The Civil Defense Safety Certificate: A Step-by-Step Owner’s Guide

What is the safety certificate?

The safety certificate is an official electronic approval issued by Civil Defense through the Salamah platform (salamah.998.gov.sa) after verifying that a facility meets the fire prevention and protection requirements of the Saudi Building Code, chiefly the fire code SBC 801. It is a core prerequisite for issuing or renewing the commercial licence for most activities.

Who needs it?

Activities that receive the public or carry fire risk: shops, showrooms and malls; restaurants and cafés; warehouses, workshops and factories; hotels, educational and healthcare facilities. The level of requirements depends on the building’s occupancy classification, its area, and the activity’s risk level.

What the facility needs before applying

Requirements are set precisely by activity and area, but the recurring essentials are usually:

• Fire extinguishers of the right type and number for the activity, distributed by area.
• An alarm system (detectors and control panel) for the activities and areas the code requires it for.
• A suppression system matched to the risk level — from sprinkler networks to kitchen fire-suppression systems in restaurants.
• Emergency lighting, exit signage and compliant escape routes.
• A valid maintenance contract with an approved safety company.

Note: exact types and numbers are settled by a technical survey of your specific facility — not by a general rule.

Issuance steps via the Salamah platform

In brief: log in and specify the activity and location to view the requirements; prepare the facility technically through an approved company, with drawings and reports where needed; submit the application and documents and pay the fees set by area and classification; complete the inspection or electronic declaration and resolve any notes; and finally receive the certificate electronically and link it to the licence.

Validity and renewal

The certificate is time-limited, and the practical rule is: do not wait until it is about to expire. Start renewal early, because an expired certificate can suspend your commercial licence renewal and expose you to penalties.

Common mistakes that delay the certificate

Buying non-approved equipment or installing it incorrectly, neglecting the valid maintenance contract, postponing inspection notes until they pile up, and leaving the application to the final days of the licence.

How we help

Marfaa provides the full path: surveying the facility and defining what is genuinely required for your activity without over-specifying systems the code does not require, then supply, installation, testing, the technical report, and the periodic maintenance contract.