Article 44 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 44 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article requires hospitals, other places where births occur and licensed birth attendants to keep birth books and notify civil status monthly, without relieving those required to report.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على مديري المستشفيات والمستوصفات والمحاجر الصحية والسجون وأصحاب الجهات التي قد تحدث فيها الولادة وكل مرخص له بالتوليد كالطبيب والقابلة مسك دفاتر منتظمة لتسجيل حالات الولادة التي تحدث لديهم أو تحت إشرافهم بحيث تشمل البيانات التالية:
أ - يوم الولادة وتاريخها وساعتها ومحلها.
ب - جنس المولود (ذكر أو أنثى).
جـ - اسمي الوالدين كاملين وجنسيتهما وديانتهما ومحل إقامتهما ومهنتهما، ويجب عليهم في نهاية كل شهر إشعار إدارة الأحوال المدنية المختصة بجميع الولادات التي تمت بمؤسساتهم أو تحت إشرافهم، وهذا الإشعار لا يعفي الأشخاص المنصوص عليهم في المادة (33) من مسئولية التبليغ ولا يكفي لتدوين واقعة الولادة في السجل الخاص بها.
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 44 explained in plain English
This Article places an organizational duty on the bodies where births take place, namely: directors of hospitals, dispensaries, quarantine stations and prisons, the owners of any body in which a birth may occur, and everyone licensed to deliver babies, such as the doctor and the midwife.
They must keep regular books in which every birth that occurs with them or under their supervision is recorded, and the entry must include:
- the day, date, hour and place of the birth;
- the sex of the newborn (male or female);
- the full names of the parents, their nationality, religion, place of residence and occupation.
They must also, at the end of each month, notify the competent civil status department of all births that took place in their institutions or under their supervision.
The most important point for the family is that this monthly notification does not replace the reporting done by the persons named in Article 33, who are, in order: the child's father, if he is in the country on the day of birth or is present during the reporting period; then the closest male relative aged seventeen or over who lives with the mother; then those who do not live with her; then the mayor of the locality or tribal sheikh; then the administrative governor; then those designated by the Implementing Regulations. The Article also provides that this notification is not enough to enter the birth in its register; the entry requires reporting as the Law provides.
If you have a question about your responsibility for reporting a newborn, you may consult a lawyer who specializes in civil status and personal status cases.
Practical example
Ahmed had a child at a hospital in Jeddah, and the hospital recorded the birth in its book and sent it in its monthly notification to civil status. Ahmed thought that was enough, but the hospital's notification does not relieve him, as the father present in the country, of reporting his son's birth, and it is not enough alone to enter the birth in the register.
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 44 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
Is it enough for the hospital to report the newborn?
No. The hospital's monthly notification does not relieve the persons named in Article 33, such as the father, of the responsibility to report, and it is not enough to enter the birth in the register.
What details does the hospital record about a birth?
The day, date, hour and place of the birth, the sex of the newborn, and the full names of the parents, their nationality, religion, place of residence and occupation.
When does the hospital send its notification of births to civil status?
At the end of each month, covering all births that took place with it or under its supervision.
Articles this article refers to
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.