A Salamah certificate is the common Saudi name for the Civil Defense safety licence issued online by the General Directorate of Civil Defense on the Salamah platform (salamah.998.gov.sa). Register the facility, confirm your activity classification, then submit a safety tools invoice or technical report, or contract an approved safety company for high-risk activities. It is valid for one year.
This guide untangles the terms people mix up, sets out the steps and a document checklist, and points to our detailed articles on each topic.
Key takeaways
- “Salamah certificate”, “Civil Defense licence” and “Civil Defense permit” usually mean the same thing: the safety licence issued to a facility and its activity on Salamah.
- The safety tools invoice, installation certificate, technical report and maintenance contract are not the licence. They are what the licence is based on.
- Direct activities (low to medium risk) need an invoice or technical report. Indirect activities (high risk) need a safety company contract and a Civil Defense inspection.
- The licence is valid for one year from issue, and renewal can be requested one month before expiry, according to the platform guide.
- In August 2026 the Insurance Authority announced that third-party liability insurance will become a licensing requirement for crowded venues and high-risk activities, applied in phases.
In this article
- What is a Salamah certificate from Civil Defense?
- Salamah certificate, Civil Defense licence or permit: what is the difference?
- Which other documents are issued on Salamah?
- Is my activity direct or indirect?
- How do I get a Salamah certificate, step by step?
- What documents do I need? A preparation checklist
- How long is it valid and when do I renew?
- How does Salamah connect with Balady and the Business platform?
- Is third-party liability insurance required?
- Common mistakes
- How AZEIDK helps
- Frequently asked questions
- Summary
What is a Salamah certificate from Civil Defense?
Salamah is the General Directorate of Civil Defense’s online portal, developed by Elm. Investors use it to issue, renew, cancel and transfer the Civil Defense licence for a facility without visiting a Civil Defense office. Elm’s product overview describes what the portal issues as safety “licences and permits”.
When a shop or warehouse owner says “I need a Salamah certificate”, they almost always mean this licence: the document showing the facility meets the safety requirements for its activity, and which the municipality relies on when issuing many commercial licences.
Salamah certificate, Civil Defense licence or permit: what is the difference?
| Term used in the market | Usually means | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Salamah certificate / safety certificate | The Civil Defense licence issued on Salamah | The most searched term; sometimes used for the safety tools invoice or installation certificate |
| Civil Defense licence / safety licence | The licence itself | The Saudi Business Center announcement (February 2024) uses “Civil Defense safety licence” |
| Civil Defense permit | Often the licence; sometimes a permit issued on the portal | Check the request type shown in your Salamah account |
| Civil Defense certificate | A broad term | May refer to other documents, such as municipal certificates |
For a full map of every document, including Balady, SABER and insurance, see our guide to Civil Defense certificates.
Which other documents are issued on Salamah?
The platform guide names three user groups: investors, engineering and technical services offices, and safety and elevator companies. For a walkthrough of each service on the portal, from registration to renewal and amendment, see our guide to Salamah platform services.
| Document | Issued by | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Civil Defense licence | General Directorate of Civil Defense | The final document for the facility and activity |
| Safety tools invoice | Qualified safety company on the portal | Entered in the application for some direct activities |
| Technical report | Approved engineering or technical services office | Used instead of the invoice for other direct activities; based on a site assessment |
| Safety tools installation certificate | Approved safety company | Confirms installation; separate from the invoice |
| Maintenance contract | Approved safety company | Required for indirect activities |
Is my activity direct or indirect?
Salamah classifies activities by hazard. Direct activities are low to medium risk, and Civil Defense licenses them directly once the invoice or technical report data is entered. Indirect activities are high risk: the facility contracts a safety company, provides maintenance contracts, and is inspected before the licence is issued. The “investor’s journey” service tells you which track applies. Only low-risk activities are described as instant, so do not assume every direct activity is. See instant licences vs direct and indirect activities.
How do I get a Salamah certificate, step by step?
- Register on Salamah as a licence applicant and enter the facility details.
- Confirm the classification of your activity with the investor’s journey service.
- Equip the facility with the safety tools and systems the activity requires under Civil Defense requirements and the Saudi Building Code.
- Direct activity: obtain the safety tools invoice from a qualified safety company or the technical report from an approved engineering office, and enter its data.
- Indirect activity: after preliminary approval you receive an SMS verification code. Give it to your chosen safety company, which completes the requirements, installation and maintenance contracts.
- Inspection: for indirect activities Civil Defense inspects before issue. Close any findings and resubmit.
- Issue: the licence appears in your account, valid from the final approval date.
For the technical approval of the systems themselves, see Civil Defense fire safety approval, step by step.
What documents do I need? A preparation checklist
Salamah does not publish a single list for all activities. Use this as a preparation checklist, not as a substitute for what the portal shows for your activity:
- Facility, commercial registration and activity details as they will appear on the municipal licence.
- Proof of site tenure: lease, title deed or site investment contract (a condition named by the Saudi Business Center for instant issue).
- Safety tools invoice or technical report, for direct activities.
- Safety company contract and maintenance contracts, for indirect activities.
- Installation certificate where a safety company installs tools or systems.
- Approved or as-built drawings, and test and commissioning reports for alarm and fire fighting systems where they exist.
- Third-party liability insurance, for activities covered once it applies to them.
How long is it valid and when do I renew?
According to the platform guide, the licence is valid for a full year from the final Civil Defense approval, and renewal can be requested one month before expiry. For indirect activities, renewal depends on a valid maintenance contract that covers the systems actually on site. See our Salamah licence renewal guide.
How does Salamah connect with Balady and the Business platform?
On 13 February 2024 the Saudi Business Center announced that the municipal commercial licence and the Civil Defense safety licence could be issued instantly, in one step, through the Business platform for more than 600 commercial activities. Conditions included a lease, title deed or investment contract; a safety tools invoice or safety report; and compliance with activity requirements on Balady and Salamah. See retail shop safety requirements on Salamah and Balady and the Salamah platform’s digital licensing.
Is third-party liability insurance required?
On 16 August 2026 the Insurance Authority announced a cooperative third-party liability policy for crowded venues and high-risk activities. Under Council of Ministers Decision No. (103), it will become a basic requirement for the Civil Defense licence for covered activities, including some economic, commercial, recreational and health activities. It will be applied in phases, with timing not stated in the announcement.
Common mistakes
- Buying a safety tools invoice without actually installing the tools.
- Assuming an activity is instant without checking its classification.
- Contracting a company that is not listed as qualified on the portal.
- A maintenance contract that omits systems on site or expires before the licence.
- Confusing the facility licence with product certificates such as a SABER certificate of conformity.
- Leaving inspection findings undocumented. See common Civil Defense inspection notes.
How AZEIDK helps
AZEIDK handles Civil Defense, Salamah and Balady transactions through its Civil Defense approval support service: confirming the activity classification and requirements, assessing the readiness of alarm, fire fighting and safety provisions on site, preparing the document file and closing inspection findings. The final decision and timing rest with the authority; no party can guarantee a licence.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Salamah certificate the same as a Civil Defense licence?
In common use, yes. Both usually refer to the Civil Defense licence issued on Salamah.
How long is a Salamah certificate valid?
One year from issue, per the platform guide, with renewal available one month before expiry.
Is it issued instantly?
Only for low-risk activities. High-risk activities need a safety company contract and an inspection first.
Invoice or technical report: which do I need?
The portal decides by activity. Invoices come from qualified safety companies; technical reports come from approved engineering offices after a site assessment.
Do I need it for a commercial licence?
For many activities, yes. The instant track on the Business platform requires a safety tools invoice or safety report.
Summary
A Salamah certificate is not a document you buy; it is the result of a properly equipped facility and a correct document file on Salamah. Start by confirming your activity classification, prepare the site, obtain the document that fits your track, and track the expiry date well before it falls due.
Preparing for a Salamah certificate or renewal? Send us your activity, city, site area and existing systems, and we will review the requirements and site readiness with you. Contact the AZEIDK team
