Article 29 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 29 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article defines the domicile of a person residing in the Kingdom, for exercising his civil rights and receiving notices, as the place where he habitually lives, and treats the place where he continuously works as his domicile too.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
محل إقامة الشخص المقيم في المملكة من حيث ممارسة حقوقه المدنية - ولغرض الإخطارات والتبليغات الرسمية التي توجه إليه - هو المكان الذي يقطنه على وجه الاعتياد، ومع هذا يعتبر محل ممارسة الشخص لعمله بصفة مستمرة محلا لإقامته.
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 29 explained in plain English
This Article defines the domicile of a person residing in the Kingdom, for two specific purposes:
- exercising his civil rights;
- directing official notices and notifications to him.
The rule: the domicile is the place where the person habitually lives; what counts is his actual, habitual residence.
The addition: the place where a person continuously carries on his work is also treated as his domicile. A person who works continuously in a particular place therefore also has a domicile there; continuity is required, so occasional work is not enough.
Article 30 complements this rule for two groups: the domicile of a married woman is her husband's domicile if the marital relationship continues between them, and the domicile of a minor is the domicile of his father or his guardian.
The Article comes after Article 28, which allows a Saudi head of family and the members of his family to be registered at any of the civil status departments.
Because determining a domicile may affect the validity of official notices, anyone with a dispute about it should consider consulting a lawyer who specializes in civil status and personal status cases.
Practical example
Ahmed lives with his family in Al-Kharj and works every day, on a continuous basis, in a shop he owns in Riyadh. His domicile is his home in Al-Kharj, where he habitually lives, and his shop in Riyadh is also treated as his domicile, so notices may validly be directed to him at either.
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 29 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
What is meant by domicile in the Civil Status Law?
It is the place where a person residing in the Kingdom habitually lives, for exercising his civil rights and receiving official notices and notifications.
Is a workplace treated as a domicile?
Yes. The place where a person continuously carries on his work is treated as his domicile.
What is the domicile of a wife and of a minor?
Under Article 30, the domicile of a married woman is her husband's domicile if the marital relationship continues, and the domicile of a minor is that of his father or guardian.
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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.