According to the the General Statistics Regulation, issued by the Cabinet, the General Authority for Statistics (GAStat) is the official agency authorized to conduct surveys and statistics. All information and data provided by citizens, residents or establishments shall be kept and classified.

The Cabinet Resolution no. 11, dated Muharram 13, 1437H, provided for organizing the General Authority for Statistics (GAStat), and stipulated that:

• GAStat is a government body with legal personality, characterized by financial and administrative independence;
• GAStat has and independent budget, defined by virtue of a royal decree;
• Forming a board of directors, entitled with the exclusive authority of managing all affairs of GAStat, presided over by the Minister of Economics and Planning. The board includes in its membership 15 of the key partners of GAStat in statistical work;
• GAStat is the government agency exclusively concerned with statistics, and the sole official reference for conducting, overseeing and organizing statistical work;
• Forming a standing coordinating committee to coordinate statistical work between GAStat and other competent authorities;
• Creating a GAStat central information system, to be applied nation-wide, and be linked automatically to all relevant authorities; and
• GAStat may provide statistical services, and conduct surveys, and statistical research and studies, as well as providing private sector organizations and businesses with data extracted from its databases, and do so in a commercial manner (in return for fees and costs); and the Authority may utilize the returns for financing and developing the statistical and informational services it offers.