Article 31 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
المادة 31 من نظام الغرف التجارية · الفصل الثالث: الاشتراك في الغرفة
Article 31 limits the chamber's services to subscribers, requires services to be stopped for anyone who has not paid the annual subscription, and requires subscribers under three years to pay for the services they request.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- دون الإخلال بما جاء في المادة (الثلاثون) من النظام، لا يجوز للغرفة تقديم خدماتها لغير المشتركين فيها، ويجب إيقاف تقديم هذه الخدمات عمن لم يسدد اشتراكه السنوي.
2- يلتزم المشترك الذي لم يمضِ على اشتراكه (ثلاث) سنوات، بأن يدفع المقابل المالي للخدمات التي يطلب من الغرفة تقديمها إليه.
3- تحدد اللائحة الخدمات والشهادات والمحررات التي يحق للغرفة إصدارها أو التصديق عليها، والمقابل المالي لذلك.
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 31 explained in plain English
This article governs who is entitled to the chamber of commerce's services and at what price.
- Services for subscribers only: the chamber may not provide its services to non-subscribers. A subscriber, under Article 1, is anyone with a valid subscription to the chamber.
- Services stopped for non-payment: the chamber must stop its services to a subscriber who has not paid the annual subscription. Stopping is a duty here, not an option for the chamber.
- The new subscriber: a subscriber whose subscription is less than three years old pays the fee for the services it requests from the chamber.
- Details in the Regulations: the Implementing Regulations set the services, certificates and documents the chamber may issue or attest, and the fee for each.
The article opens with the words "without prejudice to what is stated in Article (Thirty)", the article that makes the subscription fee fall due after three years from the date of registration in the commercial register and leaves it to the Regulations to set the categories of subscribers and the fee for each category. So during its first three years an establishment does not owe the subscription fee under Article 30, but it pays for the services it requests under this article.
Article 32 complements this rule by setting out the cases in which a subscription is canceled. The article does not state amounts or a list of services; for those, refer to the Implementing Regulations.
Practical example
Ahmed registered a business in Jeddah one year ago and asked the chamber of commerce to attest a certificate. Under the article, Ahmed pays the fee for this service because his subscription is less than three years old. His neighbor, the owner of an older shop who has not paid his annual subscription, must have the chamber's services stopped.
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 31 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
Does the chamber of commerce provide its services to non-subscribers?
No. The article bars the chamber from providing its services to non-subscribers, without prejudice to Article 30.
What happens if I do not pay the annual chamber subscription?
The chamber must stop providing its services to anyone who has not paid the annual subscription.
Do I pay for chamber services in the first three years?
Yes. A subscriber whose subscription is less than three years old must pay the fee for the services it requests from the chamber.
Where can I find the list of chamber services and their fees?
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations for the services, certificates and documents the chamber may issue or attest and their fees.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Chamber of Commerce Subscription
- Article 29
Article 29 requires every establishment in the commercial register to join the competent chamber, with no multiple subscriptions for multiple branches, and allows those not required to register to join without voting rights.
1- يتعين على كل منشأة مقيدة في السجل التجاري الاشتراك في الغرفة التي يقع في نطاق اختصاصها المقر الرئيس للمنشأة أو أحد فروعها، وإذا كان للمنشأة أكثر من فرع في نط
- Article 30
Article 30 refers to the Implementing Regulations for the categories of chamber subscribers and the fee for each, and provides that the fee falls due 3 years after registration in the commercial register.
تحدد اللائحة فئات المشتركين في الغرفة، والمقابل المالي لاشتراك كل فئة، ويبدأ استحقاق المقابل المالي للمشترك في الغرفة بعد مضي (ثلاث) سنوات من تاريخ قيده في السج
- Article 32
A subscription to the chamber is canceled when the subscriber's commercial register entry is struck off, or when the license expires or is canceled for an activity that does not require registration, with no refund for the remaining period.
يكون اشتراك المشترك في الغرفة ملغياً في أي من الحالتين الآتيتين: 1- شطب سجله التجاري. 2- انتهاء الترخيص الممنوح له بمزاولة النشاط أو إلغائه، وذلك بالنسبة إلى ال
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.