Article 24 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 24 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
The article requires the Commission's prior approval for demolition, utility connections and new work inside archaeological and urban heritage sites, requires it to reply within 60 days, and subjects the work to its monitoring.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1 - لا يجوز القيام بأي من الأعمال الآتية داخل حدود مواقع الآثار والتراث العمراني إلا بعد الحصول على موافقةٍ مسبقةٍ من الهيئة:
أ - أعمال الهدم الكلي، أو الجزئي.
ب - تمديدات خدمات الماء، والكهرباء، والغاز، والاتصالات، وأعمال الطرقات، وجميع ما من شأنه تغيير المظهر الخارجي لمواقع الآثار، والتراث العمراني، والمباني التي فيها، أو قلب محتوى طبقاتها الأثرية.
ج - أي عمل جديد يتعلق بالبناء، وتصميم المواقع، والتشجير.
2 - على الهيئة الإجابة خلال (ستين) يوماً من تاريخ تسلّم طلب القيام بأي من الأعمال المحددة في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة.
3 - تخضع الأعمال المحددة في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة، أثناء عملية تنفيذها، لمراقبة الهيئة.
4 - تضع الهيئة - بالتنسيق مع وزارة الداخلية، ووزارة الشؤون البلدية والقروية - الآلية الفنية والإجرائية للتعامل مع المباني التراثية الآيلة للسقوط.
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 24 explained in plain English
This article regulates work within the boundaries of sites.
Paragraph (1) - work needing prior approval: none of the following may be done within the boundaries of archaeological and urban heritage sites without first obtaining the Commission's prior approval:
- Total or partial demolition work.
- Connecting water, electricity, gas and communications services, roadworks, and anything likely to change the external appearance of the sites and the buildings in them or to overturn the contents of their archaeological layers.
- Any new work relating to building, site design or tree planting.
Paragraph (2) - time to reply: the Commission must reply within 60 days of the date it receives the request.
Paragraph (3) - monitoring: this work is subject to the Commission's monitoring while it is carried out.
Paragraph (4) - buildings at risk of collapse: the Commission, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, sets the technical and procedural mechanism for dealing with heritage buildings at risk of collapse.
The approval required is prior, so it is not valid to start the work and then request approval. The article does not state the effect of the Commission failing to reply within the period. Anyone who owns a building inside a heritage site and needs work done in it should consider consulting a lawyer specializing in antiquities and urban heritage laws.
Practical example
Yousef wants to bring electricity to an old house he owns inside a heritage district in Riyadh. He must submit a request to the Commission and obtain its prior approval; the Commission must reply to him within 60 days of the date it receives the request, and then it monitors the work.
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 24 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
May a building inside an urban heritage site be demolished?
Total or partial demolition within the boundaries of archaeological and urban heritage sites is not permitted without first obtaining the Commission's prior approval.
How long does the Commission have to reply to an approval request?
The Commission must reply within 60 days of the date it receives the request.
Does tree planting inside an archaeological site need approval?
Yes. Any new work relating to building, site design or tree planting needs the Commission's prior approval.
More articles on Protecting Archaeological Sites from Encroachment
- Article 6
The article prohibits encroaching on, altering, damaging or defacing archaeological and urban heritage sites in any way, and bars placing signs and advertising on them without the Commission's approval.
1- يحظر التعدي على مواقع الآثار والتراث العمراني، أو تحويرها، أو إزالتها، أو إلحاق الضرر بها، أو تشويهها بالكتابة، أو الطلاء، أو النقش، أو إلصاق الإعلانات عليها
- Article 9
The Authority sets antiquities and urban heritage sites in coordination with the relevant bodies; they must be preserved in city plans, and building or restoration permits next to them are issued only in agreement with the Authority.
1- تحدد الهيئة مواقع الآثار والتراث العمراني، وتنسق مع وزارة الشؤون البلدية والقروية، والجهات المعنية الأخرى - كل فيما يخصه - في شأن ذلك. 2 - تجب المحافظة على م
- Article 10
Grant and distribution decisions may not be applied to archaeological and urban heritage sites agreed upon with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, and the ministries coordinate with the Commission when preparing grant and agricultural plans.
1- يمنع تطبيق قرارات المنح والتوزيع على مواقع الآثار والتراث العمراني المتفق عليها مع وزارة الشؤون البلدية والقروية. 2 - تنسق وزارة الشؤون البلدية والقروية ووزا
- Article 11
Dangerous facilities may not be built near fixed antiquities except with the Commission's approval, and the regulations set the controls for this.
لا تجوز إقامة منشآت خطرة بالقرب من الآثار الثابتة إلا بموافقة الهيئة، وتبين اللوائح الضوابط الخاصة بذلك.
- Article 13
The Commission coordinates with the Ministry of Interior and the related authorities to set a mechanism ensuring the protection of archaeological and urban heritage sites.
تنسق الهيئة مع وزارة الداخلية، والجهات ذات العلاقة لوضع آلية تكفل حماية مواقع الآثار والتراث العمراني.
- Article 22
Making changes in archaeological and urban heritage sites, using their rubble, or taking soil, stones or any other material from them is not permitted except with the Commission's approval and under its supervision.
لا يجوز الإحداث في مواقع الآثار والتراث العمراني، أو استعمال الأنقاض التي فيها، أو أخذ أتربة أو أحجار أو أي مادة أخرى منها، إلا بموافقة الهيئة وتحت إشرافها.
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.