# “MISA licence” or registration? What the term means now

"MISA licence" is the common name for the foreign-investment licence that Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Investment (MISA) issued before 2025. Since 2025, foreign investors register their investment with MISA instead. The old term still appears in contracts, older documents and requests from banks or partners, so it helps to know what is really being asked for.

Published by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations · Last updated 2026-10-19. General information about Saudi law — not advice on your situation.

## At a glance

- **Who this is for:** Foreign companies and investors, and their advisers, who still meet the term "MISA licence" in plans, contracts or requests from banks and partners.
- **What this guide covers:** What the old term meant, what investment registration is now, what it does not cover, and what to do when someone asks for a licence.
- **Related service:** b1


## What did "MISA licence" mean?

"MISA licence" meant the licence a foreign investor needed to invest in Saudi Arabia under the old Foreign Investment Law. The Ministry of Investment issued it. People also called it an "investment licence" or a "foreign investment licence".

[MISA](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/) is the ministry that registers foreign investment in Saudi Arabia and supports investors. Under the old law, foreign investment needed a licence from the ministry. That is why the name stuck.

So the term is not wrong as history. It describes a step that no longer exists in that form.

## What replaced the "MISA licence"?

Investment registration replaced it. The updated Investment Law replaced the licensing procedure with registration and repealed the old Foreign Investment Law. Since 2025, a foreign investor registers with MISA before starting to invest in Saudi Arabia.

[Investment registration](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/investment-registration/) records you as a foreign investor with MISA. MISA's frequently asked questions call it a required step before you start investment activities. When the registration is complete, MISA issues a registration certificate.

MISA also keeps a national register of investors. Your registration information feeds into it, together with information from other government bodies.

The updated law also covers Saudi and foreign investors in one law. The old law dealt with foreign investors only.

Registration has two tracks: [available activities and restricted activities](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/). Restricted activities need extra approvals before you invest, and MISA publishes the list. Our page on [whether your activity is open to foreign investors](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/is-my-activity-open/) explains how to check.

MISA's own names for the online services are "Apply for Investment Registration" and "Investment Registration Check". Both are on the [Invest Saudi portal](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/), MISA's online platform for investors.

## Is investment registration the same as setting up a company in Saudi Arabia?

No. Investment registration records you as a foreign investor, but it does not create a company. MISA's "Updated Investment Law" page sets out the order. Once registration is complete, the investor obtains a commercial registration and any licences needed from other authorities.

A [commercial registration (CR)](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/commercial-registration/) is the company's entry in the official business register, kept by the Ministry of Commerce. It is much like a company registration certificate in other countries.

Each of these is a separate step with a different office.

**Investment registration and the other steps it is often confused with**

| Step | Office | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Investment registration | Ministry of Investment (MISA) | Registering you as a foreign investor before you invest |
| Commercial registration (CR) | Ministry of Commerce | Creating the company and identifying it in the business register |
| A sector licence | The authority for that sector | Permission to carry on some regulated activities |
| Residency or a visa | The authorities for residency and visas | Living and working in Saudi Arabia |
| Property ownership | Real Estate General Authority (REGA) | Owning property in Saudi Arabia |

So an investment registration certificate does not give anyone a visa or residency. It does not approve a property purchase either. For property, see [buying and owning property in Saudi Arabia as a foreigner](https://saudilaw.co/property-for-foreigners/). For the steps that follow registration, see [setting up a company in Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/).

This is a general overview. Which steps apply to you depends on your activity and your structure.

## Why do some people and documents still say "licence"?

Mostly habit and older paperwork. The licence was a standard step for a long time. So the word stayed in people's vocabulary, in contracts and in document templates. Some official materials still use it in places too.

You are likely to meet the old word in:

- contracts and agreements written before 2025, and templates based on them;
- older company documents that refer to a licence and its number;
- requests from banks, suppliers or business partners abroad;
- articles and advisers' web pages that have not been updated;
- MISA's own materials, such as one answer on its FAQ page and some document lists in its Investor Guide.

MISA's regional headquarters programme also still calls its own approval a licence. That is a separate programme, not the old foreign-investment licence.

None of this brings back the old licence as a general step. When you see the word, ask what the person really needs.

## What should you do if a bank, partner or office asks for a "MISA licence"?

Usually they mean your investment registration certificate. Ask them which document they need and in what form. Then give them the current document, with a translation if they need one.

A simple way to handle the request:

1. Ask what the request is for. It may be proof that you are registered as a foreign investor, your company's CR, or both.
2. Ask whether a plain copy is enough, or whether they need a translated or certified copy.
3. Give them the registration certificate. MISA issues it in Arabic only. MISA's FAQ says the company may have it translated by an accredited translation office. This is a [certified translation](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/): a translation made by an approved translation office.
4. If they want to confirm the registration themselves, point them to MISA's "Investment Registration Check" on the Invest Saudi portal.

Each bank, partner or office decides what it accepts. Some may need a short explanation that registration replaced the licence. A link to MISA's "Updated Investment Law" page can help.

Contracts need more care. A contract may make a "MISA licence" a condition, for example before a payment or before a deal completes. A condition that names a document that no longer exists can lead to delay or disagreement. So have the wording checked. A lawyer can suggest wording that refers to investment registration instead.

Contact: WhatsApp or phone +966 54 797 7285 · email office@raedlawyer.com · undefined

## What happens to a "MISA licence" issued before 2025?

Check your company's current record before you rely on it. MISA's pages do not set out how each older licence now appears in the registration system.

So before you rely on an old licence document, we check your company's record through the official services. This matters most before a sale, a new contract, a change of owners or a request from a bank.

Keep the old licence with your company records. It can still help to show your company's history.

Separately, MISA's Investor Guide lists services to renew and update a registration. The step-by-step outline below includes them.

## How does investment registration usually work, step by step?

Investment registration usually has six steps. This is a short outline, and some steps depend on your activity.

1. **Check your business activity and its track.** Find out whether your activity is available or restricted. Whether you need a Saudi partner also depends on the activity. See [how to check whether your activity is open](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/is-my-activity-open/). Where a lawyer helps: checking how your activity is described before you apply, since it decides the track and any extra approvals.
2. **Prepare the company documents and have them certified for Saudi use.** MISA's FAQ says the documents depend on the type of registration and the activity, and the portal shows them when you apply. Documents from abroad are legalised by [apostille](https://saudilaw.co/glossary/apostille/) or through a Saudi embassy or consulate, depending on the office that receives them. Some Saudi offices still mention embassy stamps in their own guides. See [apostille or legalisation: documents for Saudi Arabia by country](https://saudilaw.co/documents-from-abroad/). Where a lawyer helps: checking what the receiving office accepts before you pay for any stamp or certificate.
3. **Apply online on the Invest Saudi portal.** MISA's FAQ says you do not need to visit the ministry to apply. MISA reviews the application once the file is complete. Its FAQ gives the current review time.
4. **Receive the registration certificate.** It is issued in Arabic only. If a bank or partner needs another language, have it translated by an accredited translation office.
5. **Create the company with the Ministry of Commerce.** The ministry issues the commercial registration (CR). Tax, labour and other registrations follow, and some activities also need a sector licence. See [setting up a company in Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/). Where a lawyer helps: checking the articles of association (the company's founding document) before they are submitted.
6. **Keep the registration up to date.** MISA's Investor Guide lists services to renew the registration, change its owners or activities, merge registers and cancel the registration. Each change has its own application.

Our page on [foreign investment registration](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/investment-registration/) explains each step in more detail.

## Where you'll meet this in practice

These pages put investment registration into practice. Start with the one closest to your question.

- [Foreign investment registration in Saudi Arabia: how it works now](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/investment-registration/) — The registration process in full, from the activity check to keeping the registration up to date.
- [Is your activity open to foreign investors in Saudi Arabia?](https://saudilaw.co/foreign-investment/is-my-activity-open/) — How to check whether your activity is available or restricted before you apply.
- [Branch, subsidiary or regional headquarters: choosing a structure in Saudi Arabia](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/choosing-a-structure/) — Which structure to register, and what each one means for control and responsibility.
- [Setting up a Saudi company from abroad: what can be done remotely](https://saudilaw.co/company-formation/setting-up-from-abroad/) — Which registration and set-up steps you can usually handle from your own country.

[How we write and update our guides](https://saudilaw.co/editorial-policy/)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is a MISA licence still required in Saudi Arabia?

Not for foreign investment in general. Under the updated Investment Law, MISA replaced the old licensing procedure with registration, and a foreign investor registers with MISA before investing. Other authorities still issue the licences that some business activities need. Those are separate from investment registration. A lawyer can tell you which licences your activity needs.

### Is the MISA registration certificate in English?

No. MISA issues it in Arabic only. If a bank, partner or office needs another language, an accredited translation office can translate it. Ask the receiving side first whether it needs the translation in a particular form, such as a certified or legalised translation, so you only do it once.

### How do you check a MISA licence or registration online?

Use the “Investment Registration Check” service linked from MISA's website. Follow the steps it shows, because they can change. If you are about to rely on a partner's registration, for example in a joint venture, also ask the partner for its registration certificate. A registration check is only one step, so ask a licensed lawyer to review the partner before you sign.

### Can a company start trading once it is registered with MISA?

Not yet. Registration with MISA comes first. MISA's guidance on the updated Investment Law says that once the registration is complete, the investor issues a commercial registration (CR) and obtains the licences other authorities require. Ask a lawyer which steps your activity needs before you trade. See [setting up a company in Saudi Arabia](/company-formation/).

### Do you need a Saudi partner to register with MISA?

Not always. It depends on the activity. According to MISA's frequently asked questions, some activities need a local partner and others do not. So check your activity first, before you look for a partner or sign anything. Our page on [whether your activity is open to foreign investors](/foreign-investment/is-my-activity-open/) explains how.

## Official sources

- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Updated Investment Law](https://misa.gov.sa/activities/laws-regulations-copy/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Frequently Asked Questions](https://misa.gov.sa/frequently-asked-questions/) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Investment Law (PDF)](https://misa.gov.sa/app/uploads/2024/08/Investment-Law.pdf) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Investor Guide, 13th edition (PDF)](https://misa.gov.sa/app/uploads/2026/09/Investor-Guide_13-03-en.pdf) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Apply for Investment Registration](https://investsaudi.sa/en/login)
- Ministry of Investment (MISA): [Investment Registration Check](https://investsaudi.sa/en/verify)

General information about Saudi law, not legal advice on your situation. For your own case, speak to a licensed lawyer. Contacting us does not create a lawyer–client relationship until an engagement letter is signed.

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Saudi Law is operated by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations, licensed in Saudi Arabia. https://saudilaw.co/guides/misa-licence-vs-registration/