ANANT Law Firm

On January 5, 2026, the Royal Government of Cambodia issued Sub-Decree No. 03 ANKR.BK on new measures for Collective Accommodations to strengthen public security, social safety and public order.

1. Highlights of the Regulation
   a. Covered Collective Accommodations
   Collective Accommodations cover a broad range of property types, including:
   – Borey
   – Condominiums, apartments, and co-owned buildings
   – Hotels, guesthouses, resorts, and bungalows
   – Factories and enterprises
   – Special Economic Zones (SEZs), and Economic Land Concession (ELCs)
   – Dormitories
   – Pagoda, and Religious centers
   – Orphanages.
   Exception: collective housing units managed by the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and the National Police Force.

b. Obligations of Head of Organization, Owner, or Manager of a Collective Accommodation:
– Record all residents, report and update information to the competent authorities, and fully cooperate with them to ensure compliance with the new security and safety requirements.
– Report the temporary stay of any foreign nationals to the relevant authorities within 24
hours.
– Verify the legality of stay documents before accepting any foreign nationals.
– Maintain security and safety records to meet required standards and provide them to the competent authorities upon request, and improve them per the authorities’ suggestion.
Failure to comply with this requirement would result in a fine of KHR 400,000 (approximately USD 100) and further liability for any damages.

– Register foreigners’ residency with the competent authorities. Foreign nationals holding a permanent stay permit must complete the registration within 48 hours of arrival.

c. Security agencies must monitor, cooperate with, and report to the competent authorities any suspected criminal activities within the Collective Accommodation where they provide services.
d. CCTV records must be maintained and retained for at least ninety days, and entry and exit logs must be kept for one year. 

Any concealing or housing a foreign national without valid legal stay documents will result in a fine of KHR 4,000,000 (approximately USD 1,000) per individual, without prejudice to potential criminal
prosecution.

 
2. Expected Impacts on Business Operations
The Regulation has direct operational and financial implications for businesses operating Collective Accommodation facilities, including:

• Processes must be revised to ensure timely reporting of residents and foreign nationals.
• Investments may be needed to install or upgrade CCTV systems and expand data storage
  capacity to meet the mandated retention periods.
• Businesses will need to maintain accurate, inspection-ready resident records, entry/exit
  logs, and security data, which may increase ongoing administrative workload.

3. Immediate Compliance Steps for Collective Accommodation Operators

Operators should immediately review resident records and reporting requirements, ensure foreign nationals register their residency, audit resident logs and security systems for compliance, update internal procedures and train staff on reporting and document verification, and confirm that private security providers monitor, report, and cooperate with authorities, with contracts reflecting these responsibilities.

The content shared here is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as a legal advice. Legal matters can be complex and may vary based on individual circumstances. For personalized guidance on specific legal issues, we recommend consulting with our qualified legal professionals.