Saudi Arabia tightens private security law, mandates 24-hour guards for key sectors
Round-the-clock security needed among others for hotels, banks, jewellery shops, hospitals
Dubai: Saudi Arabia has amended the Executive Regulations of the Law of Private Security Services, introducing new restrictions on the duties of private security guards and expanding the mandate for 24-hour coverage across critical commercial and residential sectors, the Ministry of Interior announced.
The changes, approved by Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Naif, limit private security guard duties during working hours to eight designated types of activities. In parallel, the amendments expand the requirement for round-the-clock security to 15 categories of vital establishments.
Under the revised Article 2, facilities that must deploy guards during business hours include:
Private and international schools and training centers
Wedding and event venues
Private clinics, medical centers, and complexes
Event spaces licensed by the Saudi Conventions and Exhibitions General Authority or the General Entertainment Authority during events
Restaurants with licensed commercial space exceeding 1,000 square meters
Women’s gyms
Hypermarkets and grocery stores over 2,000 square meters
Designated Hajj sites and camps during the first 15 days of Dhul Hijjah
Article 15, as amended, mandates 24-hour security coverage for the following:
Hotels, banks, money exchanges, and hospitals
Jewellery and gold shops
Malls and markets with over 30 stores or spanning more than 3,000 square meters
Residential compounds with more than 10 villas or 50 units
Employee housing managed by HR firms
Car dealerships and heavy equipment centers over 2,000 square meters
Car showrooms meeting the same criteria
Towers with over 50 residential or commercial rental units
Amusement parks and tourist venues over 3,000 square meters
Private libraries larger than 2,000 square meters
Additional entities as specified by regulatory authorities
Additionally, factories and warehouses may also be required to maintain 24-hour private security, subject to directives from regional police authorities. This is contingent on a feasibility study submitted by a licensed security consultant within two months of notification.
These updates aim to strengthen the regulation of the private security sector, ensuring the protection of vital private and public assets in line with national safety goals.
-- Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE
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