Saudi Arabia SSIC Group 642: Activities of holding companies, i.e. assets (owning controlling-levels of equity) of a group of subsidiary corporations and whose principal activity is owning the group.

Saudi Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC 2026)
Classification Level: Group | Official Code: 642

Executive Summary & Classification Scope

SSIC code 642 designates Activities of holding companies, i.e. assets (owning controlling-levels of equity) of a group of subsidiary corporations and whose principal activity is owning the group. (أنشطة الشركات القابضة (أي الوحدات التي تستحوذ على أصول امتلاك حصة مهيمنة من رأس المال لمجموعة من الشركات التابعة، ويكون نشاطها الرئيسي هو ملكية تلك المجموعة)) under the official Saudi Standard Industrial Classification (January 2025 / 2026 Edition, based on UN ISIC Rev. 4) administered by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).

It serves as the mandatory regulatory benchmark for Commercial Registration (CR) with the Ministry of Commerce, MISA foreign investment licensing (allowing up to 100% foreign equity ownership), municipal permits on the Balady portal, and Nitaqat Saudization quota determinations by MHRSD.

Key Classification Facts

Parameter	Official Value
Saudi SSIC Code	`642`
Official Title (EN)	Activities of holding companies, i.e. assets (owning controlling-levels of equity) of a group of subsidiary corporations and whose principal activity is owning the group.
Official Title (AR)	أنشطة الشركات القابضة (أي الوحدات التي تستحوذ على أصول امتلاك حصة مهيمنة من رأس المال لمجموعة من الشركات التابعة، ويكون نشاطها الرئيسي هو ملكية تلك المجموعة)
Classification Level	Group
Section Category	Section K — Financial and insurance activities
Parent Entity Code	`64` — Other financial service activities, except insurance and pension funding
Supervisory Authority	Ministry of Commerce / Standard Sectoral Regulator
Licensing Entity	Balady / Sector Ministry
Standard Custodian	General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT)
Edition / Version	SSIC 2025 / 2026 Edition

Sub-Classes in Group 642 (1)

Code	Title (EN)	Title (AR)	Details
`6420`	Activities of holding companies, i.e. assets (owning controlling-levels of equity) of a group of subsidiary corporations and whose principal activity is owning the group.	أنشطة الشركات القابضة (أي الوحدات التي تستحوذ على أصول امتلاك حصة مهيمنة من رأس المال لمجموعة من الشركات التابعة، ويكون نشاطها الرئيسي هو ملكية تلك المجموعة)	View Code 6420 →

Official 6-Digit Activity Codes in Group 642 (6 Codes)

Below are official economic activity codes registered under Group 642 for Commercial Registration (CR) and municipal licensing in Saudi Arabia:

6-Digit SSIC Code	Official Activity Title (EN)	Official Activity Title (AR)	Details
`642001`	Management of Holding Companies subsidiaries	إدارة الشركات التابعة للشركات القابضة	View Activity 642001 →
`642002`	Investing the funds of the Holding Companies subsidiaries	استثمار أموال الشركات التابعة للشركات القابضة	View Activity 642002 →
`642003`	Possessing real estate and movables required for Holding Companies	امتلاك العقارات والمنقولات اللازمة للشركات القابضة	View Activity 642003 →
`642004`	Providing loans, guarantees and financing to the Holding Companies Subsidiaries	تقديم القروض والكفالات والتمويل للشركات التابعة للشركات القابضة	View Activity 642004 →
`642005`	Possessing industrial property rights for Holding Companies Subsidiaries	امتلاك حقوق الملكية الصناعية للشركات التابعة للشركات القابضة	View Activity 642005 →
`642006`	Leasing the Industrial property rights for Holding Companies Subsidiaries	تأجير حقوق الملكية الصناعية للشركات التابعة للشركات القابضة	View Activity 642006 →

Regulatory & Business Setup Use Cases in Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Commerce (MC): Required on your Saudi Commercial Registration (CR) to legally define the company’s business activities.
Ministry of Investment (MISA): Determines eligibility for 100% foreign-owned investment licenses and capital requirements. See our MISA Licensing Guide.
ZATCA Taxation & Zakat: Activity categorization for Corporate Income Tax (20%), Zakat (2.5%), and 15% VAT filing rules. See our ZATCA Tax Guide.
MHRSD / Qiwa (Nitaqat Quotas): Determines the required percentage of Saudi national employees. Check our Nitaqat Saudization Guide.
Balady Municipal Licensing: Establishes commercial shop, office, and warehouse zoning compliance.

Compliance & Regulatory Risk Assessment

Assessment Factor	Verification Status	Regulatory Source / Evidence
Official GASTAT Registry	✅ Verified	Confirmed in official GASTAT SSIC January 2025 / 2026 release
ISIC Rev. 4 International Crosswalk	✅ Aligned	Standardized UN International Industrial Classification mapping
Commercial Registration (CR) Active	✅ Eligible	Available for immediate filing on Ministry of Commerce portal
MISA Foreign Investment Path	✅ Permitted	100% foreign equity eligible under MISA investment criteria
5-Tier Structural Hierarchy	✅ Complete	Full parent-child relationship verified from Section to Activity
Overall Regulatory Readiness Score	🟢 10 / 10	Low Compliance Risk / Ready for Commercial Setup

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What does Saudi SSIC code 642 cover?

SSIC 642 covers Activities of holding companies, i.e. assets (owning controlling-levels of equity) of a group of subsidiary corporations and whose principal activity is owning the group. (أنشطة الشركات القابضة (أي الوحدات التي تستحوذ على أصول امتلاك حصة مهيمنة من رأس المال لمجموعة من الشركات التابعة، ويكون نشاطها الرئيسي هو ملكية تلك المجموعة)) under Saudi Arabia’s official industrial classification system.

2. Which authority regulates activities under SSIC 642?

Activities under this code fall under the supervision of the Ministry of Commerce and respective sectoral regulators.

3. Can international investors establish a business with code 642?

Yes. In most sectors, the Ministry of Investment (MISA) permits 100% foreign equity ownership. Refer to our MISA Guide for full requirements.

4. How does SSIC 642 affect my company’s Nitaqat rating?

MHRSD calculates your Saudization tier based on your primary SSIC activity registered on your Commercial Registration.

Official Source Attribution & Disclaimer

Primary Data Source: General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) — National Classification for Economic Activities.

Commercial Portal: Ministry of Commerce (MC)

This page is an independent reference resource. Cross-verify critical licensing details on official government portals before filing commercial applications.