Saudi Arabia company search: Wathq, MoCI, and ZATCA

TL;DR. Saudi Arabia’s company verification has been handled through Wathq (https://wathq.sa), the Ministry of Commerce’s digital verification platform. That host currently rejects this hostname and does not serve a public search page. www.wathq.sa does not resolve. https://developer.wathq.sa/en is a developer and API homepage (login and sign-up), not a public commercial-register search. ZATCA VAT status lookup at Taxpayer Lookup is an English VAT status form, described below. Under the Commercial Register Law effective 3 April 2026, the CR number was replaced by a unified national number starting with “7” (existing registrations have a five-year transition window). Confirm fees and Wathq account rules at source.

What is the official Saudi Arabia business registry?

Saudi Arabia’s primary business registry is the Commercial Registration (CR) system maintained by the Ministry of Commerce (MoCI). Every company operating in the Kingdom must obtain a CR, which is the foundational proof of legal existence for Saudi companies.

The Ministry of Commerce has been named at mc.gov.sa and has operated the Wathq platform (https://wathq.sa) as its public-facing business verification service. https://wathq.sa currently rejects this hostname and does not serve a public search page. The www variant does not resolve. https://developer.wathq.sa/en is a developer portal that lists commercial-registration APIs behind login (title Homepage). No replacement official public CR search URL was confirmed.

https://mc.gov.sa did not present a valid security certificate when last checked, so MoCI portal screens are not described here.

Under the Commercial Register Law effective 3 April 2026, the Kingdom consolidated its previously fragmented regional CR system into a single national register. Every commercial register is now identified by a unified national number starting with the digit “7”, replacing the old regional-prefix CR number. The register no longer expires; it requires only an annual data confirmation instead of periodic renewal. Businesses still holding a pre-reform CR number have a five-year transition window to migrate to the unified format. That older 700-series identifier issued by the National Information Center is now folded into the same CR number. Confirm those statutory notes at source.

VAT registration is administered separately by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) at zatca.gov.sa, not by the Ministry of Commerce. ZATCA issues the VAT registration number and operates a Taxpayer Lookup, described below. Wathq and ZATCA are different systems: a Wathq search will not return VAT data, and a ZATCA search will not return full CR details.

The Commercial Registration system covers:

• Limited Liability Companies (Sharikat Dhat Mas’uliyya Mahduda, equivalent to LLC)
• Joint Stock Companies (Sharikat Musahama, equivalent to SA/PLC)
• General Partnerships and Limited Partnerships
• Professional Companies
• Sole Proprietorships
• Branches of Foreign Companies
• Special Purpose Entities

The Saudi Exchange at https://www.saudiexchange.sa is the listed-company homepage, titled Home - Saudi Exchange. Listed-company disclosure pages beyond that homepage were not walked; confirm at source. The address without the www prefix did not resolve.

The Ministry of Investment (MISA), formerly SAGIA, at misa.gov.sa handles foreign investment licenses. A company with a foreign investment license appears in both the MISA register and the MoCI commercial register. MISA’s public homepage is not restated as a live page here; confirm at source.

What can you search?

Wathq platform (https://wathq.sa) - not a live public search:

The host currently rejects this hostname. Company-name, CR-number, address, activity and branch screens are therefore not described here. Historic copy that Wathq returned name, CR number, entity type, registration date, expiry date, and status is not restated as a form seen on this visit. Confirm at source.

MoCI portal (mc.gov.sa):

Did not present a valid security certificate. CR Certificate ordering screens are not described here. Confirm at source.

Saudi Exchange (https://www.saudiexchange.sa):

The homepage is titled Home - Saudi Exchange. Financial statements, major shareholders, board composition, and announcements beyond that homepage were not walked. Confirm at source.

General Authority for Statistics (stats.gov.sa):

Named as the Kingdom’s statistics authority. Aggregate business-establishment statistics have historically been published there, not entity-level company search. The live page is not restated here; confirm at source.

ZATCA Taxpayer Lookup (https://zatca.gov.sa/en/eServices/Pages/TaxpayerLookup.aspx):

The English page title is Check Company VAT Status. The heading is “Verify the Current VAT Registration Status of Any Business”. The form offers a type selector with VAT Account Number, VAT Certificate Number, and CR National Number, plus a number field and a terms confirmation. A bulk path offers an xlsx template for multiple-entity VAT registration verification requests. ZATCA’s on-page terms state that data obtained through the service shall not be used for marketing, promotion, data analysis, or selling, and that ZATCA is not responsible for correctness of the data. Site chrome includes Login; whether the lookup itself requires an account was not confirmed beyond those public form fields.

How much does it cost?

Wathq fees could not be confirmed while https://wathq.sa does not serve a public search. Older SAR 30-50 certificate figures are not restated. The ZATCA lookup page did not publish a fee in the text read here; the table still reads unknown rather than free. Confirm at source.

Do you need a local account or ID?

Wathq account, two-factor, and anonymous-search behaviour cannot be confirmed while https://wathq.sa does not serve a public search.

For ordering a certified CR Certificate through the MoCI portal or Absher/Tawakkalna platforms, an account has historically been required. Saudi nationals and residents use their National ID number and Iqama (residence permit) respectively. Foreign users without Saudi credentials have been reported as able to register on the MoCI portal with an email address and passport, with some services limited. The MoCI portal itself did not present a valid security certificate on this visit.

Absher (absher.sa) is the Saudi government’s digital services portal for residents. Historic copy that it requires a Saudi National ID or Iqama is not restated as a screen seen here. The live Absher page is not restated here; confirm at source.

A practical route for certified CR Certificates is through licensed Saudi business services providers or commercial data suppliers who retrieve documents for clients.

Is the website in English?

Wathq (https://wathq.sa) does not serve a public search, so its English interface cannot be confirmed from that host. https://developer.wathq.sa/en is in English as a developer homepage. The ZATCA Taxpayer Lookup page above is in English.

The MoCI primary portal language could not be confirmed, because https://mc.gov.sa did not present a valid security certificate. Historic copy that it is Arabic-leading with an English option is not restated as a screen seen here.

CR Certificates and official documents are issued in Arabic. English translations are not provided by the MoCI as standard.

The Saudi Exchange homepage title is in English (Home - Saudi Exchange). English coverage on the MISA homepage is not restated here. Confirm at source.

What’s the turnaround time?

Unknown for Wathq while the host does not serve a public search.

Certified CR Certificates ordered electronically through the MoCI portal have historically been processed within 1-3 business days, extending to 3-5 business days at peak. That path could not be confirmed on mc.gov.sa. Confirm at source.

MISA foreign investment license status-check turnaround is unknown.

Is there an API?

Yes. A Wathq developer portal is at https://developer.wathq.sa/en. The page requires JavaScript, lists login and sign-up, and names Commercial Registration (New Legislation) among Ministry of Commerce API services. That URL is not a public CR search form. The older docs path on wathq.sa sits on the same host that currently rejects this hostname. Access has historically required a formal accreditation application to the Ministry of Commerce; confirm at source.

The Saudi Credit Bureau (SIMAH) is the licensed commercial and consumer credit bureau under agreements with the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Use https://www.simah.com for the English homepage (title Home). The address without www currently lands on a not-found page. Product and report access from that homepage is not confirmed here; confirm at source.

What you legally cannot do

The Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL, Royal Decree M/19 of 2021, effective September 2023) governs the processing of personal data of natural persons in Saudi Arabia. Director names, partner identity information, and beneficial ownership data extracted from Saudi company records constitute personal data under the PDPL when processed by a private entity. A lawful basis for processing is required, and certain transfers of personal data outside the Kingdom are subject to prior authorization from the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA).

Automated bulk extraction of data from Wathq or the MoCI portal is prohibited under the terms of service of both platforms when those platforms are reachable.

Saudi Arabia’s AML and CFT framework is governed by the Anti-Money Laundering Law (Royal Decree M/31 of 2003 and subsequent amendments) and the Counter-Terrorism Financing Law. The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) is the named supervisor. Saudi Arabia is a FATF member. This guide did not read Saudi Arabia’s entry on the published black and grey lists; confirm at source. This page does not prescribe enhanced due diligence.

Commercial data obtained for counterparty due diligence, KYC, or AML screening purposes falls within permitted commercial use under Saudi law, provided the processing entity has a documented lawful purpose and complies with PDPL obligations.

Practical tips for foreign users

• Use the CR number for lookups. The Commercial Registration number is the stable unique identifier across Wathq, MoCI, MISA, ZATCA, and financial institution systems. Company names can vary between transliterations. Since the 3 April 2026 reform, new and migrated registrations carry a unified number starting with “7”; older registrations may still show a pre-reform CR number until they migrate within the five-year transition window. Whether both formats are accepted in Wathq could not be re-checked while https://wathq.sa does not serve a public search. ZATCA’s Taxpayer Lookup does accept CR National Number as one of its type options.
• VAT number is a separate lookup from CR. Wathq, when reachable, confirms company identity and status but does not return VAT data. VAT registration is administered by ZATCA. The Taxpayer Lookup form is described above. Cost and account rules for that lookup were not published as a fee table on the page; confirm at source.
• Check MISA for foreign-invested companies. Companies with foreign shareholders or foreign investment licenses appear in both the MoCI commercial register and the Ministry of Investment (MISA) database. MISA’s public homepage is not restated as a live page here; confirm at source.
• Vision 2030 has changed the foreign ownership rules. The Investment Law of 2024 (replacing the Foreign Investment Law of 2000) expanded sectors open to full foreign ownership and streamlined the investment licensing process. Older company records may show restricted foreign ownership structures that are no longer legally required for new formations. Read the current shareholding structure, not only the historic founding structure.
• Annual accounts are not publicly searchable. Unlike EU or common-law jurisdictions, Saudi Arabia does not provide public access to filed financial statements for private companies via the commercial register. Audited financials for private companies are available only with the company’s consent or through licensed credit bureaus. For listed companies, the Saudi Exchange homepage is titled Home - Saudi Exchange; disclosure pages beyond that homepage were not walked. Confirm at source.
• Wathq is currently unreachable as a public search. https://wathq.sa rejects this hostname. A saved Wathq result cannot be re-run there until the host serves a search page again.
• Saudi fiscal year. Many Saudi companies follow the Hijri calendar for their fiscal year, though the Gregorian calendar is also used. Accounting dates and CR filing dates may be expressed in Hijri (H) format.

Alternatives if you cannot access the registry directly

The Arabic-language primary interface and the limitation of certain services to Saudi-credentialled users have historically made certified document retrieval difficult for foreign compliance buyers without local presence.

• Wathq host (https://wathq.sa): Currently rejects this hostname. Not a working public search. https://developer.wathq.sa/en is the API portal only.
• ZATCA Taxpayer Lookup (Taxpayer Lookup): VAT number and VAT registration status sit with ZATCA, not Wathq. The English form is described above. It is a VAT status tool, not a full CR extract.
• Saudi Credit Bureau SIMAH: Licensed bureau with report products accessible to financial institutions under formal agreements. The English homepage is https://www.simah.com. Product and report access is not confirmed from that homepage; confirm at source.
• Commercial data suppliers: Dun & Bradstreet produces English-language company reports. A Saudi-specific D&B landing is not asserted here.
• Saudi business service providers: Local document clearing agencies and licensed business service firms in Saudi Arabia obtain certified CR Certificates and other MoCI documents for foreign clients as a standard commercial service.

Local data suppliers

If you need a packaged report rather than a raw commercial register extract, named Saudi-market providers are:

• SIMAH (Saudi Credit Bureau) (www.simah.com). The primary licensed credit bureau in Saudi Arabia, supervised by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). Provides commercial credit reports, financial risk scoring, and company payment behavior data. SIMAH is the reference standard for credit decisions involving Saudi entities. Use the www host; the address without www currently lands on a not-found page. Product and report access is not confirmed from the homepage; confirm at source.

• Dun & Bradstreet (dnb.com). Global data and analytics provider. Offers D-U-N-S registered company reports, credit risk assessment, supply chain risk screening, and compliance due diligence tools. A Saudi-specific landing is not asserted here.

Bayan Credit Bureau (bayancc.com.sa) did not resolve. Those hosts are not cited as live here.

FAQ

What is the Wathq platform and how does it differ from the MoCI portal?

Wathq (https://wathq.sa) is the Ministry of Commerce’s public-facing company verification service, designed for quick online status checks of Saudi companies. The host currently rejects this hostname, so those checks cannot be run there. The developer site at https://developer.wathq.sa/en is an API portal, not a substitute search form. The MoCI portal (mc.gov.sa) is the broader ministry administrative system; it did not present a valid security certificate when last checked.

What does the CR number mean, and why does it start with “7” now?

Before 3 April 2026, the Commercial Registration (CR) number was a 10-digit identifier whose first three digits indicated the issuing MoCI regional office. Under the Commercial Register Law effective that date, Saudi Arabia consolidated its regional registers into one national system, and every commercial register is now identified by a unified national number starting with the digit “7”. Existing businesses have a five-year transition window to migrate from the old format. The full number, in either format, is the reliable unique identifier.

How do I look up a Saudi company’s VAT number?

VAT registration is administered by ZATCA (Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority), not by the Ministry of Commerce, so it does not show up in a Wathq search. ZATCA’s Taxpayer Lookup (Taxpayer Lookup) is an English form with type options VAT Account Number, VAT Certificate Number, and CR National Number. ZATCA’s on-page terms restrict this data away from marketing, promotion, data analysis, and selling. For volume use, a licensed commercial data supplier is the route used by institutions.

Does Saudi Arabia have a beneficial ownership register?

Saudi Arabia’s AML regulations require financial institutions and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) to verify beneficial ownership as part of CDD obligations under SAMA and MoCI regulatory frameworks. There is no publicly searchable national UBO register equivalent to those in EU member states. Beneficial ownership data is held by companies, regulatory supervisors, and licensed bureaus.

Is Saudi Arabia on the FATF grey list?

This guide did not read Saudi Arabia’s entry on the published lists. Confirm at fatf-gafi.org. This page does not prescribe enhanced due diligence.

Are financial statements publicly available for Saudi companies?

For companies listed on the Saudi Exchange, full financial statements have historically been disclosed there. The homepage at https://www.saudiexchange.sa is titled Home - Saudi Exchange; disclosure pages beyond that homepage were not walked. Confirm at source. For private companies, there is no public financial statement filing requirement comparable to EU member states. Private company financials are accessible only with company consent or through licensed credit bureaus under formal data-sharing agreements.

What changed under the Saudi Investment Law 2024?

The Investment Law of 2024 replaced the Foreign Investment Law of 2000 and removed or streamlined licensing requirements for foreign investors in many sectors. Foreign companies can now establish wholly foreign-owned entities in a wider range of sectors without the historic requirement for a Saudi partner holding a majority stake. MISA at misa.gov.sa is the authority for foreign investment licensing under the new law. The changes are part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda.

Last verified: 2026-09-14. Sources: wathq.sa (hostname rejected); www.wathq.sa (does not resolve); developer.wathq.sa/en; zatca.gov.sa Taxpayer Lookup; www.saudiexchange.sa (homepage titled Home - Saudi Exchange); saudiexchange.sa (does not resolve); www.simah.com (English homepage; use www); mc.gov.sa (did not present a valid security certificate); bayancc.com.sa (did not resolve). For the full global due diligence framework, see our Global Business Due Diligence Guide.