The fuel station sector is one of the most regulated in Saudi Arabia, with requirements spread across several authorities: the Ministry of Energy, the authority supervising the site, Civil Defense, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) and the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN). Many owners complete one authority's requirements and overlook another's, and the license or renewal stalls. This article organizes fuel station requirements by authority, with a focus on the environmental side.

The Permanent Executive Committee for Service Centers and Fuel Stations

Updated requirements for fuel stations and service centers are issued by a permanent executive committee chaired by the Ministry of Energy, including the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, Civil Defense and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture represented by NCEC. When the updated requirements were issued, existing stations were given a 12-month correction period from publication, except for items with their own deadlines. So existing stations, not just new ones, must correct their position.

Ministry of Energy requirements

According to the Ministry of Energy's guide to requirements for activities under the Petroleum and Petrochemical Materials Law, the license to sell and buy petroleum products at fuel stations requires:

  • A commercial registration including the activity.
  • An energy allocation document issued by the Ministry of Energy.
  • An operating license from the authority supervising the site.
  • A periodic fuel pump calibration certificate from the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization.

NCEC requirements

  • An environmental construction permit: for a new station or when rebuilding or modifying, starting with the classification form. Environmental approval requirements listed by the Saudi Business Center include a declaration of no degraded or contaminated sites and a rehabilitation plan prepared by a licensed provider.
  • Location: a station within, or 500 meters or less from, sensitive receptors or areas needs a detailed EIA, and schools, hospitals and residential compounds are sensitive receptors in the regulation.
  • A valid operating permit: renewed before it expires.
  • Self-monitoring reports and implementation of the environmental management plan.
  • A new permit before any change in the size or type of activity, such as adding tanks, a car wash or an oil change shop.

Soil and tanks: the invisible risk

Leaks from underground tanks and lines may go undetected for years. The Implementing Regulation for Preventing and Treating Soil Pollution requires appropriate measures to prevent soil contamination and up-to-date records of those measures, and prohibits failing to notify NCEC immediately when contamination is detected. If contamination occurs, the Rehabilitation Regulation requires a contaminated site remediation plan, and the polluter bears the costs and compensation under the polluter-pays principle.

Recurring environmental findings

  • Periodic tank and line leak detection not carried out or not documented.
  • No spill containment materials at unloading and filling areas.
  • Oil, filters and hazardous waste not handed to an MWAN-licensed carrier with transport documents, even though anyone depositing waste with an unlicensed party is jointly liable for damages.
  • Fuel-contaminated stormwater and wash water discharged without an oil separator.
  • Noise from stations operating at night in residential areas; night-time residential limits under the Noise Regulation are 40 to 50 dB depending on density.

Closing or relocating the station

The Environmental Permits Regulation covers closure as a stage of the activity, and NCEC may include closure controls in the operating permit conditions. For fuel stations, closure requires emptying and cleaning tanks, handing sediment to a licensed carrier, checking soil condition and rehabilitating the site where needed.

A practical completion plan

  1. Inventory the station's current position against each authority's requirements.
  2. Identify gaps and prioritize them against the published deadlines.
  3. Close construction and operational gaps.
  4. Complete the environmental permit, reports and records.
  5. Update licenses with the other authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions about Fuel Station Requirements

Must existing stations meet the updated requirements?

Yes. Existing stations were given a 12-month correction period from publication of the requirements, except for items with their own deadlines.

Does the Ministry of Energy license replace the environmental permit?

No. The license to sell petroleum products is from the Ministry of Energy and the environmental permit is from NCEC; both are required.

I want to add a car wash or oil change shop to the station. What do I need?

This changes the activity, and the regulation requires a new operating permit before any change to its type or size, in addition to the other authorities' requirements.

What is the penalty for operating a station without a valid environmental permit?

Under the Penalties Regulation, the violations committee may impose a fine of up to SAR 20 million, suspend the permit for up to six months or cancel it, depending on the violation.

How Abak Green helps

We handle the full environmental side of your station: the construction or operating permit, reports, the environmental management plan, tank and waste records, inspection findings and the rehabilitation plan at closure. Together with ABAK Engineering Consulting we also cover safety and design requirements. Contact us about your station.

Official references

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