Alcohol is still very tightly controlled in Saudi Arabia and is illegal for most people and situations. The rules are strict even if you are 20 years old.
Current legal status
Saudi law generally prohibits producing, importing, selling, possessing, or drinking alcohol anywhere in the country, with violations punishable by fines, jail, deportation for foreigners, and possible corporal punishment. These rules apply regardless of age, so being 20 does not make it legal to drink.
Recent and upcoming changes
The government has begun planning tightly controlled exceptions as part of tourism and economic reforms under Vision 2030. From around 2026, alcohol (only beer, wine, and cider up to about 20% strength) is expected to be allowed in a limited number of licensed luxury hotels, resorts, certain tourist zones, some expatriate compounds, embassies, and specific international events. Even in those places, alcohol must be consumed on-site; take-away, home storage, or public drinking will remain banned.
Who may legally drink
Reports indicate that the easing is aimed at non‑Muslim foreign residents and tourists in those specific venues, not at Saudi citizens or Muslim residents in general. Separate recent measures have allowed certain high‑earning, non‑Muslim expatriates with special residency status to buy alcohol from a single controlled shop in Riyadh, again under narrow conditions. None of these changes create a general “legal drinking age” like in many Western countries; they create small, highly regulated exceptions.
Practical advice for a 20‑year‑old visitor
If you are visiting Saudi Arabia, you should assume that bringing in alcohol, buying it, or drinking it outside of an approved licensed setting is illegal and risky. Even where alcohol is allowed, entry is likely restricted to specific non‑Muslim foreigners and tightly ID‑checked, so many 20‑year‑olds may not qualify in practice. To stay safe, treat Saudi Arabia as effectively “dry” unless you are clearly in one of the designated venues and fall into the allowed category.