Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH/BAHA — The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MMRA) has approved executive regulations for levying fees on various municipal services from Feb. 3.

Comprising 36 articles, the regulations will, among other things, streamline the licensing of cinema halls and theaters to bring them in line with other commercial activities.

Annual fees will be imposed for collecting garbage, including construction waste, from fuel stations, apartment buildings, hotels and resorts, based on the number of residential units and licenses. There will be an annual fee for collecting garbage from shops and commercial outlets. This will be calculated as per square meter area.

The regulations stipulate fees based on the occupancy of each housing unit. There will be fees for occupying pavements as well as for installing Automated Teller Machines (ATM) and telecommunications towers, irrespective of the type and ownership of the locations.

The regulations specify the conditions for collecting fees on construction licenses and other activities in the field, for renewing licenses, site surveys and road works. There will be re-issuance fees for the replacement of any lost document.

Okaz/Saudi Gazette has learned from reliable sources that service fees will also be levied for issuing licenses for the construction of new buildings or the expansion of existing buildings as well as for the licensing of most commercial activities.

The ministry has classified the municipalities into five categories for the purpose of implementing the regulations. The first category includes the municipalities of Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, the Eastern Province and Jeddah. Municipalities of 12 smaller cities fall in the second category while the third, fourth and fifth categories respectively include 29, 111 and 127 municipalities.