Saudi is the only country in the world where women are prohibited from driving.
In the royal decree issued on Tuesday, King Salman ordered that an ministerial body would implement the change by June 2018, following a consultation over the next 30 days.
The decree referred to the "negative consequences of not allowing women to drive the vehicle and the positive aspects of allowing it".
It added that the "majority" of senior scholars viewed allowing women to drive as legitimate.
