Article 24 of the Saudi Arbitration Law
المادة 24 من نظام التحكيم · الباب الثالث: هيئة التحكيم
The article makes the competent court fix the arbitrators' fees where the parties and arbitrators have not agreed on them, by a decision that is not appealable, and requires it to do so where the court itself appointed the arbitrators.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
2- إذا لم يتم الاتفاق بين طرفي التحكيم والمحكمين على تحديد أتعاب المحكمين، فتحددها المحكمة المختصة التي يجب عليها أن تفصل فيه بقرار غير قابل للطعن بأي طريق من طرق الطعن. وإذا كان تعيين المحكمين من قبل المحكمة المختصة وجب معه تحديد أتعاب المحكمين.
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 deals with the arbitrators' fees (their pay for deciding the dispute).
The text in force (paragraph 2):
- If the parties to arbitration and the arbitrators have not agreed on fixing the arbitrators' fees, the competent court fixes them.
- The court must decide this by a decision that is not appealable by any means of appeal.
- If the arbitrators were appointed by the competent court, their fees must be fixed along with it.
What does this mean in practice? The rule is that fees are fixed by agreement between the parties and the arbitrators. It is therefore useful to agree on fees in writing from the start of the arbitration to avoid later disagreement. If there is no agreement, the competent court is the body that settles the matter, and its decision is final and not appealable. The text does not state the amount of the fees or how they are calculated.
Amendment: paragraph (1) of this article was deleted by Royal Decree No. (M/8) dated 18/1/1443 AH, and only paragraph (2), explained here, remains in force.
The article comes after Article 23, which regulates the interim measures ordered by the arbitral tribunal, and is followed by Article 25, which gives the parties the right to agree on the arbitration procedures.
If a disagreement arises over the arbitrators' fees in your dispute, you can consult a lawyer specialized in arbitration and commercial cases.
Practical example
The competent court appointed a sole arbitrator in a dispute between two establishments in Taif, after the parties were unable to agree on choosing him. In this case the court must fix the arbitrator's fees along with appointing him. And if the parties had appointed the arbitrator and then all disagreed over his fees, the competent court fixes them by a decision that is not appealable.
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 Arbitration Law
Who fixes the arbitrators' fees if they are not agreed?
The competent court fixes them by a decision that is not appealable by any means of appeal.
Can the court's decision fixing the fees be appealed?
No. The article provides that its decision on this is not appealable by any means of appeal.
What happened to the first paragraph of this article?
It was deleted by Royal Decree No. (M/8) dated 18/1/1443 AH.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/8 — 18/1/1443 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- حُذفت الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة وذلك بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/8) وتاريخ 1443/1/18هـ.
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
1- يجب عند اختيار المحكم إبرام عقد مستقل معه توضح فيه أتعابه، وتودع نسخة من العقد لدى الجهة التي تحددها اللائحة التنفيذية لهذا النظام.
2- إذا لم يتم الاتفاق بين طرفي التحكيم والمحكمين على تحديد أتعاب المحكمين، فتحددها المحكمة المختصة التي يجب عليها أن تفصل فيه بقرار غير قابل للطعن بأي طريق من طرق الطعن. وإذا كان تعيين المحكمين من قبل المحكمة المختصة وجب معه تحديد أتعاب المحكمين.
More articles on Arbitral Tribunal and Appointing Arbitrators
- Article 1
The article defines three key terms in the Arbitration Law: the arbitration agreement, the arbitral tribunal and the competent court.
تدل العبارات الآتية الواردة في هذا النظام على المعاني الموضحة أمامها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك : 1 - اتفاق التحكيم : هو اتفاق بين طرفين أو أكثر على أن يحيلا إ
- Article 13
The article requires the arbitral tribunal to consist of one or more arbitrators in an odd number, or the arbitration is void.
تشكل هيئة التحكيم من محكم واحد أو أكثر، على أن يكون العدد فردياً وإلا كان التحكيم باطلاً.
- Article 14
The article requires an arbitrator to have full capacity, good conduct and reputation, and at least a university degree in Sharia or legal sciences, the latter sufficing in the chairman where there are several arbitrators.
يشترط في المحكم ما يأتي : 1 ـ أن يكون كامل الأهلية. 2 ـ أن يكون حسن السيرة والسلوك. 3 ـ أن يكون حاصلاً على الأقل على شهادة جامعية في العلوم الشرعية أو النظامية،
- Article 15
The article regulates choosing arbitrators by the parties' agreement, and when and how the competent court steps in, the periods to be observed, and that its decision is not separately appealable.
1- لطرفي التحكيم الاتفاق على اختيار المحكمين، فإذا لم يتفقا اتبع ما يأتي: أ - إذا كانت هيئة التحكيم مشكلة من محكم واحد تولت المحكمة المختصة اختياره. ب - إذا كان
- Article 16
The article bars an arbitrator from having an interest in the dispute, requires written disclosure of anything that raises doubts about his impartiality, and sets the cases of his disqualification and the grounds for challenging him.
1- يجب ألا يكون للمحكم مصلحة في النزاع، وعليه ـ منذ تعيينه وطوال إجراءات التحكيم ـ أن يصرح - كتابةً - لطرفي التحكيم بكل الظروف التي من شأنها أن تُثير شكوكا لها
- Article 17
The article regulates the procedure and time limits for challenging an arbitrator absent agreement, appeal of a refusal to the competent court, and the effect of a challenge ruling on the arbitration proceedings.
1- إذا لم يكن هناك اتفاق بين طرفي التحكيم حول إجراءات ردّ المحكم، يقدم طلب الرد - كتابةً - إلى هيئة التحكيم مبيناً فيه أسباب الردّ خلال خمسة أيام من تاريخ علم ط
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.