The decision was adopted during a Cabinet meeting held in Riyadh on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The approved measure covers customs duties and value-added tax imposed when importing qualifying vehicles, together with an exemption from the applicable financial consideration for vehicle importation.

According to the official Cabinet statement, implementation will be subject to regulations established by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, which will determine the relevant conditions and procedures.

The first category of beneficiaries consists of scholarship students studying outside Saudi Arabia, whose qualifying vehicle imports will fall within the financial relief described in the decision.

The second category includes employees of government entities who perform official duties abroad and wish to import vehicles under the conditions established by the responsible authority.

The scope of the decision also extends to any adult member of the families of those scholarship students or government employees who accompanies them while they are abroad.

This family provision is significant because the relief is not limited exclusively to the principal student or government employee, although eligibility remains subject to the conditions stated in the decision.

The financial relief covers three distinct elements of the vehicle import process, beginning with customs duties prescribed under the Unified Customs Law of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The second element is the value-added tax imposed on vehicle imports, which can represent an important component of the overall cost of bringing a vehicle into Saudi Arabia.

The third element is exemption from the financial consideration associated with importing the vehicle, as expressly stated in the official Cabinet announcement.

Together, these measures are intended to reduce qualifying import costs, but they do not automatically remove other legal, technical, or regulatory requirements applicable to vehicles entering the Kingdom.

The measure may be particularly relevant to Saudi scholarship students and their families who have spent extended periods abroad and are considering bringing their vehicles into the country.

It may also benefit government employees assigned to official duties outside Saudi Arabia, along with adult family members accompanying them who meet the applicable eligibility requirements.

However, the published Cabinet statement does not provide a complete operational list of required documents, vehicle ownership periods, or the maximum number of vehicles eligible per beneficiary.

It also does not specify a separate electronic application service or a detailed opening date for submitting requests under the newly approved arrangements.

For this reason, vehicle owners should avoid assuming that any automobile purchased or imported after the announcement will automatically qualify for the announced relief.

The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority has been tasked with establishing the regulatory controls governing the government’s assumption of customs duties and VAT and the exemption from the import-related financial charge.

Those controls will be essential for determining how applicants demonstrate their eligibility as scholarship students, government employees serving abroad, or qualifying adult family members.

The Cabinet decision should therefore be distinguished from the detailed administrative procedures that applicants will need to follow once the competent authority provides the necessary guidance.

Importantly, the decision is not a universal exemption for all Saudi citizens living abroad, nor does it extend automatically to all citizens or foreign residents importing vehicles.

Beneficiaries should check official announcements before purchasing, shipping, or arranging customs clearance for a vehicle on the assumption that the new relief will apply.

Existing technical and import compliance requirements should also be observed unless the authorities expressly announce an applicable exemption or modification.

Source: Saudi Press Agency (SPA) – Saudi Council of Ministers – Sabq newspaper.