Is a soil report mandatory for every building permit in Saudi Arabia?

Yes. The Baladi platform and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs require a certified soil report from a licensed laboratory to issue a building permit for any residential, commercial, or industrial structure. Uncertified or ghost reports are officially rejected.

How long does it take to prepare a soil report?

A full field and lab soil report typically takes 3 to 7 working days depending on boring depth and number of test points. At Asas Lab we offer an express service with delivery in 24–48 hours for urgent projects.

What is the difference between a soil report for a residential villa and a commercial building?

A residential villa typically requires 2–3 borings at 10–15 m depth. A commercial building or tower requires more borings (4–8) at greater depth (20–30 m) with additional analysis of bearing capacity and differential settlement.

Soil Report Requirements for Building Permits in Saudi Arabia

What Is a Soil Report and Why Is It a Legal Requirement?

A soil report is a certified engineering document that describes the soil characteristics at a site and determines its capacity to support the loads of the proposed structure. It is a mandatory requirement for obtaining a building permit in Saudi Arabia under Saudi Building Code SBC 303.

Quick summary: No certified soil report from a licensed laboratory → No building permit → No latent-defect insurance → Full legal liability for the contractor and engineering office.

Baladi Platform Requirements for Soil Reports

Saudi Arabia's Baladi platform (the building permit system) requires a soil report to be uploaded as part of the permit application. The report must be:

Issued by a licensed engineering laboratory approved by the relevant government authorities
Signed by a certified geotechnical engineer
Based on real field tests at the site (not a ghost report)
Compliant with SBC 303 (foundations and soil code)

What Must a Soil Report Include?

1. Field Investigation

Soil borings at adequate depth for the project type
Standard Penetration Test (SPT) across soil layers
Undisturbed samples for laboratory analysis
Groundwater level measurement

2. Laboratory Analysis

Soil classification (USCS / AASHTO)
Moisture content and dry density
Atterberg Limits for cohesive soils
Chemical analysis (salinity, sulfates) — especially for coastal soils

3. Engineering Recommendations

Foundation type: isolated footings / raft / piles
Allowable bearing capacity
Recommended foundation depth
Protective measures against aggressive soils (where applicable)

Required Borings by Project Type

Project Type	No. of Borings	Depth
Residential villa	2 – 3 borings	10 – 15 m
Residential building (3–6 floors)	3 – 4 borings	15 – 20 m
Commercial / tower	4 – 8 borings	20 – 40 m
Industrial / road project	Site-dependent	5 – 15 m

Ghost Soil Reports — A Real Legal Risk

A ghost report is a report prepared without real field tests. It is:

❌ Rejected by Baladi platform and government supervisory bodies
❌ Rejected by latent-defect insurance companies
❌ Exposes the contractor and engineering office to full legal liability
❌ Voids any structural warranty on the building

Asas Laboratory Company, as an accredited testing body, recommends always verifying a laboratory's license before engaging it, and never accepting any report that does not include documented field data.

Book Your Soil Report

Asas Laboratory provides certified soil reports in Makkah, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, and Qassim — fully compliant with Baladi platform requirements and Saudi Building Code SBC 303.