Article 39 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 39 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
Privately owned movable antiquities and heritage artifacts registered as national heritage may be dealt in, with a license from the Authority, within the Kingdom only; the Authority has a priority right to buy, and the seller has notification duties.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1 - يجوز - بترخيص من الهيئة - تداول الآثار المنقولة وقطع التراث الشعبي المملوكة للأشخاص الخاصة والمسجلة في سجل الآثار بوصفها تراثاً وطنياً، داخل حدود المملكة فقط، وفي حالة البيع؛ يكون للهيئة حق الأولوية في الشراء.
2 - يتعين على كل من يبيع قطعة مسجلة في سجل الآثار بوصفها تراثاً وطنياً، أو ينقل ملكيتها بأي شكل من أشكال التداول؛ إبلاغ من تنتقل إليه الملكية بقرار التسجيل وإجراءات الحماية، وإبلاغ الهيئة بتمام عملية التداول، وذلك وفقاً للوائح.
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 39 explained in plain English
This article regulates dealing in items registered as national heritage that are owned by private persons.
Paragraph (1) – Dealing:
- Movable antiquities and heritage artifacts owned by private persons and registered in the antiquities register as national heritage may be dealt in.
- On condition of a license from the Authority.
- Within the borders of the Kingdom only.
- In the case of a sale, the Authority has a priority right to buy.
Paragraph (2) – Duties of the seller or transferor: anyone who sells an item registered as national heritage, or transfers its ownership in any form of dealing, must:
- Notify the person to whom ownership passes of the registration decision and the protection procedures.
- Notify the Authority that the dealing has been completed.
All of this is in accordance with the regulations.
The aim of the rule is that these items remain within the Kingdom, that the Authority knows where they are and who owns them, and that the new owner knows the item is protected. The article does not say how the priority right is exercised or for how long; that is left to the regulations. Anyone who wishes to sell a registered item would be wise to consult a lawyer who specializes in antiquities and urban heritage law.
Practical example
Mishal owns an old dagger registered in the antiquities register as national heritage, and wants to sell it to a collector in Dammam. He needs a license from the Authority, the Authority has a priority right to buy, and after the sale he must notify the buyer of the registration decision and the protection procedures and notify the Authority that the sale has been completed.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCommercial & Corporate Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Commercial & Corporate Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributor
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 39 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
Can I sell a registered antiquity that I own?
It may be dealt in with a license from the Authority, within the borders of the Kingdom only, and the Authority has a priority right to buy on sale.
Can a registered item be taken out of the Kingdom for sale?
The article permits dealing in these items within the borders of the Kingdom only.
What must the seller of a registered item do?
Notify the person to whom ownership passes of the registration decision and the protection procedures, and notify the Authority that the dealing has been completed, in accordance with the regulations.
More articles on Possessing and Trading Antiquities
- Article 15
Auctions for selling movable antiquities and folk heritage pieces may not be organized except under a license from the Commission.
لا يجوز تنظيم مزادات بيع الآثار المنقولة وقطع التراث الشعبي، إلا بترخيص من الهيئة.
- Article 16
The Commission, in coordination with the competent authorities, works to recover national antiquities and helps return foreign antiquities smuggled from and to the Kingdom, under the relevant international agreements.
على الهيئة - بالتنسيق مع الجهات المختصة - أن تعمل على استعادة الآثار الوطنية، وأن تساعد على إعادة الآثار الأجنبية المهربة والمنقولة بطرق غير شرعية من المملكة وإ
- Article 30
The Commission may exchange duplicate movable antiquities, or those with similar specimens, with museums and scientific institutions inside and outside the Kingdom, and lend movable antiquities for display in international museums and exhibitions.
يجوز للهيئة تبادل الآثار المنقولة المكررة، أو التي لها نماذج مع المتاحف والمؤسسات العلمية الداخلية والخارجية، وكذلك إعارة الآثار المنقولة لعرضها في المتاحف والم
- Article 31
The Commission may accept movable antiquities offered to it as a gift or loan, and may keep or display them in the name of the person who offered them.
للهيئة قبول الآثار المنقولة التي تقدم إليها على سبيل الإهداء أو الإعارة، ولها أن تحفظها أو تعرضها باسم مقدمها.
- Article 32
The Commission may leave a movable antiquity discovered by chance in its discoverer's possession after registering it, and the discoverer may not dispose of it without the Commission's approval.
للهيئة ترك الأثر المنقول المكتشف عن طريق الصدفة في حيازة مكتشفه بعد تسجيله، ولا يجوز لمكتشفه التصرف فيه دون موافقة الهيئة.
- Article 33
Restoring movable antiquities for commercial purposes may not be practiced except after obtaining a license from the Commission, and the regulations set out the controls for this.
لا تجوز مزاولة نشاط ترميم الآثار المنقولة لأغراض تجارية إلا بعد الحصول على ترخيص من الهيئة، وتبين اللوائح ضوابط ذلك.
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.