Article 40 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
المادة 40 من نظام الآثار والمتاحف والتراث العمراني
Anyone who brings an antiquity or heritage item into the Kingdom must comply with international agreements, declare it to customs and register it with the Authority within 3 weeks, and may take it out after the Authority's approval.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب على كـل من يُحضر معه إلى المملكة قطعة أثرية أو تراثية الالتزام بالاتفاقيات الدولية المنظمة لذلك، التي تكون المملكة طرفاً فيها، والتصريح بها لموظفي الجمارك، وتسجيلها لدى الهيئة أو فروعها في المناطق خلال (ثلاثة أسابيع) من تاريخ إدخالها، وله حـق إخراجها من المملكة بعد الحصول على موافقة الهيئة.
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 40 explained in plain English
This article regulates bringing antiquities and heritage items into the Kingdom and taking them out.
Anyone who brings an antiquity or heritage item with them into the Kingdom must:
- Comply with the international agreements governing the matter to which the Kingdom is party.
- Declare it to customs officers.
- Register it with the Authority or its regional branches within 3 weeks of the date it was brought in.
Right to take it out: the person may take it out of the Kingdom after obtaining the Authority's approval.
This means an antiquity that a traveler or resident brings with them is not left undocumented; it goes through customs first and is then registered with the Authority. In return, its owner keeps the right to take it out later, but with the Authority's approval.
The set period (3 weeks) runs from the date the item is brought in, so it should be watched. The article does not state the method of registration or the documents required.
This rule differs from dealing in items registered as national heritage, which Article 39 limits to within the borders of the Kingdom; an item brought in from abroad may be taken out by its owner after the Authority's approval. Anyone carrying old items on their travels who needs to assess their position would be wise to consult a lawyer who specializes in antiquities and urban heritage law.
Practical example
A resident of Riyadh bought a small antique statue at a licensed auction outside the Kingdom and brought it back with them. They must declare it to customs officers and register it with the Authority or one of its branches within 3 weeks of bringing it in, and if they later want to take it out they need the Authority's approval.
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 40 of the Saudi Antiquities Law
Must antiquities be declared at customs?
Yes. Anyone who brings an antiquity or heritage item into the Kingdom must declare it to customs officers.
What is the deadline for registering an antiquity brought into the Kingdom?
Within 3 weeks of the date it was brought in, with the Authority or its regional branches.
Can the item be taken out of the Kingdom later?
Yes. The person may take it out of the Kingdom after obtaining the Authority's approval.
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.