What Should Foreign and Local Businesses Know About Saudi Arabia’s PDPL?

Personal Data Protection Law

Saudi Arabia’s Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL) is no longer a “coming soon” headline—it’s the rulebook. Enforced with implementing regulations and an outbound transfer regulation, the PDPL brings Saudi data privacy up to a modern standard while staying rooted in local legal culture. If your organization touches Saudi residents’ data—whether you’re incorporated in Riyadh or running servers in London—you’re in scope. That extra-territorial reach surprises many newcomers and is the first hint that this law has real teeth.

At its core, the PDPL asks three questions of every processing activity: Why are you doing this? How much data do you actually need? And can you prove you’re treating people fairly? Legitimacy of purpose, data minimization, and transparency aren’t slogans here; they’re operational duties. Controllers must tell people who they are, why they’re collecting data, how long they’ll keep it, and how to exercise rights. They also have to keep records straight; accurate, complete, and relevant, not just because regulators say so, but because bad data creates bad outcomes (and complaints).

Rights of individuals are refreshingly practical. People can ask for access (in a readable, commonly used format), correction, deletion, and even hit pause on processing while accuracy is checked. They can withdraw consent, object to direct marketing, and take complaints to the competent authority. If a controller flouts the rules and causes harm, compensation is on the table. Children aren’t an afterthought: guardians can act for minors, but controllers must verify guardianship and prioritize the child’s interests.

Cross-border data transfers are allowed; cautiously. The law expects either an “adequate” level of protection in the destination or robust safeguards such as standard contractual clauses or binding rules. Before you ship data overseas, you should assess risk: will data subjects still be able to exercise their rights? Will you still meet breach-notification timelines? Can you delete data on request and keep it secure abroad? If the answer to any of those is “not sure,” your transfer plan isn’t ready.

Governance matters just as much as law. Some organizations must appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO) not as a figurehead, but as a hands-on coordinator for impact assessments, audits, and breach response. Processors don’t get a free pass either: they need written contracts clarifying purpose, categories of data, breach duties, sub-processors, and how long the work lasts. That paper trail isn’t bureaucracy; it’s what lets you demonstrate compliance when questions come.

Security is non-negotiable. Controllers must implement organizational and technical controls, align with national cybersecurity standards, and choose processors that can actually protect data. If something goes wrong, timing is tight: authorities expect notice within 72 hours where harm is possible, and affected individuals should be told promptly in clear language about what happened, what it means for them, and what to do next. Silence or vague statements won’t cut it.

Marketing is permitted, but consent and easy opt-out are the price of admission. Show your identity clearly, store proof of consent, and stop when people say stop. Buying mystery contact lists? Aside from the reputational risk, it clashes with the PDPL’s consent-first logic.

Two areas are evolving fast:

• First, registration: SDAIA operates a national register of controllers and can require certain entities, like public bodies, sensitive-data processors, or those whose main activity is processing .

• Second, AI: Saudi Arabia has framed ethics principles around fairness, transparency, safety, and accountability. If you’re making automated decisions about people with their data, be prepared to justify the logic and obtain explicit consent where required.

If you’re just getting started, think in phases. Map your data flows with a Saudi lens; update privacy notices and consent flows; refresh contracts with processors; set up a workable rights-request channel; pick a breach playbook you can run on a bad day; and decide whether you need a DPO.

For cross-border transfers, adopt the official clauses and document your risk assessment.

And remember: the PDPL coexists with other Saudi laws; from cybercrime to sector rules in telecoms, health, payments, and e-commerce, so your compliance story should be integrated, not siloed.

Need practical help?

The PDPL is designed to protect people and reward organizations that build trust. If you’re handling Saudi personal data: customers, patients, employees, or users. getting this right is both a legal duty and a competitive advantage. Elaqat Law Firm can calibrate your PDPL program to your risk profile: transfer assessments, DPO function setup, processor agreements, children’s data workflows, breach readiness, and rights-request tooling. Start a confidential conversation at elaqatlaw.com.