Article 32 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
المادة 32 من نظام الغرف التجارية · الفصل الثالث: الاشتراك في الغرفة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 النشاط الذي لا تتطلب ممارسته القيد في السجل التجاري.
في جميع الأحوال، لا يحق للمشترك الذي أصبح اشتراكه ملغياً بسبب أي من الحالتين المشار إليهما في الفقرتين (1) و(2) من هذه المادة، استرداد المقابل المالي لاشتراك المدة الباقية.
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 32 explained in plain English
This article sets out when a subscription to the chamber of commerce is canceled by operation of the Law, and what this means for what the subscriber has paid.
A subscription is canceled in one of two cases:
- Striking off the commercial register entry of the subscriber.
- Expiry or cancellation of the license. This case applies to an activity whose practice does not require registration in the commercial register, that is, someone who joined the chamber under a license to carry on an activity without a commercial register entry.
No refund for the remaining period: in all cases, if the subscription is canceled because of one of the two cases, the subscriber is not entitled to recover the fee for the remaining period of the subscription. Someone who paid a full year's subscription and then had the register entry struck off in the middle of it does not get back the value of the remaining months.
As a result of the cancellation, the person is no longer a "subscriber" within the meaning of Article 1, which is someone with a valid subscription, and Article 31 therefore applies to them, barring the chamber from providing its services to non-subscribers.
The article mentions no other cases of cancellation and no particular procedures for it. Anyone with a dispute over their subscription or what they paid can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial and corporate matters.
Practical example
Khaled paid his establishment's chamber of commerce subscription in Dammam for a full year, then decided to close his business and have his commercial register entry struck off after four months. Under the article, his subscription is canceled by the striking off of the register entry, and he is not entitled to recover the fee for the remaining eight months.
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 32 of the Saudi Chambers of Commerce Law
When is my chamber of commerce subscription canceled?
It is canceled when the commercial register entry is struck off, or when the license expires or is canceled if the activity does not require registration in the commercial register.
Do I get a refund of the chamber fee after my register entry is struck off?
No. A subscriber whose subscription is canceled in either case is not entitled to recover the fee for the remaining period of the subscription.
Does the license expiry case apply to all establishments?
No. The case of expiry or cancellation of the license applies only to an activity whose practice does not require registration in the commercial register.
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 31
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.
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
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.