avoid penalties.
