Article 30 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
المادة 30 من نظام الزراعة
Anyone who attempts to violate the Law or Implementing Regulations is punished by no more than half the prescribed penalty, and on repeat by the same penalty prescribed for the violation.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعاقب من يشرع في مخالفة أي حكم من أحكام النظام أو اللائحة بما لا يتجاوز نصف العقوبة المقرة نظامًا. وفي حال التكرار يعاقب بالعقوبة ذاتها المقررة للمخالفة.
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 30 explained in plain English
This article deals with attempting a violation, meaning beginning to commit it without completing it.
The rule: Anyone who attempts to violate any provision of the Law or the Implementing Regulations is punished by no more than half the penalty prescribed by law.
Repeat: On repeat, the person is punished by the same penalty prescribed for the violation, not half of it.
It follows that:
- The Law does not require the violation to be completed for punishment; a mere attempt is punishable.
- The penalty for a first attempt is reduced, with a maximum of half the penalty for the complete violation.
- Someone who repeats the attempt loses this reduction and is punished by the full penalty.
The text is general and covers "any provision of the Law or the Implementing Regulations", so it is not limited to a particular type of violation. The article does not define attempt in detail, does not state when an act counts as an attempt, and does not set a period within which repetition is counted, so nothing that does not appear in it should be assumed.
This article follows Article 29, which assigns to the Public Prosecution the investigation of the more serious violations.
If you have a specific situation, it is best to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative matters and agricultural laws.
Practical example
A trader in Jeddah tried to bring in a shipment of banned agricultural resources without the Ministry's approval, but was caught before completing the entry. He is punished for the attempt by no more than half the prescribed penalty, and if he repeats it he is punished by the same penalty prescribed for the violation.
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 30 of the Saudi Agriculture Law
Is attempting to violate the Agriculture Law punished?
Yes. Anyone who attempts to violate any provision of the Law or the Implementing Regulations is punished by no more than half the prescribed penalty.
What is the penalty for repeating an attempted violation?
On repeat, the person is punished by the same penalty prescribed for the violation.
More articles on Agriculture Violations and Penalties
- Article 23
The article lists violations of the Law: concealing information or giving it misleadingly to the Ministry or inspectors, obstructing inspectors' work, and violating license conditions and controls.
يعد من مخالفات النظام القيام بأي من الأفعال الآتية: 1- إخفاء معلومات أو بيانات عن الوزارة أو المفتشين، أو تقديمها بشكل مضلل أو غير صحيح. 2- إعاقة عمل المفتشين.
- Article 24
The text regulates Ministry inspectors in catching and investigating violations, the duty to give them access, their powers of stopping, inspection, sampling, custody and closure, and assigning some tasks to companies.
1- يتولى مفتشون -يصدر بتحديدهم قرار من الوزير- مجتمعين أو منفردين ضبط مخالفات أحكام النظام واللائحة، والتحقيق فيها، وإثباتها، وتحدد اللائحة آليات عملهم؛ وذلك دو
- Article 25
A violator of the Law or Implementing Regulations is punished by a fine of up to SAR 15 million, license suspension of up to a year, license cancellation, or facility closure of up to a month; the Minister issues violation tables.
1- دون إخلال بما ورد في المادة (الثامنة والعشرين) من النظام، وأي عقوبة أشد ينص عليها نظام آخر، يعاقب كل من يخالف أي من أحكام النظام أو اللائحة بواحدة -أو أكثر-
- Article 26
The article allows the Ministry to impose a fine of up to SAR 100,000 and a daily fine, establishes committees to decide violations and objections, and allows a grievance before the Administrative Court.
1- دون إخلال بما ورد في الفقرة (2) من هذه المادة، والمادة (الحادية والثلاثين) من النظام، تتولى الوزارة إيقاع عقوبة الغرامة التي لا تزيد على (100.000) مائة ألف ر
- Article 27
The article gives the Article 26 committee power to order the violator to remove the violation, impose a daily fine, double the fine for repeats within 3 years, publish the decision, and request confiscation.
للجنة المشار إليها في المادة (السادسة والعشرين) من النظام ما يأتي: 1- تضمين القرار -الصادر بتحديد العقوبة- النص على إلزام المخالف بإزالة المخالفة. 2- فرض غرامة
- Article 31
The competent court handles the violations in Article 28 and their penalties, and may order confiscation, a daily fine, doubled penalties for repeat offenses and publication of a summary of the judgment.
تتولى المحكمة المختصة النظر في المخالفات المشار إليها في المادة (الثامنة والعشرين) من النظام، وإيقاع العقوبات المنصوص عليها في تلك المادة، ويجوز لها ما يأتي: 1-
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.

