Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Municipalities and Housing and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Real Estate Authority Mr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Hogail, the Authority launched the “Instant Licensing” service for off-plan projects, on the sidelines of Cityscape Global 2025, in a significant step that reflects the sector’s focus on accelerating the real estate developer’s journey, enhancing the efficiency of the real estate development environment, and boosting the Kingdom’s investment appeal.
The Authority explained that the new service followed a comprehensive effort to redesign and streamline off-plan sales procedures, reducing requirements by approximately 90%, making it easier for developers to quickly meet the conditions and contributing to higher-quality operations and an improved user experience. This transformation is considered one of the key pillars for enhancing the reliability of the real estate market and raising the level of compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
It confirmed that the time required to issue a license has undergone a qualitative leap; whereas procedures previously took more than 30 business days, licenses are now issued immediately upon fulfillment of the requirements, through an integrated electronic system based on precise operational governance and the automation of licensing stages, which increases operational efficiency, minimizes manual intervention, reduces the likelihood of errors, and enhances transparency.
The Real Estate Authority explained that the developed system relies on comprehensive coordination and integration with government and financial institutions, enabling developers to obtain financing more quickly and reliably, contributes to supporting early sales and providing the liquidity needed to execute projects more effectively, and the service also works to ensure the protection of buyers“ rights by strengthening verification of projects” regulatory and financial compliance.
The Authority announced its integration with a number of local banks to automatically open escrow accounts, while work continues to complete the integration with the remaining banks in the coming phase. This reinforces the development of an integrated financial system that builds trust among all parties in the real estate market and supports the sustainability of off-plan sales.
It is worth noting that the launch of the “Instant Licensing” service is part of the General Real Estate Authority’s efforts to improve governance, enhance transparency, facilitate investment, accelerate growth, and increase the real estate supply, thereby cementing the Saudi real estate market’s position as one of the most developed and efficient markets in the region. The first instant license for off-plan sales was issued to Roshen Group.