Saudi e-commerce store registration and verification
To register an online store in Saudi Arabia you hold a valid commercial register or freelance document and a commercial bank account, then verify the store on the Business Platform of the Saudi Business Center. The Ministry of Commerce named it the only approved platform in March 2023, replacing Maroof.
By Mousa Alhelo, founder, E-SAFQA · Updated · 6 min read · How we write and test these guides
What is online store verification in Saudi Arabia?
Online store verification is the Ministry of Commerce scheme that links a store's web address to the seller's commercial register or freelance document and bank account, so shoppers can check who they are paying. On 29 March 2023 (7 Ramadan 1444 AH) the Ministry announced that the Business Platform of the Saudi Business Center replaces Maroof and is the only approved platform for verifying online stores. The Business Center's portal now carries the name Saudi Center for Competitiveness and Business.
What does the E-Commerce Law require?
The E-Commerce Law was issued by Royal Decree M/126 on 10 July 2019 (7/11/1440 AH). The Ministry of Commerce summarises it as 26 articles that require sellers to disclose their contact details and workplace, state the main features of products and the terms of the contract, and protect shoppers' personal data. It also says sellers without a commercial register must state their workplace and verify their activity through a store-verification platform.
The Ministry's summary lists two consumer rights: withdrawing within 7 days of receiving an unused product, with exceptions such as made-to-order goods, and cancelling when delivery is more than 15 days late. Penalties run from a warning to suspension or blocking of the store and fines of up to SAR 1,000,000.
The Ministry's e-commerce page also publishes the executive regulations, a guide for online stores, the compliance checklist and cybersecurity guidance for both e-commerce providers and consumers. Treat that page as your first reference before launch.
Which documents can you verify a store with?
Both documents can anchor a verified store. The freelance platform says the Saudi Business Center keeps an approved list of professions for verifying online stores, so a freelancer issues the document in one of the approved professions that matches the store's activity.
| Commercial register | Freelance document | |
|---|---|---|
| Who holds it | A business registered with the Ministry of Commerce | An individual registered as a freelancer with the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development |
| Eligibility | Business registration under the commercial register law | Saudi national, aged 18 or over, with an active Absher account |
| Validity | No expiry date since April 2025; annual data confirmation instead | One year from issue |
| Fee | See the Ministry's service page | No fee at present, per the freelance platform (October 2026) |
| Also needed | A commercial bank account linked to the store | A commercial bank account linked to the document |
How do you verify your store, step by step?
- Confirm that your commercial register or freelance document is valid.
- Open or confirm a commercial bank account linked to that document. The Ministry states that verified stores use accounts tied to the store, not accounts in individuals' names.
- Sign in to the Business Platform of the Saudi Business Center and open the online store verification service.
- Enter your store's web address and details, accept the conditions shown and submit the request.
- Show your commercial register number, VAT number and any licence number on the website. The Ministry's checklist also expects the store link to be registered in the commercial register.
- Search for your store in the official inquiry service and confirm the details match.
How can a shopper check whether a Saudi online store is verified?
The Ministry's inquiry service lets anyone look a store up. According to the Ministry's guide (updated 12 November 2024) you can search by verification number, unified national number (10 digits, starting with 7), commercial register number (10 digits), freelance document number (8 digits), store name (at least 3 characters) or store link.
For a shopper, the result puts the verification data, the verified commercial activities, the linked bank accounts, store and contact information, and the verified platforms in one place. If a store is not verified but has a commercial register, the guide points to the Ministry's commercial register inquiry. Since 3 September 2023 the Balagh Tijari app and call centre 1900 handle complaints about verified stores, and the Ministry warns shoppers not to transfer money to personal bank accounts.
As a seller, run the same search on your own store before you launch. Check that the store link, the commercial activity and the bank account shown are the ones you want customers to see, and keep your commercial register number identical on the website, on invoices and in the inquiry result.
What changed for the commercial register in 2025?
The new commercial register law and trade names law entered into force on 5 Shawwal 1446 AH (3 April 2025). The Ministry lists these differences from the old law:
- One commercial register covers all activities across the Kingdom, with no branch registers and no register per region.
- The register no longer has an expiry date; traders confirm their data once a year instead.
- A suspended register is struck off after one year of suspension.
- The law allows alternative measures, such as a warning or correcting the violation, in addition to or instead of a fine.
Do you also need to register for VAT?
Verification and VAT registration are separate: the first goes through the Business Platform, the second through ZATCA. ZATCA's registration e-service lists SAR 375,000 in annual revenue as the point where VAT registration is required and SAR 187,500 as the point where it becomes optional (as of October 2026).
Once registered you charge VAT at the standard rate, which ZATCA's May 2026 invoicing guideline gives as 15%. The Ministry's checklist then expects your VAT number on the website and the VAT amount or rate on each invoice.
How does verification connect to the messages your store sends?
The Ministry's checklist asks stores to publish a privacy policy and to let customers stop electronic ads. Treat WhatsApp the same way. WhatsApp Pilot, a Shopify app by E-SAFQA, sends abandoned-checkout reminders only for customers whose Shopify WhatsApp marketing consent allows it, skips opt-outs and STOP replies, and stops pending reminders once an order is placed. Order confirmations are transactional messages about an order the customer has already placed.
Frequently asked questions
Is Maroof still used to verify online stores in Saudi Arabia?
The Ministry of Commerce announced in March 2023 that the Business Platform replaces Maroof as the only approved platform for verifying online stores.
Do I need a commercial register to sell online in Saudi Arabia?
Verification requires a valid commercial register or freelance document plus a commercial bank account. The E-Commerce Law also covers sellers without a register, who must state their workplace and verify through a platform.
How do I check if a Saudi online store is verified?
Use the official inquiry service and search by verification number, commercial register number, freelance document number, store name or store link.
What are the penalties under the E-Commerce Law?
The Ministry's summary lists a warning, suspension of activity, blocking of the store and fines of up to SAR 1,000,000.
Does a commercial register still expire in Saudi Arabia?
Since the new law took effect on 3 April 2025 the register has no expiry date. Traders confirm their data once a year instead.
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