Worker housing in industrial cities
Inside industrial cities, licensing doesn't go through Balady. Here's who's in charge and what your options are.
Who licenses housing in industrial cities
- MODON: Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones
- Industrial cities across the Kingdom, including Riyadh's 1st and 2nd Industrial Cities, Dammam's 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and Sudair City for Industry and Business. MODON's group housing licence issue and renewal service, applied for through the Shareek platform.
- Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu (RCJY)
- Jubail Industrial City, Ras Al Khair, Yanbu Industrial City, and Jazan City for Primary and Downstream Industries. Housing inside its cities follows RCJY, not Balady. Confirm the process with RCJY for your site.
MODON: Collective Accommodation License Issuance and Renewal Service (via Shareek)
The rules to know
- The technical rules are the same everywhere: 4 m² per person, 10 per room at most, one sanitary set per 8, and a full-time Saudi supervisor.
- MODON industrial plots are for building and running factories only: not warehouses, and not worker housing.
- Worker housing counts as an investment activity; you apply for investment or residential land through Shareek.
- Mobile cabins on a project site are category (C), licensed for the length of the project.
Your options
- Housing inside the industrial city
- Closest to the plant; licensed by MODON or RCJY.
- Housing outside, with transport
- More choice; licensed on Balady, with a bus to site on your shifts.
- Cabins on the project site
- For temporary projects; the licence runs with the project.
Industrial cities we cover
Useful guides
FAQ
Can I house workers inside my factory in an industrial city?
MODON industrial plots are for factories only. Worker housing needs investment or residential land through Shareek, plus a group housing licence.
Who licenses worker housing in Dammam's 2nd Industrial City?
MODON, through its group housing licence service on the Shareek platform.
Are the housing rules different in industrial cities?
The technical rules are the same. What changes is the licensing authority and the type of land allowed.
What is Shareek?
MODON's e-services platform, used among other things for investment land requests and the group housing licence service.
A guidance summary, not legal advice. Confirm the process with the authority for your site.
Need worker housing near an industrial city?
Give us the details and we'll come back with a place that fits your crew.