Middle East

PDPL Compliance

Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law

Saudi Arabia's PDPL is a GDPR-style data protection law overseen by SDAIA, applying to any entity processing the personal data of individuals residing in the Kingdom. Fines reach up to SAR 5 million, doubling for repeat violations, with potential imprisonment for sensitive-data breaches.

Saudi Arabia
Competenza giurisdizionale
SAR 5m
Maximum fine
72 hours
Breach notification
SDAIA
Oversight authority
2023
Effective year

What is Saudi PDPL?

The Personal Data Protection Law (Royal Decree M/19), together with
its implementing regulations, governs the processing of personal data
in Saudi Arabia and is overseen by the Saudi Data and Artificial
Intelligence Authority (SDAIA).

Who needs to comply with Saudi PDPL?

Any entity, inside or outside Saudi Arabia, that processes the
personal data of individuals residing in the Kingdom.

What are the key requirements
of Saudi PDPL?

01

Establishing a legal basis, generally consent, with defined exceptions, for processing personal data

02

Honouring data subject rights to access, correction, and deletion

03

Appointing a Data Protection Officer for certain categories of controllers

04

Completing a transfer risk assessment and obtaining authorisation before transferring data outside Saudi Arabia

05

Notifying SDAIA of qualifying data breaches within 72 hours

06

Registering with the National Data Governance Platform where required

What are the penalties for Saudi PDPL non-compliance?

Fines of up to SAR 5 million, which can double for repeat violations, with potential imprisonment for violations involving sensitive data.

Contattateci

SAR 5 mil

Maximum fine

Imprisonment

For sensitive-data breaches

How does GDPRLocal help with Saudi PDPL?

GDPRLocal supports you with everything Saudi PDPL requires: compliant policies, cross-border transfer risk assessments, DPO appointment, breach-notification processes, and full registration with SDAIA's National Data Governance Platform.

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Frequently asked questions about Saudi PDPL