Article 173 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 173 من نظام الطيران المدني · الباب الثاني عشر: العقوبات والجزاءات
An aircraft may be confiscated by court judgment if it carries incorrect nationality or registration marks, or none without approval, or if its owner or operator carries weapons or prohibited materials to smuggle or commit a crime affecting the Kingdom's security.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز بحكم قضائي مصادرة الطائرة في الأحوال الآتية:
1 - حمل علامات جنسية أو تسجيل غير صحيحة أو عدم حمل أي من هذه العلامات بدون موافقة.
2 - قيام مالك الطائرة أو مشغلها بنقل أسلحة أو ذخائر حربية أو مواد محظور نقلها بقصد التهريب أو ارتكاب جريمة تمس أمن المملكة.
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 173 explained in plain English
This article specifies the cases in which an aircraft may be confiscated, one of the heaviest sanctions given an aircraft's high value.
The basic condition: Confiscation must be by court judgment; an aircraft is not confiscated under this article by administrative decision.
The cases:
- Marks: carrying incorrect nationality or registration marks, or not carrying any of these marks, without approval.
- Carrying prohibited items: the owner or operator of the aircraft carrying weapons, military ammunition or materials whose carriage is prohibited, with intent to smuggle or commit a crime affecting the Kingdom's security.
Notes:
- The wording is discretionary ("may"): confiscation is not inevitable in these cases, but is assessed by the court.
- In the second case, the carrier must be the owner or operator, and the intent to smuggle or commit a crime affecting the Kingdom's security must be present. The text does not address a passenger carrying a prohibited item without the owner's or operator's knowledge.
- In the first case, the rule depends on the absence of approval for the marks or for not carrying them.
This article follows Article 172, which gives the Board of Grievances jurisdiction over crimes violating the Law and ties bringing the case to the Authority's request, and precedes Article 174, which regulates the committee for hearing violations and refers to the Board of Grievances in the first instance what it considers requires imprisonment, confiscation or closing the activity. An aircraft owner facing a confiscation claim may seek a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
Practical example
A private aircraft was seized at an airport carrying incorrect registration marks without approval, and it emerged that its operator was using it to carry prohibited materials with intent to smuggle. The court may order the aircraft's confiscation.
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 173 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
When is an aircraft confiscated in Saudi Arabia?
It may be confiscated by court judgment if it carried incorrect nationality or registration marks, or did not carry them without approval, or if its owner or operator carried weapons, ammunition or prohibited materials with intent to smuggle or commit a crime affecting the Kingdom's security.
May the Authority confiscate an aircraft by its own decision?
The article requires confiscation to be by court judgment.
More articles on Aviation Security Offenses and Penalties
- Article 14
Unauthorized persons may not interfere with or obstruct the flight crew during flight, and no one may tamper with the aircraft or endanger its safety, its crew or its passengers.
يحظر على أي شخص غير مخول رسميا أن يتدخل في أعمال أي عضو من أعضاء هيئة القيادة أو يعوقه عن عمله أثناء فترة الطيران ، كما يحظر على أي شخص العبث بأي جزء من أجزاء ا
- Article 19
The owner or operator of an aircraft registered in the Kingdom may not offer or sell alcohol, narcotics or prohibited items on board; arrivals may not possess them, and no aircraft may carry them into the Kingdom.
1 - يحظر على مالك أي طائرة مسجلة في المملكة، أو مشغلها أن يقدم أو يبيع لأي شخص على متنها أي مشروبات كحولية ، أو مواد مخدرة ، أو أي مواد محظور دخولها إلى المملكة
- Article 105
The article prohibits anyone from boarding an aircraft if they show signs of intoxication or drug use.
يحظر على أي شخص ركوب الطائرة إذا كانت تبدو عليه علامات السكر أو المخدر.
- Article 106
The article prohibits piloting an aircraft or working as a crew member while under the influence of an intoxicant, drug or impairing medication, and prohibits taking any of them throughout the period of work.
يحظر على أي شخص أن يقود طائرة أو أن يعمل كأحد أفراد طاقمها ما دام تحت تأثير مسكر أو مخدر أو دواء يؤدي إلى إضعاف مقدرته على القيام بواجباته على الوجه الأكمل، وفي
- Article 153
The provisions of the international treaties and conventions the Kingdom has approved, and the laws applied in the Kingdom, apply to crimes and acts committed against the security and safety of civil aviation and aircraft.
تطبق على الجرائم والأفعال التي ترتكب ضد أمن وسلامة الطيران المدني والطائرات؛ أحكام المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية بهذا الشأن التي وافقت عليها المملكة وأحكام الأن
- Article 154
The article specifies the acts that are crimes against aviation security, such as violence on board an aircraft, destroying it, giving false information, seizing it, assaults at airports, assaulting crew, harassment and theft.
1- يُعد مرتبكًا لجريمة أي شخص يشرع في ارتكاب أو يرتكب عمدا ودون حق مشروع فعلا من الأفعال الآتية أو يشارك شخصا آخر يشرع أو يرتكب هذا الفعل: أ - أن يقوم بعمل من أ
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.