Civil Defense Approval Process in Saudi Arabia: Step-by-Step Salamah Workflow

When Civil Defense approval is required

A Civil Defense certificate is required for any facility that the regulator classifies as a place of business or public assembly. In practice that means almost every:

• Commercial premises (offices, retail, restaurants, salons, clinics).
• Industrial facility (factories, warehouses, workshops).
• Healthcare facility (hospitals, polyclinics, laboratories).
• Educational institution (schools, universities, training centres).
• Hospitality venue (hotels, furnished apartments, event halls).
• Multi-storey or high-occupancy residential building.

Single private villas are typically outside scope. Everything else needs an approved fire and life safety design, an inspected installation, and a renewed certificate.

Stage 1 — Design submission

A licensed fire protection consultant prepares the design package and uploads it to the Salamah portal. The submission must include:

• Architectural drawings showing occupancy, areas, egress paths, and fire compartmentation.
• Fire alarm layout drawings and zoning per NFPA 72.
• Sprinkler and standpipe drawings with hydraulic calculations per NFPA 13 and NFPA 14.
• Fire pump room layout and pump curve per NFPA 20.
• Specifications referencing the applicable NFPA standards and SBC 801 sections.
• Proof that the consultant is registered on the portal.

Stage 2 — Material submittal approval

Every major component must be approved before installation. Civil Defense requires that fire protection equipment carries a UL listing or FM approval (or an equivalent recognised certification) and that the submitted datasheets match the model installed on site.

• Fire alarm panel, detectors, modules, manual call points, sounders, strobes.
• Sprinkler heads, valves, alarm check valves, pressure switches.
• Fire pump unit, controller, jockey pump.
• Hose cabinets, fire hose reels, hydrants, landing valves.
• Emergency luminaires, exit signs, and central battery systems.
• Clean agent suppression system, cylinders, valves, nozzles.
• Portable fire extinguishers.
• Fire-rated doors, dampers, and seals.

Stage 3 — Installation by a licensed contractor

Only contractors registered with Civil Defense and listed on the Salamah portal may install fire protection systems. The licensed contractor's responsibilities include:

• Following the approved drawings exactly.
• Using only the approved materials.
• Maintaining records of installation progress, photos, and tested points.
• Coordinating with other trades to avoid clashes that compromise coverage.

Stage 4 — Testing and commissioning

Before submitting for inspection, the contractor performs a full set of functional tests with witnessed reports:

• 100% device test of the fire alarm system, including audibility checks.
• Hydrostatic test of sprinkler and standpipe pipework.
• Main drain test on every system riser.
• Fire pump churn and flow test against the published curve.
• Door-fan integrity test for any clean agent enclosure.
• Battery discharge test for every emergency luminaire.
• Verification of every integration with HVAC, elevators, doors, and access control.

Stage 5 — Salamah portal submission

All commissioning evidence is uploaded to the portal:

• Test reports for every system.
• As-built drawings showing any deviations from the original design.
• Equipment certificates and serial numbers.
• Photographs of installed components in their final position.
• AMC contract for the post-handover maintenance period.

Stage 6 — Civil Defense site inspection

A Civil Defense inspector visits the site and verifies that the installation matches the approved design. Common points checked on site include:

• Detector coverage and absence of obstructions.
• Manual call point and extinguisher locations along egress paths.
• Functional test of the fire alarm panel and a sample of devices.
• Operation of the fire pump and its controller.
• Sprinkler head spacing, type, and temperature rating in each protected area.
• Emergency lighting test at floor level along the egress path.
• Exit signage visibility from any point on the egress path.
• Documentation that matches what is installed.

If everything checks out, the inspector closes the file. If deficiencies are found, a corrective notice is issued and the contractor must address every item before the inspector returns.

Stage 7 — Certificate issuance and renewal

Once the inspection passes, Civil Defense issues the certificate through the Salamah portal. The certificate is valid for a defined term and must be renewed before expiry. Renewal requires:

• A valid Annual Maintenance Contract.
• Up-to-date inspection and test records.
• Evidence that any changes to the building since the original approval have been notified and re-approved if needed.

How to keep the process moving

• Engage the consultant and contractor early — design, materials, and inspection should be planned together, not handed over in sequence.
• Submit complete packages. Half-finished drawings cause review cycles that lose weeks.
• Use UL/FM components from the start — substitutions later require a new material submittal.
• Photograph and document everything during installation, not after.
• Run a pre-inspection walkthrough at least two weeks before the Civil Defense visit.
• Have the AMC in place before requesting the certificate, not after.