Article 9 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
المادة 9 من نظام الطيران المدني · الفصل الثالث: أحكام عامة للطيران
No aircraft may operate in the Kingdom's territory without a license or permit issued by the Authority; it is personal and cannot be assigned to others, and the Implementing Regulations set its conditions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للهيئة صلاحية إصدار التراخيص والتصاريح للطائرات ، ولا يجوز لأي طائرة أن تعمل في إقليم المملكة إلا بموجب ترخيص أو تصريح تصدره الهيئة، ويعد الترخيص أو التصريح شخصيا لا يجوز التنازل عنه للغير، وتحدد اللائحة شروط إصدار الترخيص والتصريح .
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 9 explained in plain English
This article sets a basic rule: no aircraft may operate in the territory of the Kingdom except under a license or permit issued by the Authority. Under Article 1, the territory includes the land, the territorial waters and the airspace above them.
The article's main provisions are:
- Power to issue: only the Authority may issue licenses and permits for aircraft.
- General application: the provision covers "any aircraft" operating in the territory.
- Personal nature: the license or permit is personal and cannot be assigned to others; whoever obtained it may not transfer it to another person.
- Conditions: they are set by the Implementing Regulations; the law does not state them itself.
It is followed by Article 10, which sets the conditions an aircraft operating in the Kingdom's territory must meet, such as registration, a certificate of airworthiness, markings, equipment, licenses and insurance.
This article follows Article 8 on the obligations of passengers and crew when entering and leaving. Anyone who wants to operate an aircraft in the Kingdom would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in aviation law and commercial cases to learn the requirements of the Implementing Regulations.
Practical example
A company obtained a permit from the Authority to operate an aircraft on flights within the Kingdom, then wanted to transfer the permit to an affiliated company. This is not allowed, because the permit is personal and cannot be assigned to others; the other company must obtain its own permit.
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 9 of the Saudi Civil Aviation Law
Does an aircraft need a permit to operate in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. No aircraft may operate in the Kingdom's territory except under a license or permit issued by the Authority.
Can an aviation permit be sold or assigned?
No. The license or permit is personal and cannot be assigned to others.
What are the conditions for issuing the permit?
The Implementing Regulations set them.
More articles on Flight Permits and Aircraft Inspection
- Article 6
The Authority may inspect aircraft, prevent them from flying and seize their documents to monitor compliance with the Civil Aviation Law; the Implementing Regulations set the procedures.
مع عدم الإخلال بما تقرره الأنظمة الأخرى والمعاهدات الدولية؛ فإن للهيئة الحق في تفتيش الطائرات ومنعها من الطيران أو حجز أي وثائق تتعلق بها لمراقبة تنفيذ أحكام هذ
- Article 7
Customs, security, passport, and health and agricultural quarantine personnel and any other competent body may inspect aircraft, persons and cargo within their jurisdiction, in the presence of a representative of the Authority.
لموظفي الجمارك والأمن والجوازات والحجر الصحي والزراعي وأي جهة مختصة أخرى الحق في تفتيش الطائرات ، أو أي شخص، أو حمولة على متنها وفقا لاختصاصاتها المقررة لها بمو
- Article 8
Passengers, crew members and consignors of goods must follow the residence, passport, customs, and health and agricultural quarantine rules when entering, staying in and leaving the Kingdom.
على الركاب وأعضاء الطاقم ومرسلي البضائع عند دخول المملكة والإقامة فيها والخروج منها اتباع الأنظمة والتعليمات والبيانات المتعلقة بالإقامة وجوازات السفر والجمارك
- Article 10
The article sets the requirements for an aircraft operating in the Kingdom: registration, a valid airworthiness certificate, markings, equipment, crew licenses and insurance, with possible exemptions for test and training aircraft except insurance.
1 - يجب أن تتوافر في الطائرة التي تعمل في إقليم المملكة ، الشروط الآتية: أ - أن تكون مسجلة في الدولة التابعة لها أو مسجلة وفقا لقواعد التسجيل الدولي أو المشترك.
- Article 11
No aircraft operating in the Kingdom may be fitted with radio equipment without approval of the state of registration, and it may only be used for air navigation purposes by the flight crew.
لا يجوز تجهيز أي طائرة تعمل في إقليم المملكة بأي أجهزة لاسلكية ما لم يكن لديها موافقة بذلك من السلطات المختصة في الدولة المسجلة فيها أو سلطة تسجيل العلامة العام
- Article 12
No dangerous goods may be carried by aircraft without a permit from the Authority and according to the procedures set by the Implementing Regulations, subject to international rules on carrying dangerous goods.
مع مراعاة الأنظمة الدولية المطبقة في نقل المواد الخطرة لا يجوز أن ينقل بالطائرة أي مواد خطرة إلا بتصريح من الهيئة. ووفقا للإجراءات التي تحددها اللائحة.
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.