The Saudi Building Code (SBC) is the mandatory national building code for Saudi Arabia, and its 2024 edition is now in force. It is the first major revision since 2018, it became mandatory from 30 June 2025, and it lands at the same time as one of the largest construction pipelines in the world. This is a plain-English rundown of what changed, who enforces it, and how to check a project against it, with links to the official sources.
When did the SBC 2024 edition become mandatory?
The 2024 code became mandatory from 30 June 2025, after a 180-day transition period during which the 2018 edition still applied. Some trade coverage phrases this as the code coming into effect on 1 July 2025, which is the same event. If your project was designed to the 2018 edition, the gap to the current code is worth checking before submission.
What changed in the SBC 2024 edition?
The 2024 edition updates the code's international references to newer standards and makes technical changes across the parts. Two headline shifts stand out:
- The fire code aligns with the International Fire Code 2021. The Saudi Fire Protection Code (SBC 801) was updated to the newer international reference.
- Three new structural codes were added. The 2024 set adds codes for the seismic design of steel, the assessment and rehabilitation of existing concrete structures, and structural concrete reinforced with glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars.
How is the Saudi Building Code organised?
The SBC is published as a family of codes, grouped by number series. The full set, in English and Arabic, is available at sbc.gov.sa.
| Series | Covers |
|---|---|
| 200 | General building provisions |
| 300 | Structural: loads, seismic, concrete, masonry, steel, and more |
| 400 | Electrical |
| 500 | Mechanical |
| 600 | Energy conservation (residential and nonresidential) |
| 700 | Plumbing and sewage |
| 800 | Fire protection |
| 900 | Existing and historical buildings |
| 1000 | Green building |
| 1100 | Residential |
| 1200 | Fuel gas |
| 1400 | Swimming pools and spas |
Who administers and enforces the SBC?
The code is administered by the Saudi Building Code Center, which became an independent center in 2025, under the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, having moved from the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization. Compliance is enforced through municipal permitting and inspection: designs are reviewed via the Balady platform, inspections run through construction, and an occupancy certificate is required before a building is brought into use.
How do you check a project against the SBC?
This is exactly the kind of work UptoCode is built for. Upload the relevant SBC parts along with your drawing set or BIM model, and UptoCode checks the project against them and cites every finding to the clause and the drawing it came from. Because you provide the code, you can check against the specific parts your project needs, add your own QA standards, and work in Arabic or English.
See how it works on the Saudi Building Code compliance page, or create a free account and run a cited check on your next Saudi project.
Last reviewed 19 July 2026 against the Saudi Building Code Center (sbc.gov.sa). This article is general information, not compliance advice; confirm the current requirements and editions with the SBCC and your authority having jurisdiction for your project.