Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Municipalities and Housing has approved new municipal requirements for commercial data centers, creating a unified framework for the facilities’ location, licensing, design, construction and operation.
The rules apply to standalone commercial data centers inside and outside urban areas. Sites must have access to essential services, including electricity, telecommunications and transport, and comply with requirements covering building regulations, parking, setbacks, heights and landscaping.
Applicants must secure Civil Defense approval, hold a valid commercial registration for the activity and obtain approval from the relevant supervising authority. Licensing procedures, including issuance, renewal, amendment, suspension and cancellation, will follow the country’s municipal licensing framework.
The requirements also mandate compliance with the Saudi Building Code, with design and construction overseen by accredited engineering offices. They cover fire protection, cooling, electrical power, backup systems and other relevant local and international standards.
Additional provisions address security monitoring, maintenance, waste management, accessibility, signage and the protection of sensitive facility locations. According to the announcement, the framework is intended to provide investors with clearer requirements while supporting the reliability of infrastructure used for digital services, cloud computing and data management.
Source: Jawlah
