Article 16 of the Saudi Advertising Boards Rules
المادة 16 من قواعد تنظيم لوحات الدعاية والإعلان
Article 16 requires every licensee to observe the requirements of security and safety and not to disfigure natural scenery when placing the advertisement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب على كل مرخص له أن يراعي مقتضيات الأمن والسلامة وعدم تشويه المناظر الطبيعية عند وضع الإعلان.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 16 explained in plain English
Article 16 places a duty on every licensee for an advertisement, relating to how the advertisement is placed and its effect on the place, and consisting of two matters:
- Observing the requirements of security and safety, so the advertisement may not pose a danger to people or property or conflict with security requirements.
- Not disfiguring natural scenery, as the advertisement must not spoil the natural scenery of the place where it is put.
The text is general: it covers every licensee, all types of advertisements, and the time of placing them. But it does not specify detailed standards for security and safety, such as the height of boards, their distances or the materials they are made of, so these details cannot be assumed from the text.
This article complements Article 15, which concerns the content of the advertisement: its consistency with the country's customs and traditions, its suiting good taste, and its pictures and writing being within Islamic ethics, observing classical Arabic and the Shari'a controls. If Article 15 looks at "what the advertisement says", this article looks at "where and how it is placed".
It is followed by Article 17, which requires every licensee to observe the decisions on encouraging local products and services and advertising them.
An advertising company should take these considerations into account when choosing the sites of its boards and designing its facilities. A person whose board is objected to on these grounds may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and government contracts.
Practical example
A licensed advertising establishment wanted to place a large board on a mountain slope overlooking a tourist road in Abha. This text requires it to observe the requirements of security and safety, and the board must not disfigure the natural scenery of the place.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 16 of the Saudi Advertising Boards Rules
What are the safety conditions for placing advertising boards?
The article requires every licensee to observe the requirements of security and safety when placing the advertisement, without specifying detailed standards.
Is it forbidden to put up advertisements that disfigure natural scenery?
Yes. Every licensee must observe not disfiguring natural scenery when placing the advertisement.
More articles on Obligations of Advertising Companies
- Article 8
Article 8 obliges the company or establishment licensed for advertising to run a certain proportion of charitable advertisements free of charge, as the Ministry of Media determines in agreement with the relevant body.
تلتزم الشركة أو المؤسسة المرخص لها بالإعلان بتنفيذ نسبة معينة من الإعلانات ذات الهدف الخيري دون مقابل وذلك وفقًا لما تحدده وزارة الإعلام بالاتفاق مع الجهة ذات ا
- Article 9
Article 9 obliges the company or establishment carrying out the advertisement to pay the costs of connecting and consuming electric current and any other related costs according to the laws and instructions.
تلتزم الشركة أو المؤسسة المنفذة للإعلان بدفع تكاليف إيصال واستهلاك التيار الكهربائي وأية تكاليف أخرى ذات علاقة حسب الأنظمة والتعليمات.
- Article 10
Article 10 makes preparing advertising sites and the facilities they need, with their maintenance and cleaning, the responsibility of the company or establishment carrying out the advertisement.
تكون مسئولية الشركة أو المؤسسة المنفذة للإعلان تجهيز المواقع وما يلزم لها من منشآت مع صيانتها ونظافتها.
- Article 11
Article 11 obliges the company or establishment carrying out the advertisement to repair boards damaged by traffic accidents or natural factors and remove the debris immediately and within no more than 24 hours.
إذا تعرضت لوحات الدعاية والإعلان لحوادث مرورية أو عوامل طبيعية فعلى الشركة أو المؤسسة المنفذة للإعلان إصلاحها ورفع المخلفات الناتجة عن الحوادث فورًا وخلال مدة ل
- Article 17
Article 17 requires every advertising licensee to observe, in applying these Rules, the decisions on encouraging local products and services and advertising them.
يجب على كل مرخص له بالإعلان أن يراعي في تطبيق هذه القواعد القرارات الخاصة بتشجيع المنتجات والخدمات المحلية، والإعلان عنها.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.