RIYADH — The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing issued more than 34,000 building permits across the Kingdom during the first half of 2026.The ministry said residential permits accounted for the largest share of the total, with more than 28,000 licenses issued between January and the end of June. More than 5,000 commercial permits and over 1,000 permits for government buildings were also issued during the period.The ministry attributed the growth to ongoing improvements in the municipal licensing system and the expansion of digital services through the Balady platform, which have simplified permit procedures, accelerated application processing, enhanced customer experience and strengthened coordination among relevant government entities.It said the volume of permits reflects the diversity of development projects across the residential, commercial and government sectors while supporting urban expansion throughout the Kingdom.The ministry added that it will continue working with municipalities to improve licensing procedures, expand digital solutions and enhance operational efficiency to improve municipal services, and strengthen the urban landscape.The announcement follows the ministry's recent disclosure that it issued and renewed more than 274,000 commercial licenses during the first half of 2026, including more than 97,000 new licenses and over 177,000 renewals.During the same period, authorities completed more than 91,000 amendments to commercial licenses, processed over 43,000 requests to add business activities and nearly 39,000 license ownership transfers as part of efforts to improve the investment environment and expand digital services through the Balady platform.