What this guidebook covers
A workshop can look excellent and still carry serious exposure: a worker without a permit, a customer waiting for parts, a missed VAT payment or customer data shared without control. This guide turns the Saudi automotive compliance checklist into a shared reading of what must happen at the outlet.
It groups 40 practical standards into eight programmes, from after-sales and premises to employment, trading, tax and data, built from 310 source headers and 450 source checkpoints. Each standard sets out the action to take, the records to keep and how an auditor tests it, with the penalty basis labelled as a specific amount, a range or a ceiling.
The 8 programmes and their 40 standards
- Automotive after-sales (SAC-01 to 05). Spare parts availability, replacement vehicle support, warranty honoured in practice, repair promises and job cards, recalls closed by VIN
- Premises and municipal (SAC-06 to 10). Licence matches the operation, work stays inside the boundary, parts storage and safe movement, facade, signs and premises, paint, drainage and work areas
- Safety and environment (SAC-11 to 15). Fire approval and working systems, escape routes and evacuation, safe equipment, chemicals and PPE, health, first aid and heat, hazardous waste under control
- Employment foundations (SAC-16 to 20). Permits, roles and contracted staff, Saudization that is real, contracts and establishment records, passports, fees and worker control, fair treatment and protected staff
- Employee entitlements (SAC-21 to 25). Wages and wage protection, hours, breaks and weekly rest, leave people actually receive, final settlement and work injury, medical cover and GOSI records
- Trading and customer protection (SAC-26 to 30). Commercial identity and registration, business receipts and ownership, prices, promotions and payment, online sales and customer terms, vehicles and parts fit for sale
- Tax and financial records (SAC-31 to 35). VAT registration, returns and payment, tax invoices that reconcile, e-invoicing and Fatoora readiness, tax records you can retrieve, withholding tax and zakat review
- Data and inspection readiness (SAC-36 to 40). Privacy and marketing permission, data access, vendors and transfers, data requests and breach response, CCTV coverage without misuse, competition and inspection readiness
How to run a Saudi automotive compliance audit, step by step
- Scope the audit. Confirm the entity, its activity, the location and which conditional requirements apply. Labour fines depend on the size category under the unified number: A (50+ workers), B (21–49) or C (20 or fewer).
- Check the outlet. Walk the outlet and sample real transactions and worker records against each standard.
- Capture evidence. Keep dated proof for every result, and mask personal data you don't need.
- Assign the finding. Record the control that failed, the responsible owner and a response target: immediate, 24 hours or 72 hours. These are management targets, not legal grace periods.
- Resolve. Fix the underlying issue and attach the closure evidence. Correcting a gap doesn't cancel a fine already issued.
- Verify. Recheck the control and escalate repeat failures across the network.
Who this guidebook is for
- Dealer GMs and centre managers
- OEM regional teams
- Auditors
- HR, finance, HSE and compliance owners
A reference document, not legal advice. Fines and rules change: check the current text with the regulator or your legal adviser before acting.
