Article 53 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 53 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الأول: تسجيل الطائرات
An aircraft is deregistered if its owner or lessee loses Saudi nationality, ownership passes to a foreigner, it is lost or permanently withdrawn, the owner requests it or a registration condition ceases; the owner must notify the Authority and return the certificate.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تشطب الطائرة من السجل في الحالات الآتية:
أ - إذا فقد مالكها أو مستأجرها جنسيته السعودية.
ب - إذا انتقلت ملكيتها إلى شخص أجنبي.
ج - إذا فقدت الطائرة أو سحبت نهائيًّا من الاستعمال.
د - إذا طلب المالك أو المستأجر شطب الطائرة من السجل.
هـ - إذا انتفى فيها شرط من شروط التسجيل.
2 - على مالك الطائرة أو مستأجرها أن يخطر الهيئة بكل تغيير نصت عليه الفقرات (1/أ – 1/ب – 1/ج) من هذه المادة فور حدوثه وعليه أن يعيد شهادة تسجيل الطائرة إلى هذه 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 53 explained in plain English
This article sets out when an aircraft leaves the Saudi register, and what the owner or lessee must do.
Cases of deregistration:
- If its owner or lessee loses Saudi nationality.
- If its ownership passes to a foreign person.
- If the aircraft is lost or permanently withdrawn from use.
- If the owner or lessee requests its deregistration.
- If a condition of registration ceases to be met.
The duty to notify and return the certificate: the owner or lessee of the aircraft must notify the Authority immediately upon any of the changes in the first three cases (loss of nationality, passing of ownership to a foreigner, loss or withdrawal of the aircraft), and must return the aircraft registration certificate to the Authority.
Note that the duty to notify immediately is, by the text of the article, specific to these three cases; the case of a request originates from the owner himself, and in the case where a condition ceases to be met the duty is not expressly stated.
This article comes after Article 52, which regulates the issuing of the registration certificate. Anyone planning to sell their aircraft to a foreign person would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in aviation and commercial law.
Practical example
A Saudi company sold an aircraft registered in the national register to a foreign company. The aircraft is deregistered because its ownership has passed to a foreign person, and the selling company must notify the Authority immediately when this happens and return the aircraft registration certificate to it.
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 53 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
When is an aircraft deregistered from the Saudi register?
If its owner or lessee loses Saudi nationality, ownership passes to a foreigner, it is lost or permanently withdrawn, the owner or lessee requests deregistration, or a registration condition ceases.
Must the registration certificate be returned when the aircraft is sold to a foreigner?
Yes. The owner or lessee must notify the Authority immediately upon the change and return the aircraft registration certificate to it.
Can the owner request deregistration of his aircraft?
Yes. One of the cases of deregistration is that the owner or lessee requests the aircraft's deregistration.
More articles on Registering Aircraft and Rights Over Them
- Article 49
No civil aircraft may fly in the Kingdom's territory without its nationality and registration marks; the Authority may permit an unregistered aircraft to fly or land for technical testing or other purposes.
لا يجوز لأي طائرة مدنية أن تطير في إقليم المملكة ما لم تكن تحمل علامة جنسيتها وتسجيلها طبقا لنظام دولة التسجيل ، أو سلطة تسجيل العلامة العامة ، ومع ذلك يجوز لله
- Article 50
The Authority determines the nationality and registration marks of national aircraft and how they are placed on the aircraft, in accordance with the applicable international rules and laws.
تحدد الهيئة علامات جنسية وتسجيل الطائرات الوطنية ، كما تحدد طريقة وضعها على الطائرة وفقا للقواعد والأنظمة الدولية المطبقة في هذا الشأن.
- Article 51
The Authority maintains the Saudi National Register for Aircraft Registration, whose contents and registration conditions are set by the Implementing Regulations; a registered aircraft has the Kingdom's nationality.
1- تعد الهيئة سجلا لتسجيل الطائرات المدنية الوطنية يسمى ( السجل السعودي الوطني لتسجيل الطائرات )، وتحدد اللائحة البيانات التي يجب أن يتضمنها السجل والشروط الواج
- Article 52
The Authority issues aircraft registration certificates after completing the necessary procedures, each containing the data set by the Implementing Regulations.
تصدر الهيئة شهادات تسجيل الطائرات بعد إتمام الإجراءات اللازمة لذلك على أن تتضمن كل شهادة البيانات التي تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 54
The provisions on rights over aircraft apply to all civil aircraft in the Kingdom's territory whatever their nationality and to Saudi civil aircraft wherever they are, but not to state aircraft.
تطبق أحكام هذا الفصل على جميع الطائرات المدنية أيًّا كانت جنسيتها حال وجودها في إقليم المملكة وكذلك على الطائرات المدنية السعودية في أي مكان كانت، ولا تسري أحكا
- Article 55
For the chapter on rights over aircraft, an aircraft means its airframe, engines, propellers, radio equipment and all parts designated to serve it, whether attached or temporarily detached.
مع مراعاة ما ورد في الفقرة (13) من المادة (الأولى) من هذا النظام، يقصد بتعبير ( الطائرة ) عند تطبيق أحكام هذا الفصل هيكلها والمحركات والمراوح وأجهزة اللاسلكي وك
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.