Compliance checking built for Saudi Arabia's construction boom
The Saudi Building Code is mandatory across the Kingdom, and its 2024 edition raised the bar again. At the same time, Vision 2030 giga-projects like NEOM, Qiddiya, Red Sea Global, and Diriyah are producing an unprecedented volume of drawings and models that all have to clear SBC review.
UptoCode is built for exactly that. It extracts dimensions, materials, and ratings from your drawings and models, checks them against the SBC parts you provide, and returns a report where every finding is cited to its source, in Arabic or English.
What the Saudi Building Code requires
The Saudi Building Code is the mandatory national building code for Saudi Arabia, administered by the Saudi Building Code Center under the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing. Its 2024 edition, the first major revision since 2018, became mandatory from 30 June 2025 after a 180-day transition period.
The SBC is based on the International Code Council (ICC) family of codes, adapted for the Kingdom's climate, soils, and materials, and its fire code aligns with the International Fire Code 2021. It is organised into families: general provisions, structural (loads, seismic, concrete, steel, and more), electrical, mechanical, energy conservation, plumbing, fire protection, existing and historical buildings, green building, residential, fuel gas, and pools. The 2024 edition added three new structural codes covering seismic design of steel, repair and rehabilitation of existing concrete, and concrete reinforced with GFRP bars. The full set is published at sbc.gov.sa in English and Arabic.
Compliance is enforced through municipal permitting and inspection, with designs reviewed via the Balady platform and an occupancy certificate required before a building is brought into use.
How UptoCode helps on Saudi projects
Checks against the SBC
Upload the relevant Saudi Building Code parts, from structural and fire to energy and plumbing, and check your project against them.
Works in Arabic and English
Ask questions and receive cited answers in Arabic or English, matching how teams on Saudi projects actually work.
Every finding cited
Each result points to the specific code clause and the drawing or model element it came from, so it can be verified and defended.
Drawings and BIM together
Reads PDF drawing sets and IFC models together, checking the data in the model alongside the drawn sheets.
Built for giga-project scale
Vision 2030 projects generate huge drawing and model volumes on tight schedules. A full check runs in minutes, not days.
Any code you upload
Beyond the SBC, check against your own QA standards, a client specification, or any other regulation you provide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Saudi Building Code (SBC)?
The Saudi Building Code is the mandatory national set of building codes for Saudi Arabia, based on the ICC/IBC family of international codes and adapted to Saudi conditions. It is administered by the Saudi Building Code Center under the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.
When did the SBC 2024 edition become mandatory?
The 2024 edition became mandatory from 30 June 2025, after a 180-day transition period from the 2018 edition. It is the first major revision of the code since 2018.
What changed in the SBC 2024 edition?
The 2024 edition updates the code's international references, aligns the fire code with the International Fire Code 2021, and adds three new structural codes: seismic design of steel, assessment and rehabilitation of existing concrete structures, and structural concrete reinforced with GFRP bars, alongside technical changes across the other parts.
Can UptoCode check drawings against the Saudi Building Code?
Yes. Upload the relevant SBC parts along with your drawings and BIM model, and UptoCode checks the project against them and cites every finding to the clause and the drawing it came from. You can also upload your own QA standards or a client specification and check against those the same way.
Does UptoCode work in Arabic?
Yes. You can ask questions and receive cited answers in Arabic as well as English, so teams on Saudi projects can work in the language they prefer.
Working across the Gulf? See UAE building code compliance, explore BIM & IFC checking, or read the guide to AI compliance checking.