Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization, has decided, based on the powers granted to him by law, to approve an amendment to the executive regulations of the Saudi Building Code Implementation Regulation.
According to the Umm al-Qura newspaper, these regulations will take effect as of the date of their publication in the newspaper.
The following are the details of the regulations:
Chapter 1:
Definitions
Article I:
The following words and phrases, wherever they appear in these regulations, shall have the meanings set forth opposite them, unless the context requires otherwise:
Ministry: Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.
Minister: Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.
Municipal Authority: The Secretariat or the Municipality.
The Authority: The Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization.
National Committee: The National Committee for the Saudi Building Code.
Competent Authority at the Ministry: The Central Unit for the Saudi Building Code at the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing.
Code: The Saudi Building Code, which is a set of specifications and requirements, along with the associated implementing regulations and appendices, pertaining to building and construction to ensure public safety and health.
Requirements: Design details, methods of implementation and construction, and the establishment of standard specifications serve as the foundation and reference for applying the code.
Requirements: Procedures and regulations governing building permits and the preparation of engineering plans, as well as the requirements for buildings and structures; these are an integral part of the requirements.
System: Saudi Building Code Implementation System.
Regulation: Executive Regulations for the Implementation of the Saudi Building Code.
List of Violations: A list classifying violations of the Code and specifying the penalties prescribed for each violation.
Review Committee: The Committee for Reviewing Violations of the Saudi Building Code.
Structure\/Building: A structure that is architecturally constructed and prepared for use and occupancy, and is classified in the code.
Certified Designer: A natural or legal person licensed by the relevant authority, who is contracted by the owner to prepare studies and designs that meet the owner\u2019s needs and requirements in accordance with the code.
Supervising Designer: A natural or legal person licensed by the relevant authority to perform supervisory work, who is contracted by the owner as the responsible designer to supervise construction in accordance with the approved permits and plans.
Contractor: A natural or legal person licensed by the relevant authority to carry out construction activities, with whom the owner enters into a contract to perform construction, installation, operation, or maintenance in accordance with the code.
Hidden defect: Any defect in the construction work or its protective elements that compromises the strength, stability, or structural integrity of the building, or any defect attributable to errors, faults, or deficiencies in the design, materials, site, or construction, provided that such defect was not discovered as of the date of issuance of the occupancy permit.
Inspection: The examination of a product, product design, procedure, or construction to determine the extent to which it complies with the requirements of the code or with general requirements based on technical regulations or standards, in accordance with the requirements of the code.
Inspection Body: A \u00abthird party\u00bb accepted by the Authority and licensed to conduct inspections in accordance with the Code\u2019s scope.
Inspector: A person licensed and accredited by the Saudi Council of Engineers to conduct building inspections in accordance with the code.
Supervision: Responsible oversight and monitoring by a registered professional engineer who possesses the necessary qualifications and relevant experience to perform the duties associated with the inspection.
Building Permit: A written authorization issued by the municipal authority, in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Licensing Procedures Law and its implementing regulations.
Occupancy Certificate: A permit to occupy the building issued by the municipal authority after verifying that the building complies with the code.
License to Practice: A professional license issued by the competent authority to natural and legal persons to carry out studies and design work, or to perform construction, supervision, or inspection, in accordance with the Code.
Relevant Authorities: These are the government agencies responsible, within their respective jurisdictions, for monitoring compliance with the Code. These include: the Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing; the Ministry of the Interior (General Directorate of Civil Defense); the Ministry of Energy; and the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization.
Violation: Any intentional or unintentional breach of the Code, its enforcement system, or its regulations.
Violator: Any natural or legal person who violates the Code or any of the provisions of the regulations implementing it or its bylaws.
Serious Violation: Any violation of the Code that, if not promptly remedied or corrected, endangers lives or property or directly causes harm to human health or the environment.
Public utilities: electricity, telephone, water, and sewage.
Chapter 2:
Purpose and Scope of the Code
Article II:
The code aims to establish minimum requirements and standards that ensure public safety and health through the durability, stability, and structural integrity of buildings and structures, while taking into account universal accessibility and providing a healthy environment, adequate lighting, and ventilation, as well as the rational use of water and energy and the protection of lives and property from the dangers of fire, earthquakes, and other building-related hazards.
Article III:
The code consists of the following:
1. Administrative Requirements.
2. Architectural Requirements and Specifications.
3. Structural Requirements and Specifications.
4. Electrical Requirements and Specifications.
5. Mechanical Requirements and Specifications.
6. Energy Efficiency Requirements and Standards.
7. Health requirements and regulations, and water conservation.
8. Fire Safety Requirements and Regulations.
9. Seismic Resistance Requirements and Specifications.
10. Requirements and specifications for existing and historic buildings.
11. Requirements and Specifications for Green Buildings.
12. Requirements and Specifications for Residential Buildings.
13. Reference Standards.
14. Any other requirements or conditions issued by the National Committee.
Article IV:
The requirements and provisions of the code are considered an integrated whole that must be applied.
Article V:
This Code applies and prohibits the application of any other code to all construction and building works in the public and private sectors, according to building classifications, including the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and modification of buildings, as well as to existing buildings in the event of their restoration, change of use, expansion, modification, or demolition, effective from the date the regulation takes effect, in accordance with the phased implementation outlined in the appendix on the stages of the Code\u2019s implementation, and by the end of the implementation phases, the Code shall apply to all types of construction classified therein.
Article VI:
The Code\u2019s requirements and provisions regarding thermal insulation and fire prevention and protection shall apply to all construction work upon the entry into force of the regulation, regardless of the phasing-in stages referred to in Article 5 of the regulations.
Article VII:
The code\u2019s requirements and provisions shall be applied to existing buildings to the extent feasible, based on a technical report from a certified engineering firm that outlines possible engineering solutions, and in accordance with the regulations.
Chapter 3:
Responsibilities of the relevant authorities and the issuance of building permits.
Article VIII:
Without prejudice to the right of the relevant authorities to exercise their duties and powers in accordance with their respective regulations, the Ministry and the municipal authority shall, with regard to the Code, for example, undertake the following tasks:
1. Prepare the necessary survey reports in accordance with the requirements of the master plan.
2. Issuing permits for construction, renovation, demolition, alterations, and other related activities.
3. Monitor and oversee the implementation of the code.
4. Monitor the necessary inspections and tests during the construction process.
5. Issue an occupancy permit after construction is completed and verify that the building complies with the code.
6. Approval of the provision of permanent and temporary public services.
7. Maintain records of construction, monitoring, inspection, enforcement, and penalties.
8. Establish a database of engineering firms, institutions, and companies licensed to carry out construction work, as well as entities authorized to review plans and inspect buildings.
9. Designate inspection authorities according to their jurisdiction as specified in the Code.
Article IX:
Without prejudice to the right of the relevant authorities to exercise their duties and powers in accordance with their respective regulations, the Ministry of the Interior (General Directorate of Civil Defense) shall, with regard to the Code, for example, undertake the following tasks:
1- Monitor and oversee the implementation of the code and enforce compliance with its provisions regarding fire prevention and protection requirements at all stages of construction, maintenance, operation, and storage.
2. Coordinate with the relevant authorities to ensure that engineering consulting firms and contractors have the necessary qualifications in the field of fire prevention and protection to carry out design, supervision, construction, operation, and maintenance work.
3. Designation of inspection agencies in the field of fire prevention and protection.
Article X:
Without prejudice to the right of the relevant authorities to exercise their duties and powers in accordance with their respective regulations, the Ministry of Energy shall, with respect to the Code, for example, perform the following duties:
1. Coordinate with the relevant authorities to develop qualification requirements for engineering and technical firms and contractors to perform electrical work and implement energy conservation measures.
2- Monitor and oversee the implementation of the code and enforce violations related to electrical work and energy conservation that fall within its jurisdiction.
3. Designation of inspection agencies in the field of electrical work and energy conservation.
Article XI:
Without prejudice to the right of the relevant authorities to exercise their duties and powers in accordance with their respective regulations, the Authority shall, with respect to the Code, for example, perform the following duties:
1. Acceptance of conformity assessment bodies, including inspection bodies, to carry out code-related work in one or more specific fields designated by the Authority, in accordance with the provisions issued by the Authority.
2. Update the reference standards for the code in accordance with the standards and technical regulations it issues.
Article XII:
The relevant department within the ministry is responsible for coordinating the establishment of an automated interface between the Baladi platform and other relevant entities to enable them to carry out their specialized tasks related to the implementation of the code.
Article XIII:
In accordance with the Municipal Licensing Procedures Regulation and its implementing regulations, no permit for construction, renovation, modification, demolition, change of use, expansion, or any other similar permit shall be issued until the documents and plans have been verified for compliance with the code and approved.
Article XIV:
The license applicant undertakes to comply with the Code and to entrust the design, supervision, and execution of work to specialists holding professional licenses issued by the relevant authority, and to submit the contracts entered into with them, specifying their addresses and contact information, provided that such contracts explicitly stipulate the practitioners\u2019 commitment to performing the work entrusted to them in accordance with the Code. The license applicant is required to provide their address and contact information and to update them whenever they change; any notice sent to these addresses shall be deemed valid.
Article XV:
The owner, the certified designer, the supervising designer, and the contractor must communicate with the municipal authority in the event of a dispute regarding the application of the code or the interpretation of its provisions. They must report any violation committed by any of the parties. They may also contact the municipal authority or the relevant department within the ministry if they have suggestions for developing or improving the code.
Chapter 4:
Certificate of Occupancy
Article XVI:
A building may not be occupied until an occupancy certificate has been obtained from the municipal authority, in accordance with the occupancy classification set forth in the Saudi General Building Code (SBC 201).
Article XVII:
In accordance with the Municipal Licensing Procedures System and its implementing regulations, the license holder shall submit an application to the municipal authority for the issuance of an occupancy certificate upon completion of construction, attaching to the application the necessary permits and requirements, as well as the final inspection and testing reports and as-built drawings.
Article XVIII:
A decision on an application for an occupancy permit must be made within three business days of the date the application is submitted, after verifying compliance with the code\u2019s requirements and provisions. If the application is denied, the applicant must be notified of the reasons for the denial through the standard notification procedures. The occupancy certificate must include the following information:
Building permit number and date.
Name and address of the building owner.
The building's address, coordinates, description, and classification.
Name of the municipal agency.
Type of Use and Occupancy.
Fire prevention and protection systems ensure that fires do not occur.
Name and signature of the authorized person.
Article XIX:
The municipal authority may issue a temporary occupancy permit, valid for no more than 180 days and renewable, for temporary and seasonal buildings and structures, festivals, events, and workers\u2019 housing in large-scale projects, as needed during the construction period, provided that that the occupancy will be safe and in accordance with the code.
Article XX:
Subject to applicable laws and regulations, the municipal authority and relevant agencies may request the disconnection of public services when necessary to eliminate an immediate danger to life or property, and the owner or occupant of the building shall be notified of the disconnection decision. Service may not be restored until the cause for the disconnection has been eliminated.
Chapter 5:
Inspection, Monitoring, and Follow-up
Article XXI:
Inspections to verify compliance with the Code are conducted in accordance with the phases, types, procedures, and rules specified in the Code, sequentially as construction progresses, It is permissible to move from one stage to another without obtaining approval from the relevant authorities, who retain the right to suspend the building permit at any stage of construction in accordance with the Code.
Article XXII:
The licensee or the licensee\u2019s representative shall notify the inspector when the work is ready for inspection in accordance with the construction phases, and shall provide all documents, drawings, and other materials necessary for the required inspections and tests.
Article XXIII:
Violations are recorded and penalties are imposed in accordance with the provisions of the Code\u2019s Violation Classification Regulations.
Chapter 6:
Update, develop, and re-release the build code.
Article XXIV:
The National Committee is responsible for proposing amendments, improvements, and updates to the Code. Relevant authorities and all interested parties are requested to submit any observations noted during the implementation of the Code, as well as proposals for necessary amendments and updates, directly to the Committee or to the competent department within the Ministry.
Article XXV:
The National Committee shall establish a mechanism for receiving comments on amending or updating the Code, reviewing those comments, and submitting its findings to the Minister of Commerce, who is the Chairman of the Authority\u2019s Board of Directors, for the issuance of decisions regarding such amendments or updates.
Article XXVI:
The National Committee prepares scientific and technical guidelines and explanations related to the code, and collaborates with the relevant authorities in developing training and qualification curricula and plans, as well as organizing workshops, seminars, and conferences related to the code.
Chapter 7:
General Provisions
Article XXVII:
The Ministry and relevant authorities may engage engineering firms, companies, and institutions to carry out their duties related to the implementation of the Code, in accordance with the regulations governing the general requirements for the appointment of inspection bodies and inspectors for work related to the Saudi Building Code.
Article XXVIII:
The competent authority within the Ministry is responsible for the following tasks:
1. Establish mechanisms for implementing the code and monitoring its implementation by secretariats and municipalities, and provide them with the necessary technical support.
2. Develop the necessary procedural guidelines and standardized forms, and establish a mechanism for coordinating with relevant authorities to implement the requirements of the law and its implementing regulations.
3. Monitor the implementation of decisions related to the code.
4. Oversee and monitor procedural matters related to the implementation of the Code.
5. Follow up on the procedures for forming committees to investigate violations, in coordination with the secretariats.
6. Prepare rules of procedure for the committees responsible for reviewing violations, including their procedures and the compensation for their members, and submit them for approval by ministerial decision.
7. Receive comments and suggestions regarding the implementation of the code, compile a database of such comments and suggestions, and forward them to the National Committee for review and to make appropriate recommendations.
8. Any other duties assigned to you.
Article XXIX:
1. The designer supervising the construction and the contractor shall be jointly and severally liable to compensate the owner for any events occurring within ten years \u2014from the date of issuance of the occupancy permit\u2014for any total or partial collapse of the buildings or structures they have constructed, as well as for any latent defect that threatens the structural integrity and safety of the building.
2. The obligation to pay the compensation referred to in paragraph (1) shall remain in effect even if the damage or collapse results from a defect in the land itself or from the employer\u2019s consent to the construction of defective buildings or structures.
3. A certified designer shall be liable for design defects if his or her work is limited to preparing the design without supervising its implementation.
4. Any provision intended to exempt the contractor or supervising designer from liability or to limit such liability shall be null and void.
Article XXX:
These regulations shall take effect as of the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Reading time: <\/span> 7<\/span> Minutes<\/span><\/span>Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), based on the powers granted to him by law, decided to approve the amendment of the executive regulations of the Saudi Building Code Implementation System. According to the Umm Al-Qura newspaper, this regulation will be implemented as of the date of its publication in the newspaper. The details of the regulation are as follows: Chapter One: Definitions Article One: ... Read more<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"\u0627\u0644\u0648\u0632\u064a\u0631 "\u0627\u0644\u0642\u0635\u0628\u064a" \u064a\u0639\u062a\u0645\u062f \u062a\u0639\u062f\u064a\u0644 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0627\u0626\u062d\u0629 \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0646\u0641\u064a\u0630\u064a\u0629 \u0644\u0646\u0638\u0627\u0645 \u062a\u0637\u0628\u064a\u0642 \u0643\u0648\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0628\u0646\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0639\u0648\u062f\u064a .. \u0625\u0644\u064a\u0643 \u0643\u0627\u0645\u0644 \u0627\u0644\u062a\u0641\u0627\u0635\u064a\u0644","_seopress_titles_desc":"%%sitename%% %%title%% %\u0643\u0648\u062f \u0627\u0644\u0628\u0646\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0639\u0648\u062f\u064a","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"0","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32279","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-legislation-and-regulations"],"acf":{"amlak_post_excerpt":"","amlak_post_excerpt_source":{"label":"Amlak post excerpt","type":"text","formatted_value":""}},"featured_image_urls":{"full":"","thumbnail":"","medium":"","medium_large":"","large":"","1536x1536":"","2048x2048":"","trp-custom-language-flag":"","event-thumbnail":"","event-medium":"","event-large":"","event-hero":""},"author_info":{"info":["\u0623\u0645\u0644\u0627\u0643 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u064a\u0627\u0636"]},"category_info":"\u0627\u0644\u062a\u0634\u0631\u064a\u0639\u0627\u062a \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0623\u0646\u0638\u0645\u0629<\/a>","tag_info":"\u0627\u0644\u062a\u0634\u0631\u064a\u0639\u0627\u062a \u0648\u0627\u0644\u0623\u0646\u0638\u0645\u0629","comment_count":"0","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32279","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32279"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32279\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32279"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32279"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amlak.net.sa\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32279"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}