Nursery licence requirements compared: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE

Nursery licence requirements differ sharply across the Gulf. Kuwait is reported to want an individual applicant to be Kuwaiti, with a KD 5,000 guarantee. Saudi Arabia starts from a commercial registration plus municipal and Civil Defense licences. Dubai builds its permit around an academic plan and a KHDA-interviewed manager. We found staffing ratios for only some.

Our sources vary in strength, and we say so as we go. The Saudi points come from the ministry's published Controls, most Kuwaiti points from press reports, and in the UAE each emirate has its own body. "Not found" means we looked and could not locate it. It does not mean no rule exists.

Who licenses nurseries?

• Kuwait: the Ministry of Social Affairs, per a July 2025 report.
• Saudi Arabia: HRSD for children's hospitality centres. Qurrah's approval page accepts centres licensed by HRSD or the Ministry of Education. An official split of ages 3 to 6 between them: not found.
• Dubai: KHDA.
• Abu Dhabi: ADEK.
• Sharjah: SPEA.

Across the UAE, Federal Decree-Law 51/2022 sits above all three.

Who can apply?

• Kuwait: a Kuwaiti with a diploma or degree who is not employed, or an entity such as a company, institution or public benefit association. One licence per licensee, branches allowed.
• Saudi Arabia: a person with a commercial registration, municipal licence, national ID and Civil Defense licence, or an entity with a registration and a legal representative (Art. 5).
• Dubai: the steps start from commercial approval and a trade name. A nationality rule: not found, so ask KHDA.

How long does a licence last?

• Kuwait: five years. Renewal notice is reported as either three months or four.
• Saudi Arabia: five years, renewing six months before expiry, with a separate licence per branch.
• Abu Dhabi: yearly, starting at least two months before expiry, from a 2019 notice whose current force we could not confirm.
• Sharjah: one year, renewed annually.

What does a licence cost?

• Kuwait: a reported KD 5,000 guarantee plus a KD 2,000 fee over five years, with a proposed rise under review as of May 2025.
• Saudi Arabia: a fee amount: not found, so ask HRSD.
• Dubai: AED 10,000, and AED 5,000 to renew.
• Sharjah: AED 5,000, though worded for a "private training center". Confirm it.

Who can run the nursery?

• Kuwait: reported as a woman director with an education degree, or a diploma and five years' experience.
• Saudi Arabia: a full-time Saudi manager with a bachelor's or high school diploma, plus experience or a childhood course.
• Dubai: a bachelor's and at least three years' experience in early childhood centres, plus a KHDA interview.

What ages and ratios apply?

• Kuwait: reported as 30 days until kindergarten age. Ratios: not found.
• Saudi Arabia: birth to under ten. 1 to 5, then 1 to 10, 1 to 12 and 1 to 15 as children get older, with at least 2 square metres per child.
• Dubai: reported as 45 days to six. Ratios reported in 2022 run 1 to 3, 1 to 5, 1 to 8 and 1 to 12.
• Abu Dhabi: up to four. Ratios: not found.
• Sharjah: ages and ratios: not found.

Are cameras required?

• Kuwait: the ministry reminded nurseries in October 2026 that all must install them under a circular. Retention period: not found.
• Saudi Arabia: entrances, inside and courtyard, with at least 30 days' storage.
• Abu Dhabi: a CCTV Compliance Certificate is a standalone pre-condition for renewal.

How should I use this comparison?

If you are expanding into another country, do not copy your model across. Rework capacity from the local ratios, and check manager eligibility early, since it varies so much. Then write to the regulator about every "not found" above.

Bambini shows the staff-to-child ratio for every room, though meeting your country's rule stays your decision.

Last checked 4 November 2026; rules change, so confirm with the regulator. This is general information, not legal advice.