Hada News
Saudi data regulator SDAIA opens a two-month window for companies to test personal-data products in its sandbox
SDAIA said on 6 October that licensed private companies can now apply to a Personal Data Protection Track in its Data Regulatory Sandbox and test products that process personal data under its supervision. Registration is open for two months through the National Data Governance Platform.
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has opened registration for a Personal Data Protection Track inside its Data Regulatory Sandbox, the Saudi Press Agency reported on 6 October. Applications run for two months and are filed through the National Data Governance Platform.
The track is aimed at private companies with new products or services built on processing personal data. Firms that are accepted can run those products within a defined scope while SDAIA supervises, and check them against the Personal Data Protection Law and its implementing regulations before a full launch. According to Sabq's report of the announcement, participants move through application, readiness assessment, evaluation and testing, then an exit and follow-up stage.
Eligibility is narrow. Applicants must be private entities licensed to operate in Saudi Arabia, the product or service must involve personal data, and the company must already be listed in the National Personal Data Protection Register on the same platform. The announcement, as reported, did not give a fixed closing date, a cohort size or any fee.
Why it matters: Saudi Arabia's data-protection law brings real compliance work for fintech, health-tech, HR and e-commerce start-ups. A supervised test lets a company find gaps before launch rather than after a complaint or an inspection. Firms not yet on the national register need to fix that first, so the two-month window is tighter than it looks. Regional and foreign start-ups entering the Saudi market should note that a local licence is a condition of entry.
Sources: Saudi Press Agency (SPA), 6 Oct 2026; Sabq, 6 Oct 2026; Akhbrna News, 6 Oct 2026.
Watch next: the exact closing date shown on the platform, how many companies SDAIA admits, and whether further sandbox tracks follow, for example for AI products.