Is it illegal to use a VPN in Saudi Arabia?

Not in itself. Holding and using a VPN is permitted; the offence is using it to reach blocked unlawful content or to commit a cybercrime. Legitimate privacy and work use is normal.

What are the penalties?

Reported penalties under the Anti-Cyber Crime Law reach up to one year and SAR 500,000 for using a VPN in unlawful activity, and up to five years and SAR 3,000,000 in aggravated cases.

Do WhatsApp calls work in Saudi Arabia?

Voice and video calling over most non-approved apps has long been restricted; text and voice notes generally work. This is a network restriction, separate from the VPN law.

Can I use a VPN for work in Riyadh or Jeddah?

Using a VPN for corporate access, data security and privacy on public Wi-Fi is standard practice. The legal risk is tied to unlawful use, not to the tool.

Is a VPN legal in Saudi Arabia?

Owning or using a VPN in Saudi Arabia is not illegal in itself. Businesses, government bodies and residents use VPNs routinely for remote work, data security and privacy on public networks. What is a crime is using a VPN to reach blocked unlawful content or to commit a cybercrime — and the penalties are severe. This page sets out what the law covers, with a source, and why VPNs also fail on Saudi networks for technical reasons.

What the law covers

Under Saudi Arabia's Anti-Cyber Crime Law, holding or using a VPN is permitted, but using a VPN or any technical means to reach content that is itself unlawful in the Kingdom — gambling, pornography, cyberattacks, spying, or content deemed to harm public order, religious values or national security — is a criminal offence.

Reported penalties reach up to one year of imprisonment and a fine of up to SAR 500,000 for using a VPN in unlawful activity, rising to up to five years and SAR 3,000,000 in aggravated cases (for example content touching religious values, public morals, or economic and national security).

Use that is not the problem

Remote access to a corporate or government network.
Encrypting traffic on hotel, café, airport and other public Wi-Fi.
Protecting online banking and work data.
Privacy from the local network, where you are not using it to reach blocked content.

That is the use AVEE is built for and the only use these pages encourage.

Why VPNs also fail for technical reasons

The three operators — STC, Mobily and Zain — block VPN provider IP ranges and ports and use protocol detection against WireGuard and OpenVPN. Voice and video calling over most non-approved apps has also long been restricted. The transports that hold up under this kind of blocking are the obfuscated ones that look like ordinary HTTPS — see how ISPs block VPNs and what is the Reality transport.

Where AVEE fits

For the legal use cases above, AVEE is a VLESS/Reality app for Android and Windows, one-tap, with a free trial (about 1 GB, up to 3 days) so you can check it on your own STC, Mobily or Zain line. Plans start at $1/month, no email sign-up. AVEE does not encourage using a VPN to bypass Saudi restrictions and makes no claim about doing so.

AVEE uses VLESS/Reality and lets you test compatibility on your connection before paying.

Try AVEE free — 1 GB, up to 3 days

FAQ

Is it illegal to use a VPN in Saudi Arabia?: Not in itself. Holding and using a VPN is permitted; the offence is using it to reach blocked unlawful content or to commit a cybercrime. Legitimate privacy and work use is normal.
What are the penalties?: Reported penalties under the Anti-Cyber Crime Law reach up to one year and SAR 500,000 for using a VPN in unlawful activity, and up to five years and SAR 3,000,000 in aggravated cases.
Do WhatsApp calls work in Saudi Arabia?: Voice and video calling over most non-approved apps has long been restricted; text and voice notes generally work. This is a network restriction, separate from the VPN law.
Can I use a VPN for work in Riyadh or Jeddah?: Using a VPN for corporate access, data security and privacy on public Wi-Fi is standard practice. The legal risk is tied to unlawful use, not to the tool.

Sources

Saudi Ministry of Justice — Anti-Cyber Crime Law (Laws portal) — checked 2026-08-29
CITC / regulator guidance on blocked content and lawful use — checked 2026-08-29

Last reviewed: 2026-08-29. Availability and network conditions vary by carrier, route, server load, and applicable restrictions, and can change. This page is information, not legal advice.