Do You Need a Commercial Registration or Freelance Permit to Sell on WhatsApp and Instagram in Saudi Arabia?
Selling on WhatsApp or Instagram in Saudi Arabia without a commercial registration? When a freelance permit is enough and when you need a CR or VAT.
Not always. Saudi Arabia's E-Commerce Law recognizes a "practitioner" who is not listed in the commercial register, but requires them to disclose their name, address and contact details. If you provide a service or make products at home, the free freelance permit is usually enough; buying goods to resell, importing or opening a shop requires a commercial registration (CR), and VAT registration is mandatory once your revenue exceeds 375,000 riyals a year.
01What Does the E-Commerce Law Say?
The E-Commerce Law issued in 2019 calls the seller a "service provider", which is either a merchant listed in the commercial register or a "practitioner" who trades online without being registered. It defines an online store as any electronic platform where you display, sell or advertise your products, so an Instagram account or a WhatsApp number you sell from effectively falls under this definition.
In other words, the law itself does not stop you from selling before you have a CR, but it places clear obligations on you (Article 6):
- Your identity: your name or distinguishing mark and your address, unless you are authenticated with a store authentication body.
- Contact: a clear way to reach you.
- Registration: the name and number of your commercial registration or any other public register, if you have one.
- Invoice: a detailed invoice showing the full price, taxes, delivery fees and delivery date (Article 8).
Source: text of the Saudi E-Commerce Law (Articles 1, 6, 8, 13 and 18). Fines can reach one million riyals, and the store can be blocked. Check the official text and its implementing regulations.
02The Freelance Permit: Who Is It Enough For?
The freelance permit is issued through the Freelance Platform run by the Ministry of Human Resources. It is free and valid for one year, renewable. It covers specific professions on the platform's list, including specialist services (design, programming, photography, digital marketing, training), productive families (home-made food, tailoring), crafts, food trucks and rural businesses.
- It suits you if: you sell a service you provide yourself, or a product you make at home.
- It does not suit you if: you buy ready-made goods to resell in volume, import from abroad, or have a shop or warehouse.
- It unlocks: a bank account for your business, e-store authentication, and eligibility for some financing programs.
According to guides published in 2026, the permit is reserved for Saudi citizens and does not allow importing from abroad. Nationality requirements and eligible professions change, so confirm on the platform before you build your plan around it.
If you sell home-made food, also review the health and municipal requirements on the Balady platform, because the freelance permit does not replace them.
03When Do You Need a Commercial Registration? What Changed in 2025?
The new Commercial Registration Law took effect on April 3, 2025. The biggest changes for small sellers: one registration per merchant regardless of how many activities or branches they have, sub-registrations abolished (with a grace period to correct until April 2030), and no expiry date for the CR; instead, you confirm your details annually through the Saudi Business Center.
- You buy and sell goods: trading ready-made clothing, perfumes or accessories.
- You import: from China or elsewhere to resell.
- You have a location: a shop, warehouse or showroom.
- You are growing: hiring a team, or contracting with companies that ask for a CR and a VAT number.
A commercial registration also makes it easier to verify your business with Meta when you move to the WhatsApp Business API, because verification asks for official documents showing the business name and address.
04Maroof Is Gone: Store Authentication Now Happens on the Business Platform
If you have read old advice saying "authenticate your store on Maroof", it no longer applies. In April 2023 the Ministry of Commerce announced that the Business Platform run by the Saudi Business Center had become the only approved body for authenticating online stores, replacing Maroof.
- Have an active commercial registration or a valid freelance permit ready.
- Open a bank account in your business name (required for authentication).
- Log in to the Business Platform and choose the e-store authentication service.
- Add the authentication certificate or its number to your account bio and your WhatsApp welcome message.
Source: Ministry of Commerce announcement (April 2023) as reported by local newspapers, and store authentication guides from Saudi platforms, 2026. According to these sources, authentication through the official platform is free of charge.
05Decision Table: What Do You Need for Your Situation?
| Your situation | Minimum requirement | What to add later |
|---|---|---|
| You provide a service (design, photography, training) | Freelance permit + disclosure of your identity and contact details | Store authentication, a business bank account |
| Home-made products you make (food, tailoring, crafts) | Freelance permit (productive families or crafts category) | Health and municipal requirements for food |
| You buy ready-made goods and resell them | Commercial registration | Store authentication, an invoicing system |
| You import from abroad | Commercial registration | Customs and standards requirements |
| You have a shop or warehouse | Commercial registration + municipal license | Civil Defense license, depending on the activity |
| Your revenue exceeds 375,000 riyals a year | Mandatory VAT registration | Compliant e-invoicing |
| You advertise other people's products on your accounts | Mawthooq license | A clear advertising contract with the advertiser |
06VAT and Advertising: Two Thresholds You Cannot Ignore
- VAT: registration is mandatory if your taxable supplies exceed 375,000 riyals over 12 months, and optional from 187,500 riyals.
- Invoicing: once you are VAT-registered, e-invoicing becomes mandatory for you, whatever your sales channel.
- Mawthooq license: required for anyone who advertises other people's products or services on social media. Advertising your own products on your own account is exempt, according to the General Authority for Media Regulation.
- Influencers: the Ministry of Commerce has warned businesses against advertising deals with celebrities who do not hold a Mawthooq license.
Sources: Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (registration thresholds), General Authority for Media Regulation via Saudipedia (Mawthooq exemptions), and December 2024 reports on the license requirement.
07Ready-Made Messages That Build Trust and Meet Disclosure Rules
Disclosure is not a burden; customers trust a store more when they know who is behind it. Use these messages on WhatsApp:
This is a general summary, not legal advice; check the official text or consult a legal adviser.
Key takeaways
- The E-Commerce Law recognizes unregistered practitioners, but requires them to disclose their identity and issue detailed invoices.
- The free freelance permit covers services and home-made products, not reselling goods or importing.
- Maroof has been retired since 2023; store authentication now happens on the Business Platform with a CR or permit and a bank account.
- Above 375,000 riyals you must register for VAT, and advertising for others requires a Mawthooq license.
Frequently asked questions
Is selling on Instagram without a commercial registration illegal?
The law recognizes practitioners who are not in the commercial register, but requires them to disclose their identity and contact details and to issue a detailed invoice. Reselling goods and importing require a commercial registration.
Can a freelance permit replace a commercial registration?
For some professions, services and productive-family products, yes. But it does not allow importing, and it does not replace a CR if you have a shop or trade in goods.
Is the Maroof platform still working?
No. In 2023 the Ministry of Commerce announced that the Business Platform run by the Saudi Business Center is the approved body for authenticating online stores.
Does the new commercial registration need to be renewed?
Since the 2025 law, the CR no longer has an expiry date. Instead of renewing, you confirm your details annually through the Saudi Business Center.
Do I need a Mawthooq license to advertise my own products?
According to the General Authority for Media Regulation, advertising your own products on your own account is exempt, but advertising other people's products requires the license.
- #Freelance permit
- #E-store authentication
- #E-Commerce Law
- #Mawthooq license