Article 9 of the Saudi Civil Society Associations Law
المادة 9 من نظام الجمعيات والمؤسسات الأهلية
The Article lists what an association's basic regulation must contain, including name, purpose, membership, resources, a board term of no more than four years, and rules for dissolution and the destination of its funds.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب أن تشمل اللائحة الأساسية البيانات والأحكام الأساسية المتعلقة بالجمعية ، وعلى وجه خاص ما يأتي :
1 - اسم الجمعية ومقرها الرئيس ، والنطاق الجغرافي لخدماتها.
2 - الغرض الذي أنشئت من أجله.
3 - أسماء المؤسسين ، وبياناتهم ، وعناوينهم الدائمة.
4 - شروط العضوية وأنواعها ، وحقوق الأعضاء وواجباتهم.
5 - تحديد موارد الجمعية من بين المصادر المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثانية عشرة) من النظام ، وكيفية التصرف فيها.
6 - تحديد بداية السنة المالية للجمعية ونهايتها.
7 - تحديد عدد أعضاء مجلس الإدارة ، والأحكام المتعلقة بانتخابهم ، ومدة المجلس ، على ألا تتجاوز أربع سنوات قابلة للتجديد ، والنصاب النظامي لاجتماعاته.
8 - أساليب المراقبة المالية.
9 - الأحكام المتعلقة بأجهزة الجمعية ، ومهمات واختصاصات كل منها ، وكيفية اختيار العاملين فيها ، وكيفية إنهاء خدماتهم.
10 - الإجراءات اللازمة لدمج الجمعية في جمعية أخرى.
11 - الإجراءات اللازمة لتعديل اللائحة الأساسية.
12 - القواعد التي تتبع عند حل الجمعية حلاًّ اختياريًّا ، وإجراءات التصفية والجهة التي تؤول إليها أموالها ، على أن تقصر على الصندوق أو إحدى الجمعيات ذات النشاط المشابه المسجلة نظاماً.
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
The basic regulation is the association's internal constitution, and this Article sets out what it must contain in particular:
- The association's name, main seat and the geographic scope of its services.
- The purpose for which it was founded.
- The names of the founders, their details and permanent addresses.
- The conditions and types of membership, and members' rights and duties.
- Specifying the association's resources from among the sources set out in Article 12, which are membership fees, income from activity, charity, gifts, endowments, donations, investment returns, government subsidies, the fund's support, resources from managing organizations and carrying out projects, and zakat, and how they are to be disposed of.
- The start and end of the financial year.
- The number of board members, the rules for electing them and the board's term, which must not exceed four years, renewable, and the legal quorum for its meetings.
- The methods of financial oversight.
- The provisions on the association's bodies and the tasks and powers of each, how staff are chosen and how their service is ended.
- The procedures for merging the association into another association.
- The procedures for amending the basic regulation.
- The rules for voluntary dissolution, the liquidation procedures, and the body to which its funds pass, which must be limited to the fund or a similar registered association.
The practical effect is that the association's funds do not go back to the founders or members on dissolution. Anyone drafting a basic regulation would do well to use a lawyer who specializes in non-profit sector 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 9 of the Saudi Civil Society Associations Law
What is the maximum term of an association's board of directors?
The board's term must not exceed four years, renewable.
To whom do the association's funds pass on voluntary dissolution?
The body to which the funds pass is limited to the fund or a similar association registered under the Law.
Must the basic regulation specify the association's resources?
Yes. The resources must be specified from among the sources set out in Article 12, with how they are to be disposed of.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Establishing a Civil Association
- Article 8
An application to create an association is submitted by at least 10 Saudis with its basic regulation; the Ministry must reply within 60 days or approval is deemed given, and the association gains legal personality after approval.
1- يقدم طلب إنشاء الجمعية - مصحوباً بنسخة من اللائحة الأساسية - من عدد لا يقل عن عشرة أشخاص سعوديين من ذوي الصفة الطبيعية أو الاعتبارية ، ويشترط في الشخص ذي الص
- Article 10
An association may create branches inside the Kingdom after the Ministry's approval, and its basic regulation sets how the branches are formed, their powers and other provisions.
يجوز للجمعية أن تنشئ لها فروعاً داخل المملكة بعد موافقة الوزارة على ذلك ، وتحدد اللائحة الأساسية طريقة تكوين هذه الفروع واختصاصاتها ، وغير ذلك من الأحكام المتعل
- Article 11
A civil society association consists of four bodies: the general assembly, the board of directors, standing committees whose powers are set by their formation decision, and the executive body.
تتكون الجمعية من الأجهزة الآتية : 1 - الجمعية العمومية. 2 - مجلس الإدارة. 3 - اللجان الدائمة التي تكوّنها الجمعية العمومية ، أو مجلس الإدارة ، على أن يحدد اختصا
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.