Saudi Arabia: cross-border payments and remote closing

The 2026 ownership law was built around an electronic process, which suits a buyer who lives abroad. That also means the steps are strict, and a deal that skips them is not legally effective. This briefing is for agencies and developers.

The sequence in outline

• The buyer prepares the prerequisites: a digital identity obtained through a Saudi embassy or consulate, a bank account in their own name in the Kingdom and a Saudi mobile number linked to that identity, as the summaries we read describe for a non-resident individual.
• The application and the payments run through a single electronic platform managed by the Real Estate General Authority, called REGA, which is described as integrated with the central bank's payment system and handling applications, payments and the issue of the title.
• All statutory taxes and fees are paid electronically before the transfer application is submitted.
• Registration in the real estate registry is a condition for validity of the transfer. Transactions that are not registered are not legally effective.

Taxes and fees

Law-firm notes give the following picture in July 2026. Treat the figures as current only after checking the platform.

• Real estate transaction tax: 5 percent of the transaction value, usually paid by the seller through SADAD, the national payment system. The parties can agree in the contract that the buyer bears it.
• A disposal fee on transactions involving non-Saudis: up to 5 percent under the law. A rate of 2 percent is described as applying today to residential and commercial properties in Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, in a form that is subject to change. The contract decides who pays it.
• Registration: SAR 1,600 for a standard transfer in the registry, and no fee on a first registration, again with a warning that fees can change.
• A tax payment certificate for the transaction tax is required before completion.
• Value added tax is generally not charged on property sales, because the transaction tax replaced it.

Combined, sources speak of up to 10 percent on a transfer involving a non-Saudi before other charges. Put the allocation of every tax and fee into the sale contract in plain words, and show the buyer the total in the currency they hold.

Money from abroad

• Payment of taxes and fees is electronic through SADAD or official government payment channels. The same notes say cash and post-dated cheques are prohibited.
• The buyer needs a Saudi bank account anyway, so open it before you sign.
• Expect questions on the source of funds from the Saudi bank, and keep your own file: documents showing the origin of the money, in a form the bank accepts.
• Do not accept a part of the price outside the contract, and do not accept cash.
• A payment from a third party needs its own explanation and its own checks.

Remote closing

The platform and the digital identity are designed so that a non-resident can apply without living in the country, but the first steps still require contact with a Saudi embassy or consulate. We did not verify how Saudi notaries and the registry treat a power of attorney granted abroad, whether remote signing is accepted, or what documents need legalisation. Ask a Saudi lawyer before the buyer signs anything abroad. Ask three questions.

• Can the buyer complete the whole application through the platform with the digital identity?
• If a representative is used, which form must the authority take, and does it need legalisation?
• Which documents must be in Arabic?

Timing

We found no official timeline for the registration. The identity and bank account steps happen before the application, so plan for a long preparation, and tell the buyer that the sequence is fixed and money moves only inside the platform.

Pitfalls to avoid

• selling a property outside a designated zone to a non-resident
• treating a signed contract as ownership before the registry entry
• leaving the allocation of the transaction tax and the disposal fee unclear
• asking a buyer to pay outside the platform or in cash
• suggesting ownership in Makkah or Madinah without Saudi counsel
• relying on a rate or fee seen in a blog without checking the platform

What to tell a remote buyer

• which documents and accounts they need before the application, and roughly how long they take
• that all payments go through the electronic channels
• which taxes and fees apply, who pays each, and the total range
• that ownership comes with the registry entry
• who will act for them in the Kingdom and with what authority

The client-side checks for the same file are in our briefing on serving expat buyers in Saudi Arabia.

Working with D.H. Realting

D.H. Realting is a trilingual (Russian, English, Polish) overseas-property platform. We introduce buyers, including expats and cross-border buyers, and support the process. Agencies that handle the deal locally and want to be introduced to such buyers can contact us through our partners page.

This briefing is informational only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Facts were checked on 12 October 2026 from the sources named in the text; rules change, so confirm with a local lawyer before relying on any point.