Article 37 of the Saudi Civil Retirement Law
المادة 37 من نظام التقاعد المدني
The article prohibits attachment of the pension except at 25%, by order of the Prime Minister for government debts or by court judgment for other debts, with the maintenance debt taking priority over other debts.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز الحجز على المعاش إلا بنسبة (25%)، ويكون الحجز على المعاش بأمر رئيس مجلس الوزراء إذا كان متعلقًا بديون الحكومة، أو بحكم قضائي إذا كان متعلقًا بغير ديون الحكومة، وفي كل الأحوال يقدم دين النفقة على غيره من الديون.
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 37 explained in plain English
This article protects the retirement pension from attachment, so that the retiree or beneficiaries keep something to live on.
The maximum: the pension may not be attached except at a rate of 25%.
What is required for attachment:
- Government debts: attachment is by order of the Prime Minister.
- Debts other than government debts: attachment is by court judgment.
Priority of maintenance: in all cases the maintenance debt takes priority over other debts. If several debts compete for the pension, maintenance comes first.
So a creditor, whether a bank or an individual, can attach the pension only by court judgment and within 25%. The article does not explain how the attached portion is divided if there are several debts other than maintenance.
This article follows Article 36 on beneficiaries of a pension that became due before the Law took effect, and precedes Article 38 on the award for a person who no longer holds Saudi nationality.
Anyone facing an attachment on their pension, or wanting to enforce against the pension of a debtor, can consult a lawyer specializing in enforcement cases.
Practical example
A court judgment was issued in favor of a person for an amount owed by a retiree whose pension was SAR 8,000. The attachment may not exceed 25% of the pension, that is, SAR 2,000 per month. If the retiree also owes a maintenance debt, it takes priority over this debt.
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 37 of the Saudi Civil Retirement Law
Can a retirement pension be attached?
Only at 25%: by order of the Prime Minister if it concerns government debts, or by court judgment if it concerns other debts.
What is the maximum percentage that can be attached from a pension?
25% of the pension.
Which debts take priority when a pension is attached?
In all cases the maintenance debt takes priority over other debts.
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.