Article 56 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 56 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثاني: الحقوق على الطائرات
Ownership, a possessor's right to acquire by purchase, lease use and formal mortgage or similar rights may be created over civil aircraft; no other right may take priority over them except privileged debts.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجوز إنشاء الحقوق الآتية على الطائرات المدنية :
أ - حق ملكية الطائرة .
ب - حق حائز الطائرة في اكتساب ملكيتها بالشراء.
ج - حق استعمال الطائرة وفقا لأحكام عقد إيجار متفق عليه.
د - حق الرهن الرسمي وكل حق مشابه له يتم الاتفاق على إنشائه على الطائرة للوفاء بدين.
2 - مع عدم الإخلال بأحكام الديون الممتازة الواردة في المادة (الحادية والستين) من هذا النظام؛ لا يجوز إنشاء أي حقوق أخرى على الطائرات المدنية تكون لها أفضلية على الحقوق الواردة في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة.
3- تخضع الإجراءات القضائية المتعلقة بالحقوق على الطائرة لنظام المحكمة صاحبة الاختصاص بالنظر في هذه الإجراءات.
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 56 explained in plain English
This article sets out the rights that may be created over civil aircraft, and their ranking.
Permitted rights (paragraph 1):
- The right of ownership of the aircraft.
- The right of the possessor of the aircraft to acquire ownership by purchase, as in a purchase in which possession precedes the transfer of ownership.
- The right to use the aircraft under the provisions of an agreed lease.
- The right of formal mortgage and any similar right agreed to be created over the aircraft to settle a debt.
Priority (paragraph 2): no other rights may be created over civil aircraft that have priority over these rights, without prejudice to the provisions on privileged debts in Article 61. These debts are the rewards due for salvaging the aircraft, the extraordinary expenses necessary to preserve it (provided they are accompanied by a right of pursuit under the law of the state in which the work was done), and the fees payable under the laws, and they rank ahead of all other rights and debts.
Court proceedings (paragraph 3): court proceedings relating to rights over the aircraft are subject to the rules of the court competent to hear them.
It is followed by Article 57, which regulates the registration of these rights. Anyone who finances or mortgages an aircraft would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in banking and finance or commercial cases.
Practical example
A bank in Riyadh financed the purchase of an aircraft for an airline, and they agreed to a formal mortgage on the aircraft as security for the debt. This mortgage is one of the rights permitted over an aircraft, and no other rights may be created that have priority over it, without prejudice to privileged debts such as a reward for salvaging the aircraft or fees payable.
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 56 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
What rights may be created over an aircraft?
The right of ownership, the possessor's right to acquire ownership by purchase, the right of use under a lease, and the right of formal mortgage and similar rights to settle a debt.
Can an aircraft be mortgaged?
Yes. A formal mortgage and any similar right agreed to be created over the aircraft to settle a debt may be created.
Which rights rank ahead of an aircraft mortgage?
No other rights may be created with priority over the rights in paragraph 1, including the mortgage, without prejudice to the privileged debts in Article 61, such as salvage rewards, extraordinary preservation expenses and fees payable, which rank ahead of all other rights and debts.
Articles this article refers to
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 53
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.
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
- 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
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.