SAUDI HOLIDAYS & BUSINESS HOURS

Here are some dates to keep in mind when doing business in Saudi Arabia.

Local Time:

Saudi Arabia is 8 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and 7 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) from April to October.  Consequently, 8:00 a.m. EST in New York City corresponds to 4:00 p.m. the same day in Riyadh or Jeddah.  8:00 p.m. EST in New York City corresponds to 4:00 a.m. the next day in Riyadh or Jeddah.

Business Hours:

The Saudi workweek is Saturday through Wednesday, with the weekend falling on Thursday and Friday.  Because the U.S. Mission in Saudi Arabia follows the Saudi workweek, please note that the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh and the U.S. Consulates General in Dhahran and Jeddah are closed on Thursdays and Fridays, but are open on Saturdays and Sundays.

Government offices in Saudi Arabia open early at 8:00 a.m. but are closed by 2:30 or 3:00 p.m. at the latest.  Business open either 9:00 to 5:00, or from 9:00 to 1:00 with a three-hour break until 4:00 p.m., then re-open from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.  Shops typically open at 9:30 or 10:00 until 1:00 pm., and then re-open at 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. until about 10:00 p.m.

Please note that most Saudi offices, businesses, and shops close for Islamic prayers five times a day, for about 20-30 minutes each time.  Because prayer times are calculated in relation to sunrise and sunset, they vary daily.  Detailed monthly prayer times can be found by clicking here.  You must select a specific location as sunrise and sunset times vary from city to city.

Embassy/Consulate Holidays:

The following days are designated as official holidays to be observed by the Embassy and the two Consulates (Dhahran and Jeddah) for the period Jan. 1, 2013 through Dec. 31, 2013.