HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister issues Edict (30) of 2026

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today issued Edict (30) of 2026 amending certain provisions of the Executive Regulation of the Municipalities Law promulgated by Decree-Law (35) of 2001, issued by Decision (16) of 2002, based on a proposal by the Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture, and following the approval of the Cabinet.

Article (I)
The texts of the opening paragraph of Article (23), Article (34) bis, the second paragraph of Article (44), and Article (72) of the Executive Regulation of the Municipalities Law promulgated by Decree-Law (35) of 2001, issued by Decision (16) of 2002, shall be replaced with the following:

Article (23) – Opening paragraph:
The municipal council may form a permanent general committee, chaired by the council chairman and comprising the deputy chairman and the chairpersons of the specialised committees. The committee shall be responsible for preparing the council’s agenda and studying and expressing an opinion on the following matters:

Article (34) bis:
The property owner shall notify the competent municipality in whose jurisdiction the property is located before leasing it as shared accommodation and shall provide evidence that the accommodation complies with the health, security and safety requirements applicable to shared accommodation in accordance with the laws, decisions and regulations in force.

Accommodation shall be deemed shared accommodation if it is occupied by a group of no fewer than five individuals who are not related up to the fourth degree of kinship, whether they occupy the accommodation directly or through subletting. The competent municipality shall register all shared accommodation in its database.

Article (44) – Second paragraph:
This shall exclude vacant buildings, facilities and premises that are not connected to an electricity meter, as well as building project sites that are at the foundation stage. Municipal fees shall apply to such premises from the date of their actual occupancy or the date on which an electricity meter is installed, whichever is earlier.

Article (72):
The fee for licences to reclaim (fill) marine land (land submerged by seawater) shall be fixed at 400 fils per square metre.

Article (II)
A new item (f) shall be added to Article (14), two new paragraphs shall be added to Article (22), and a new item (4) shall be added to paragraph (g) of Article (34) of the Executive Regulation of the Municipalities Law promulgated by Decree-Law (35) of 2001, issued by Decision (16) of 2002, as follows:

Article (14) – Item (f):
(f) Proposing regulations governing shared accommodation in coordination with the competent authorities.

Article (22) – Second and third paragraphs:
If a committee considers that it has jurisdiction over a matter referred to another committee, or that it lacks jurisdiction over a matter referred to it, it shall notify the council chairman for submission to the council to issue a decision. Where a matter relates to more than one committee, the council shall determine the committee responsible for examining it or refer it to a joint committee comprising more than one committee.

Committees examining the same matter may hold joint meetings with the approval of the council chairman. In such cases, the meeting shall be chaired by the deputy chairman of the council if serving on one of the committees, or otherwise by the oldest member. A joint meeting shall be valid only if attended by a majority of the members of each committee separately, and decisions of the joint committee shall be issued by a majority of the members present.

Article (34) – Paragraph (g), Item (4):

4. Providing the necessary services and support to identify sites where disease-carrying insects and rodents breed through monitoring areas where water accumulates and stagnant water bodies are located across different areas, and taking the necessary measures to address them using appropriate methods in coordination with the competent authorities, without prejudice to the powers assigned to those authorities.

Article (III)
The Minister of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture shall implement the provisions of this Edict, which shall take effect on the day following its publication in the Official Gazette.