Article 34 of the Saudi Civil Society Associations Law
المادة 34 من نظام الجمعيات والمؤسسات الأهلية
The Ministry must keep a special register of civil society organizations; the Regulations set its provisions, the registration procedures and the details to be recorded.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تُعِد الوزارة سجلاًّ خاصًّا بالمؤسسات ، وتحدد اللائحة الأحكام المتعلقة بهذا السجل ، وإجراءات التسجيل فيه ، والبيانات اللازم تسجيلها.
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 34 explained in plain English
This article creates a regulatory tool for civil society organizations: a special register of organizations that the Ministry prepares. The organization here means the "civil society organization" as Article 1 defines it.
The article does not detail the content of this register but refers to the "Regulations", which under Article 1 means the Implementing Regulations of the Law, to determine three matters:
- The provisions relating to the register itself.
- The procedures for registering in it.
- The details that must be recorded.
Accordingly, anyone who wants to know the practical steps for registering a civil society organization, or the documents and details required, must refer to the Implementing Regulations, because the Law itself does not specify them. The article sets no deadlines for registration and no fees, so nothing of that kind should be assumed from it.
This article is among the provisions specific to organizations, after Article 33, which regulates an organization's budget and final account, and before Article 35, which regulates dissolving or merging an organization. A separate register helps distinguish organizations from associations and follow them administratively.
If you have a specific case concerning an organization or association, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in non-profit sector and civil society association law.
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 34 of the Saudi Civil Society Associations Law
Who keeps the register of civil society organizations?
The Ministry prepares a special register of organizations.
Where do I find the procedures for registering a civil society organization?
The article refers the provisions of the register, the registration procedures and the required details to the Implementing Regulations of the Law.
More articles on Civil Organizations and the Board of Trustees
- Article 29
This article gives the sources of a civil society organization's resources, the funds, endowments, gifts and bequests allocated by its founder or founders, and allows it to receive donations after Ministry approval.
تتكون موارد المؤسسة مما يخصصه لها المؤسس أو المؤسسون من أموال ، أو أوقاف ، أو هبات ، أو وصايا ، ويجوز لها استقبال التبرعات بعد موافقة الوزارة.
- Article 30
This article lists the details the organization's articles of association must contain: name, area and headquarters, founders, purpose, voluntary dissolution cases, allocated funds and their fate on dissolution, and rules on the board of trustees and executive officer.
يجب أن تشمل اللائحة الأساسية للمؤسسة البيانات الآتية : 1 - اسم المؤسسة ، ونطاق عملها الجغرافي ، ومقرها الرئيس. 2 - اسم المؤسس أو أسماء المؤسسين ، وبياناتهم الشخ
- Article 31
Every organization must have a board of trustees of at least three members, appointed by the founder or founders or whoever the articles of association designate; the Ministry is notified of appointments and changes, and steps in if a replacement cannot be appointed.
يكون لكل مؤسسة مجلس أمناء من ثلاثة أعضاء على الأقل يعينهم المؤسس أو المؤسسون أو من يعهد إليه بذلك بموجب اللائحة الأساسية ، وتبلغ الوزارة بالتعيين ، وبكل تعديل ي
- Article 32
The board of trustees manages the organization under the Law, the Regulations and the articles of association, and its chairman represents it before the courts and others, and may delegate this with the board's approval.
يتولى مجلس الأمناء إدارة المؤسسة وفقاً لأحكام النظام واللائحة واللائحة الأساسية ، ويمثلها رئيس المجلس أمام القضاء وأمام غيره ، ولرئيس المجلس بعد موافقة مجلس الأ
- Article 33
A civil society organization must have an annual budget and a final account, though with the Ministry's approval a statement of revenues, expenses and spending of funds may suffice in place of the final account.
تكون للمؤسـسة ميزانية سنوية ، وحساب ختامي ، ويجوز - بعد موافقة الوزارة - أن يكتفى عنه ببيان يتضمن إيراداتها ومصروفاتها ، وأوجه إنفاق أموالها بحسب طبيعة المال ال
- Article 35
The article regulates voluntary dissolution or merger of an organization, the Ministry's powers to protect its funds in the Article 23 cases, the limits on dissolving it, and the requirement of a reasoned decision after a warning.
1- لا يجوز حل المؤسسة اختياريًّا أو دمجها في مؤسسة أخرى إلاَّ بموافقة المؤسس أو المؤسسين ، أو وفقاً لما تقضي به اللائحة الأساسية. 2 - تتخذ الوزارة - في الحالات
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.