Translating the classification file step by step
The published Executive Regulation states that contractor-classification application documents must be submitted in Arabic or translated into Arabic by an accredited translation office, and that documents submitted from outside Saudi Arabia must be authenticated by the Saudi commercial attaché, consulate, or embassy. Depending on the establishment and case, the file may include a commercial registration or equivalent, financial statements, organizational structures and staff experience, project contracts and performance records, certain subcontracting approvals or disclosures, and other data requested during review. Balady describes an electronic workflow for verification, technical and credit assessment, and submission. Its public page does not publish a document-by-document translation matrix, so the current application screen and the facts of the case control the actual need. A translation conveys document content; it does not amend the registration, prove experience by itself, or guarantee certificate issuance.
- The commercial registration or equivalent, including a foreign-company branch registration where applicable
- Financial statements, including parent-entity statements in cases addressed by the regulation
- Classification forms and explanatory information
- Organizational structures and governance arrangements
- Administrative and technical staff files and professional experience
- Project contracts or equivalent records for projects inside or outside Saudi Arabia
- Revenue and expense statements or evidence of private-sector or external project value where the conditions apply
- Assignment or subcontracting approvals and subcontractor-contract disclosures for government projects
- The commercial licence and, where the regulation applies, the collective-accommodation licence
- The foreign parent company’s undertaking to support its branch financially, technically, and administratively when relying on parent data and experience
Confirm that the intended classification field and required activities appear in the commercial registration or that the registration is updated.
Enter Balady’s City Service Providers Classification service through the establishment account and National Unified Access, then choose the applicable classification type.
Verify the Unified National Number or engineering-office licence number and review the establishment data and activities retrieved from the Ministry of Commerce.
Select the classification fields and complete the technical-evaluation requests and data shown on the screen.
Complete the credit-classification track and required data; Balady identifies a technical-standards certificate among the service requirements.
Enter project and performance information if the screen or case requires it. Balady describes this screen as optional in the basic workflow, while the regulation lists project contracts among application materials.
Provide documents in Arabic or translate them into Arabic through an accredited translation office when applicable, and follow the authentication route for documents submitted from outside Saudi Arabia.
Submit the completed request. After approval, Balady makes the electronic classification certificate available for printing; translation alone does not mean the application is accepted.
| Document type | Common use | Note |
|---|---|---|
Must every contractor-classification document be submitted in Arabic?
The published rule says documents must be submitted in Arabic or translated into Arabic by an accredited translation office, with foreign-issued documents authenticated through the stated route.
Is an uncertified translation enough?
The published regulation provides no basis for that assumption; it specifies an accredited translation office. The public page does not list office names or a certification format.
Must every foreign original document be authenticated?
Article 5 states that all documents submitted from outside Saudi Arabia must be authenticated by the Saudi commercial attaché, consulate, or embassy. Confirm the current operational route for the specific case.
Does Balady publish a document-by-document translation list?
The reviewed pages do not publish such a matrix. Balady describes application screens, while the regulation lists substantive application materials.
Can a translated commercial registration replace updating the registration?
No. Balady says the commercial registration must include the required classified activities; a translation does not amend registration data.
Are three years of financial statements required?
Balady does not state that three years of financial statements are required. It refers to financial statements no older than 18 months deposited in Qawaem; the regulation contains detailed cases and exceptions.
Do foreign financial statements have to be translated?
Where foreign statements are submitted as classification documents, the published Arabic/translation and authentication rules apply. The reviewed source does not prescribe a special template.
Is project information always mandatory on the screen?
Balady describes the project-data screen as optional in the basic workflow, while the regulation lists project contracts among application materials. Do not generalize the screen description.
Does a translated contract alone prove execution experience?
No. A translation only conveys the contract. The regulation sets conditions for counting projects, including field, completion percentage, and required supporting data.
Is the classification certificate issued on paper?
The regulation says it is issued electronically, and Balady says printing becomes available after approval.
Does a translation guarantee acceptance of the classification application?
No. It is a language or procedural requirement when applicable; the decision depends on completing requirements, assessment, and approval.
Is there a fixed government translation fee?
The reviewed official sources do not establish a uniform translation fee. Balady provides a service-fee calculator, not a translation-office price schedule.
Is there a general file-count or file-size limit?
The reviewed pages do not publish a general file-count or file-size limit. Follow the current application screen.
Does this guide cover ICT contractor classification?
It covers it as a limited sectoral track. The Digital Government Authority issues the technical classification, and says the Ministry combines the technical and financial grades in the general certificate.
Which authority should I contact if translation instructions conflict with the application screen?
This guide cannot resolve an individual conflict. Keep the current instructions and contact Balady’s official channels for case-specific direction.
This guide is for general information and is not legal or consular advice. Always verify current requirements with the receiving authority.