How to License a Private Childcare Center in Saudi Arabia via Taheel
Opening a private childcare center in Saudi Arabia is free and takes five days to process through the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (HRSD). Applicants submit requests entirely online via the Taheel platform. These centers provide supervised care and operate under different rules than kindergartens, which follow an educational track.
Who licenses private childcare centers in Saudi Arabia?
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development issues licenses for all types of private childcare centers. Applications are processed through the Taheel social rehabilitation and guidance platform. The service targets individuals, women, nonprofit organizations, and youth, according to details published on January 1, 2022 (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development).
The Ministry of Education, however, regulates nurseries and kindergartens. On September 22, 2024, it issued updated licensing requirements for these facilities across the Kingdom. Nurseries and private or international kindergartens must hold a commercial registration and secure approvals from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing and Civil Defense. License holders cannot add extra educational stages, new programs, or annexed classrooms beyond what was originally approved (Ministry of Education). Defining your project type first ensures you apply through the correct channel.
Who can apply for a childcare center license?
The service accepts applications from specific groups: individuals, women, nonprofit organizations, and youth. Applicants may apply as natural persons (individuals) or legal entities (organizations). Each category requires different documents during the first licensing stage (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development).
How do you get initial approval and issue the license?
Licensing involves two main stages on the digital platform. It begins with initial approval, followed by final license issuance once the site is ready and external requirements are met.
- Select the required service from the ministry's services page.
- Log in to the Taheel social rehabilitation and guidance platform.
- Obtain initial approval as a natural or legal person for a private childcare center.
- Prepare the site and secure supporting licenses from other authorities.
- Submit the license issuance request with the required documents attached.
- Track the application on the platform until the license is issued.
The platform also allows applicants to cancel the initial approval for private childcare centers if needed (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development).
What documents are required for each licensing stage?
Required documents vary by application stage and applicant type. The table below outlines the specifics:
| Stage | Applicant Type | Required Documents |
|---|---|---|
| First: Initial Approval | Natural Person (Individual) | National ID, national address and residence location, owner contact details |
| First: Initial Approval | Legal Entity (Organization) | Commercial registration, license, or proof of legal status; national address; legal representative's name and national ID number; authorized delegate's contact details |
| Second: License Issuance | All Types | Initial approval number, commercial registration number, center location on a map, Civil Defense license, inspection report from an accredited engineering office, municipal license |
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development advises reviewing Civil Defense and Balady platform requirements before starting (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development).
What are the updated Ministry of Education requirements for nurseries?
The Ministry of Education introduced updated operating requirements for nurseries and kindergartens under new regulations. All licenses must cover nurseries and kindergarten stages exclusively. Regional education departments monitor facility owners to ensure school equipment standards are met.
The ministry stated these updates align with efforts to improve education quality, offer flexibility in organizational and spatial arrangements, and keep pace with local and global developments. The goal is to build institutional frameworks for nurseries and kindergartens that serve children, staff, families, and communities (Ministry of Education).
How much does the license cost and how long does it take?
The childcare center licensing service is completely free. The announced processing time is 5 days. Applications are submitted exclusively through the Taheel platform in Arabic or English. Beneficiaries can reach the ministry by calling 19911 or emailing [email protected] (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development).
The actual time needed to prepare the project depends on how quickly you obtain supporting licenses from external bodies like Civil Defense, the municipality, and accredited engineering offices. These steps must be completed before requesting the final license on the platform.
Key figures at a glance
- Licensing fees: Free (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development)
- Announced processing time: 5 days (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development)
- Service launch date: January 1, 2022 (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development)
- Updated education requirements adopted: September 22, 2024 (Ministry of Education)
- Target groups: Individuals, women, nonprofit organizations, youth (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development)
- Unified contact number: 19911 (Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development)
What to do next
Determine your project's legal status—natural or legal person—and gather core documents like your national ID and commercial registration before logging into the Taheel platform. Review Civil Defense and Balady requirements early. The announced 5-day processing window applies only to the ministry's procedure, not the time spent preparing the site and securing external permits. Check the regulatory controls for private childcare centers published on the ministry's website, and keep the HRSD childcare track separate from the educational nursery track overseen by the Ministry of Education under its 2024 updates.