In a sweeping regulatory shift, Saudi Arabia has redrawn the map of what private security guards can—and must—do, dramatically narrowing their scope of duties during work hours while expanding the list of locations that now require round-the-clock protection.
Under a newly amended provision in the Executive Regulations of the Law of Private Security Services, the Ministry of Interior has now confined the daytime deployment of private security to just eight types of commercial and public-facing establishments. Meanwhile, another provision mandates 24/7 guarding for 15 categories of critical venues—ranging from banks to residential towers—signaling a sharper focus on risk management in both the public and private sectors.
Educational institutions (both local and international), medical clinics, event venues, and large restaurants are among the few remaining spaces where daytime security is still mandated. So are women’s gyms, supersized hypermarkets, and seasonal pilgrim camps in the holy sites. If you’re running a wedding hall or a private training center, you’re on the list. If your eatery spans more than 1,000 square meters, you’re on it too.
But where things get especially strict is in the newly fortified category of establishments that require a permanent security presence. These include the obvious high-value locations—banks, hospitals, gold shops, and major malls—as well as some less conspicuous places like car dealerships with lots exceeding 2,000 square meters and human resources company worker accommodations. Residential buildings with more than 50 units? Also under the 24-hour guard rule.
Even libraries and amusement parks make the cut—if their size crosses the 2,000 or 3,000 square meter thresholds, respectively. The regulations also give regional police chiefs authority to demand full-time guards at factories and warehouses, but only after a feasibility study is conducted by a licensed security consultancy.
And here’s the catch: facilities falling under this requirement have just two months to comply once they’re formally notified.
Behind all this is the kingdom’s drive to formalize and professionalize its private security landscape. The overarching law governs how civilian security personnel are trained, deployed, and managed in the private sector, ensuring they’re not just buttoned-up figures at the door but an integrated part of a broader safety framework.
In short, Saudi Arabia is drawing tighter lines around who guards what—and when—ensuring private security isn’t just present, but purposeful.
