Article 38 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 38 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article requires the birth of a newborn who dies before being recorded to be registered, followed by his death, and requires a child born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy to be recorded in the register of deaths as stillborn.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
إذا توفي مولود قبل قيده في السجل، وجب تسجيل ولادته ثم تسجيل وفاته. أما إذا ولد ميتا بعد الشهر السادس من الحمل فيقيد في سجل الوفيات بأنه ولد ميتا.
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 38 explained in plain English
This Article deals with two painful situations that occur at birth, and sets how each is registered in the civil status records:
- A child born alive who then dies before being recorded in the register: it is not enough to register the death; first his birth must be registered and then his death registered. The child was alive, even for a short time, so both the birth and the death are recorded.
- A child born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy: he is recorded in the register of deaths with a statement that he was born dead.
The Article is part of the provisions on births, which include Article 37, requiring twins to be reported each on his own with the hour and minute of each birth stated.
The Article does not address a child born dead before the end of the sixth month of pregnancy, and does not say who must report or within what periods; the text of the Article contains nothing on these matters. The Article was amended by Royal Decree No. M/25 dated 1/6/1422 AH to take its current form. Anyone facing a problem with registration may consult the civil status office or a lawyer who specializes in civil status and personal status matters.
Practical example
Saad had a child in Dammam who died a few hours after birth and before being recorded in the register. In this case the child's birth is registered first and then his death. If the child had been born dead in the eighth month of pregnancy, he would be recorded in the register of deaths as stillborn.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 38 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
If a newborn dies before being registered, is his birth registered?
Yes. His birth must be registered first and then his death.
How is a stillborn child registered?
If he is born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy, he is recorded in the register of deaths as stillborn.
Does the Article cover a stillbirth before the sixth month?
No. The text is limited to a child born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/25 — 1/6/1422 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
عدلت هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/25) وتاريخ 1 / 6 /1422 هـ ،لتكون بالنص التالى:
إذا توفي مولود قبل قيده في السجل، وجب تسجيل ولادته ثم تسجيل وفاته. أما إذا ولد ميتا بعد الشهر السادس من الحمل فيقيد في سجل الوفيات بأنه ولد ميتا.
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
إذا توفي مولود قبل قيده في السجل وجب تسجيل ولادته ثم تسجيل وفاته، أما إذا ولد ميتا بعد الشهر السادس من الحمل فيقيد على أنه (ولد ميتا) في سجل المواليد ثم يقيد في سجل الوفيات .
More articles on Birth Registration
- Article 8
The article requires the event registers for Saudis and foreigners to include a births register, a deaths register and a marriage and divorce register, and others may be added by decision of the Minister of Interior.
يجب أن تشمل سجلات الواقعات للسعوديين والأجانب سجلا لتسجيل المواليد وسجلا لتسجيل الوفيات وسجلا لتسجيل الزواج والطلاق، ويمكن إضافة غيرها من سجلات الواقعات للسعودي
- Article 32
The Article requires all births in the Kingdom, and all Saudi births abroad, to be reported within the periods set by the Civil Status Law.
يجب التبليغ عن جميع المواليد في المملكة وعن جميع المواليد السعوديين في الخارج خلال المدد المحددة في هذا النظام.
- Article 34Amended (1422 AH)
The Article requires births to be reported at a civil status office within 15 days of birth, extended to 30 days if the birthplace is more than 50 kilometers away.
يكون التبليغ عن المواليد لدى مكتب من مكاتب الأحوال المدنية على النموذج المعد لذلك خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الولادة. وتكون هذه المهلة ثلاثين يوما إذا حدثت الو
- Article 35
The Article requires a birth that occurs while traveling outside the Kingdom to be reported within 15 days of arrival, to the Saudi representation in the destination country or to any civil status office on return.
إذا حصلت الولادة أثناء السفر خارج المملكة وجب التبليغ عنها خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الوصول، ويوجه التبليغ إلى الممثلية العربية السعودية في البلد الذي يقصده ا
- Article 36
As an exception, the Article allows a birth abroad in a place far from the Saudi representation to be reported by registered mail, provided a birth certificate from the competent authority containing the entry data is attached.
استثناء مما سبق إذا حصلت الولادة في الخارج في جهة بعيدة عن مقر الممثلية السعودية جاز التبليغ عنها بوساطة البريد المسجل بشرط أن يكون التبليغ مصحوبا بشهادة ميلاد
- Article 37
The Article requires twins to be reported each on his own and recorded separately, stating the hour and minute at which each was born.
يبلغ عن المواليد التوائم كل على انفراد ويقيد كل منهم على حدة مع الإشارة إلى الساعة والدقيقة التي ولد فيها كل منهم.
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.