90-day grace period to regularize GCC vehicles in Saudi Arabia

The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior represented by the General Directorate of Traffic, has clarified that the legal stay for GCC-registered vehicles owned by Saudi citizens or non-GCC residents in the Kingdom—or those authorized to drive them—is limited to 90 days, whether consecutive or not, within a 365-day period. This period is calculated from the vehicle’s first entry into Saudi Arabia through a customs port, according to new regulations that will take effect from August 26, 2026, and end on November 23, 2026.

The authority stated via its X platform account that owners of GCC vehicles currently in Saudi Arabia—whether Saudi citizens, non-GCC residents, or authorized drivers—can regularize their vehicles by either removing them from the Kingdom before the grace period ends, or by converting their registration to Saudi plates.

The authority added that this can be done by authorizing a customs broker to submit the customs declaration electronically through the Fasah platform, fulfilling all requirements and paying the necessary customs duties and taxes, without the need to return to the entry port. A directory of customs brokers is available on the authority’s website for those seeking assistance.

The authority also noted that owners of GCC vehicles—whether Saudi citizens, non-GCC residents, or authorized drivers—may request an extension for the vehicle’s stay before the legal period expires, for up to 30 additional days from the end of the original period. Extension requests must be coordinated with the General Directorate of Traffic, and the service will be available via the Absher platform.

The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority urged Saudi citizens and non-GCC residents who own or are authorized to drive GCC-registered vehicles to review the regulations for keeping vehicles registered in Gulf Cooperation Council countries inside Saudi Arabia, available on the customs regulations page of its website. For inquiries, the authority can be contacted around the clock via the unified call center at 19993, the "Zatca Care" account on X, email at [email protected], or through live chat on the authority’s website zatca.gov.sa.