Article 52 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 52 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article requires reporting, within the legal periods, every death in the Kingdom and every Saudi who dies abroad, including children born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب التبليغ خلال المدد المحددة في هذا النظام عن جميع الوفيات الحادثة في المملكة وعن السعوديين المتوفين في الخارج، ويشمل ذلك الأطفال الذين يولدون أمواتا بعد الشهر السادس من الحمل سواء كانت وفاتهم قبل الوضع أم اثنائه.
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 52 explained in plain English
This Article sets the scope of the duty to report deaths, that is, which deaths must be reported:
- All deaths occurring in the Kingdom, with no distinction in the text between a citizen and others.
- Saudis who die abroad.
- Children born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy, whether they died before or during delivery.
Reporting must be made within the periods set by this Law; this Article does not itself set the period but refers to the other Articles of the Law that regulate reporting deadlines.
As to who bears the duty to report, Article 53 sets them out in order: health facilities electronically linked to civil status as the Implementing Regulations specify; then the deceased's ascendants, descendants, spouse or any of his relatives aged eighteen; then the directors of shelters, tourist accommodation facilities, schools, prisons, barracks, quarantine stations and any other facility (including the mutawwifs or their equivalent for pilgrims, Umrah performers and visitors registered with them); then the health practitioner assigned to certify the death; then the administrative governor in the governorate or center; then the neighborhood mayor, the tribal sheikh or the approved identifier; then those the Implementing Regulations make responsible. The responsibility of a group lapses only where the group before it exists.
If you have a question about your responsibility for reporting a relative's death, you may consult a lawyer who specializes in civil status and personal status cases.
Practical example
A Saudi citizen died while traveling abroad for treatment. His death is covered by the duty to report because he is a Saudi who died outside the Kingdom, so his family, who are required to report, must do so within the period set by the 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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 52 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
Must a child born dead be reported?
Yes, if he was born dead after the sixth month of pregnancy, whether he died before or during delivery.
Must the death of a Saudi outside the Kingdom be registered?
Yes. The Article covers Saudis who die abroad, and reporting is made within the periods set by the Law.
Must the death of a non-Saudi in the Kingdom be reported?
The text requires reporting all deaths occurring in the Kingdom and does not limit them to Saudis.
More articles on Death Registration and Burial
- Article 38Amended (1422 AH)
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.
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.
- Article 53
The Article names those required to report a death, starting with electronically linked health facilities, then relatives and others, with responsibility following the order so that it lapses for any group when the group before it exists.
المكلفون بالتبليغ عن الوفاة هم: أ- المنشآت الصحية المرتبطة إلكترونياً بالأحوال المدنية وفق ما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية. ب- أصول أو فروع أو زوج المتوفى أو أي من أ
- Article 54
The Article sets the period for reporting a death at fifteen days at any civil status office, and thirty days if the death occurs in a place more than fifty kilometers from the nearest office.
يكون التبليغ عن الوفاة لدى أي مكتب من مكاتب الأحوال المدنية على النموذج المعد خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الوفاة، وتكون هذه المهلة ثلاثين يوما إذا حدثت الوفاة ف
- Article 55
The Article requires a death occurring outside the Kingdom to be reported within fifteen days of arrival, to the competent Saudi representation or, on return, to any civil status office in the Kingdom.
إذا حدثت الوفاة خارج المملكة وجب التبليغ عنها خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ الوصول، ويوجه التبليغ إلى الممثلية السعودية المختصة في البلد الذي يقصده المسافر، وفي ح
- Article 56
As an exception, the Article allows a death abroad, far from the seat of the Saudi representation, to be reported by registered mail, provided a death certificate from the competent authority there is attached.
استثناء مما سبق إذا حدثت الوفاة في الخارج في جهة بعيدة عن مقر الممثلية السعودية جاز التبليغ عنها بوساطة البريد المسجل بشرط أن يكون التبليغ مصحوبا بشهادة وفاة من
- Article 57
The Article requires the deaths registrar to draw up a death certificate in two copies without stating the cause of death unless the interested person wishes, to hand one copy to the reporter and send the other to the deceased's file.
يجب على كاتب سجل الوفيات المنوط به القيد فور تسجيل واقعة الوفاة تحرير شهادة من نسختين على النموذج المعد لذلك دون الإشارة إلى أسباب الوفاة ما لم يرغب صاحب الشأن
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.