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Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Saudi Arabia

We prepare environmental impact assessments for Category 2 and 3 projects and manage the NCEC process from classification to decision.

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Overview

An environmental impact assessment (EIA) predicts how a project will affect the environment and the people around it, and sets out how those impacts will be avoided, reduced and managed. Hills & Field is an NCEC Type A licensed environmental consultancy (licence ELESL-2025-000073), and we prepare EIA studies for projects across Saudi Arabia.

NCEC decides whether you need an EIA. It sets your category from the classification form, looking at the type and size of the activity, the energy and natural resources it uses, the sensitive receptors around it and the nature of the expected impact. Category 2 projects need an EIA. Category 3 projects need a scoping report first, then the EIA.

Our own field teams carry out the baseline surveys, our consultants write the study, and we answer NCEC’s comments through to its decision. We are ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certified.

When you need it

  • NCEC has placed your project in Category 2. You submit a Category 2 EIA and an undertaking to implement its findings.NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, technical requirements
  • Your project is Category 3. You submit a scoping report first, and the Category 3 EIA once NCEC approves the scope.NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, technical requirements
  • Your Category 1 project is in, or within 500 m of, a sensitive area or receptor. You then need a detailed EIA, although the project stays in Category 1.Permits reg. Art. 6, Second (6). NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, technical requirements
  • Sensitive areas include protected areas, wetlands, mangroves, beaches and aquifers. Sensitive receptors include endangered species, archaeological, cultural and religious sites, hospitals, schools and residential areas.Permits reg. Art. 1
  • You are expanding, modifying or adding to an existing activity. Each change needs its own permit to establish, and the study follows the category NCEC sets.NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, controls section

What we deliver

  • Classification form and category adviceWe screen the project against NCEC’s criteria before anything is filed.
  • Scoping reportFor Category 3 projects, with the EIA timetable.
  • Baseline surveys and modellingAir, noise, water, soil and ecology, surveyed by our own field teams and modelled where needed.
  • EIA reportThe Category 2 or Category 3 study, with our licence, team details and data undertaking.
  • Management and rehabilitation plansThe mitigation, monitoring and rehabilitation commitments inside the EIA.
  • Submission and NCEC commentsFiled through NCEC’s electronic system, with every comment answered.

How we work

  1. Classification

    We prepare the classification form and file it through NCEC’s electronic system. NCEC sets the category within 10 working days.NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, rules section. Permits reg. Art. 5(2)

  2. Scoping

    For Category 3, NCEC must approve a scoping report before the EIA. It includes the EIA timetable and covers future similar activities in the project area. For Category 2, we set the scope with you.Permits reg. Art. 8 First (1), Appendix 3, item 5-4. Permit guide, section 1(a)

  3. Baseline surveys

    Our field teams survey air, noise, water, soil and ecology around the site. The site description must cover a radius of at least 500 metres, and measurements and laboratory analysis come from providers licensed for monitoring.EIA guide, p. 19. NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, conditions section

  4. Impact assessment

    We assess the impacts of every project stage, including cumulative and residual impacts, and model air, noise and water where needed. NCEC expects printed copies of the model inputs and outputs.Permits reg. Art. 7(2) and Art. 8 Second (1). EIA guide, p. 26

  5. Mitigation and EMP

    We set out the mitigation measures with their proposed costs, and turn them into an environmental management and monitoring plan. A rehabilitation plan inside the EIA is reviewed with it at no extra review fee.EIA guide, p. 29. Rehab reg. Appendix 1. Permit guide, section 1(c)

  6. Submission

    The EIA goes to NCEC in Arabic, and NCEC may accept all or part in English. It carries our licence, the names of the team and our undertaking on the correctness of the data. A Category 3 EIA also includes a table of NCEC’s scoping comments and our responses.Permits reg. Art. 9(8). EIA guide, p. 13. Permits reg. Art. 8, Appendix 4, item 9-6

  7. NCEC review

    NCEC approves the study or asks for corrections. It may also call you to present the study, and we attend with the authors.Permits reg. Art. 7(4), Art. 8 Second (2) and Art. 9(3)

  8. Approval and next steps

    Approval of the EIA is not approval to build and operate. You still need the permits of the other authorities, and construction must start before the permit to establish expires.Permit guide, section 1(d) and (g). Permits reg. Art. 9(4)

How long NCEC takes to review

NCEC decides on the classification form within 10 working days. It reviews a Category 2 EIA within 30 working days and a Category 3 EIA within 60. A Category 3 scoping report is reviewed within 15 working days, which NCEC may extend by up to 10, and if NCEC sends neither approval nor comments by the end of the extension, the scope is treated as approved.Permits reg. Art. 5(2), Art. 7(4) and Art. 8. Permits reg. Art. 8 First (2) and (3)

Each review starts only after the fee is collected, and a request for corrections starts a new full review period. Added together, the statutory periods come to at least 40 working days for Category 2 and 85 for Category 3 before any correction round. These sums exclude fieldwork and study preparation, and are not NCEC targets.Permits reg. Art. 7(4)(b) and Art. 8 Second (2)(b). EIA guide, p. 8 to p. 11

Read the full guide: How long does NCEC take to review an EIA or scoping report?

EIA in Royal Commission cities

In the Royal Commission cities, which include the industrial cities of Jubail and Yanbu, the Royal Commission Environmental Regulations 2025 apply instead of the NCEC route. We are approved by the Royal Commission for EIA studies in Jubail and Yanbu.

The route starts with the Environmental Screening Questionnaire, from which the Royal Commission sets the category. First Category facilities prepare an environmental management plan. Second and Third Category facilities prepare a detailed EIA to obtain the Environmental Permit to Construct (EPC).

The EIA must be prepared by a third party consultant the Royal Commission has approved for that category, and its scope of work goes to the Royal Commission for approval before the study starts. The study area is at least 30 km for Second Category and 75 km for Third Category, and baseline weather and ambient air data for the parameters it monitors come from the Royal Commission. The EIA is submitted with the permit application package to obtain the EPC.RCER-2025 Vol. I, introduction. RCER-2025 Vol. II, 1.3, page 3. RCER-2025 Vol. II, 1.2 and 1.3.1(i), pages 2 and 3. RCER-2025 Vol. I, 1.1.9, page 3. RCER-2025 Vol. II, Appendix C, pages C-3 and C-5. RCER-2025 Vol. II, Glossary, EIA 3rd Party, page vi

Open the Royal Commission library or see our Royal Commission EPC and EPO service.

Sectors we serve

Frequently asked questions

Who is allowed to prepare an EIA in Saudi Arabia?

Only a service provider licensed by NCEC, and that includes the analyses and measurements. You are responsible for choosing a provider from NCEC’s approved list.Permits reg. Art. 3(13). SP reg. (1446H) Art. 11(7)

Can I split my project into phases to stay in a lower category?

No. NCEC may reject an EIA, or cancel an earlier approval, if a project was split in a way that prevents proper classification. Phased construction is allowed, so we assess the full build-out in one study.Permits reg. Art. 9(2)

What does NCEC charge to review an EIA?

The fees regulation caps the review fee at 10,000 riyals for a Category 2 EIA, and at 13,000 to 275,000 riyals for a Category 3 EIA depending on the project’s capital cost. NCEC sets the actual amounts in its dues charter within these ceilings.Fees reg. Art. 3(1) and Appendix 1, items 3 and 4

What happens if NCEC sends the EIA back?

We correct and resubmit it. NCEC gives a final decision on a corrected Category 2 EIA within 30 working days and on a modified Category 3 EIA within 60. You may object to a permit decision in writing within 15 working days of notification.Permits reg. Art. 7(4)(b), Art. 8 Second (2)(b) and Art. 10(1)

Can the category change after classification?

Yes. NCEC may change the category based on the submitted EIA, and may ask for a Category 3 EIA instead of approving a Category 2 study. You can also ask NCEC to reclassify the activity with documented evidence of changes that reduce its impact.Permits reg. Art. 7(4)(c) and Art. 5(4). NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, controls section

How long is the permit to establish valid?

Three years. For large projects that need long-term design and funding, NCEC may extend it by 2 years, but the request must be included in the EIA. If construction does not start before the permit expires, you need a new application and an updated study.Permits reg. Art. 6 Second (8), Art. 9(4) and (5)

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Guides on this topic

References

Show all 21 references
  1. NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, technical requirements
  2. Permits reg. Art. 6, Second (6). NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, technical requirements
  3. Permits reg. Art. 1
  4. NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, controls section
  5. NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, rules section. Permits reg. Art. 5(2)
  6. Permits reg. Art. 8 First (1), Appendix 3, item 5-4. Permit guide, section 1(a)
  7. EIA guide, p. 19. NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, conditions section
  8. Permits reg. Art. 7(2) and Art. 8 Second (1). EIA guide, p. 26
  9. EIA guide, p. 29. Rehab reg. Appendix 1. Permit guide, section 1(c)
  10. Permits reg. Art. 9(8). EIA guide, p. 13. Permits reg. Art. 8, Appendix 4, item 9-6
  11. Permits reg. Art. 7(4), Art. 8 Second (2) and Art. 9(3)
  12. Permit guide, section 1(d) and (g). Permits reg. Art. 9(4)
  13. RCER-2025 Vol. I, introduction. RCER-2025 Vol. II, 1.3, page 3. RCER-2025 Vol. II, 1.2 and 1.3.1(i), pages 2 and 3. RCER-2025 Vol. I, 1.1.9, page 3. RCER-2025 Vol. II, Appendix C, pages C-3 and C-5. RCER-2025 Vol. II, Glossary, EIA 3rd Party, page vi
  14. Permits reg. Art. 5(2), Art. 7(4) and Art. 8. Permits reg. Art. 8 First (2) and (3)
  15. Permits reg. Art. 7(4)(b) and Art. 8 Second (2)(b). EIA guide, p. 8 to p. 11
  16. Permits reg. Art. 3(13). SP reg. (1446H) Art. 11(7)
  17. Permits reg. Art. 9(2)
  18. Fees reg. Art. 3(1) and Appendix 1, items 3 and 4
  19. Permits reg. Art. 7(4)(b), Art. 8 Second (2)(b) and Art. 10(1)
  20. Permits reg. Art. 7(4)(c) and Art. 5(4). NCEC guide LO-1-M-005, controls section
  21. Permits reg. Art. 6 Second (8), Art. 9(4) and (5)
How to read these references 8 texts cited
  • Art. 7(4)(b) means Article 7, paragraph 4, item (b).
  • First, Second and Third are the numbered parts some articles are divided into. The Arabic texts write them أولاً، ثانياً، ثالثاً (meaning first, second, third).
  • H after a year marks the Hijri (Islamic calendar) year. 1446H ran from July 2024 to June 2025.

Every text we cite is listed on our regulations page.

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