Article 64 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 64 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article prohibits burying any deceased without a burial permit from an approved doctor, or from the emir of the village or center where there are no doctors, and requires a report and notice to the emir of the region where there is suspicion.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يدفن أي متوفى بدون الحصول على إذن دفن من طبيب معتمد يعطى من نسختين، وحيث لا يوجد أطباء فتعطى الرخصة من أمير القرية أو المركز بعد أن يتحقق من أن الوفاة طبيعية، وفي حالة الاشتباه في أسباب الوفاة يجب عليهم تجميع المعلومات وتنظم محضر يبين فيه حالة الجثة، ولا يؤذن بالدفن إلا بعد إبلاغ أمير المنطقة.
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 64 explained in plain English
This Article sets an express rule: no deceased may be buried without obtaining a burial permit.
Who issues the permit?
- The rule: an approved doctor, and the permit is given in two copies.
- Where there are no doctors: the permit is given by the emir of the village or center, after he verifies that the death is natural.
Where the causes of death are suspected: those mentioned above must:
- gather information;
- draw up a report stating the condition of the body;
- not permit burial except after informing the emir of the region.
The text thus ties burial to verifying the death and its nature, so that it takes place only with a documented permit.
Article 65 complements this rule: it requires the deceased to be buried promptly where possible, unless the occurrence of death is doubted or there is doubt that its causes are unnatural, in which case burial is postponed for the time sufficient to verify, and the health doctor sets the date of burial. Article 63 regulates the case of finding a body, where the police or the emir of the village or center draw up a report of its description and circumstances and it is sent to civil status to issue the death certificate.
If a dispute arises over a delay in burial or the causes of death, a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases may be consulted.
Practical example
An elderly man died at home in a village with no doctor. His family goes to the emir of the village, who verifies that the death is natural and then gives the burial permit. Had he suspected the causes of death, a report on the condition of the body would have had to be drawn up and burial not permitted before the emir of the region was informed.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 64 of Civil Status Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Criminal Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Criminal Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
شركة امتداد النظام للمحاماة والاستشارات المهنية
- Labour & Employment Law
- Criminal Law
- Criminal Law
- Commercial & Corporate Law
Frequently asked questions about Article 64 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
May a dead person be buried without a permit?
No. No deceased may be buried without obtaining a burial permit.
Who issues the burial permit if there is no doctor?
The emir of the village or center, after he verifies that the death is natural.
What happens if the cause of death is suspected?
Information is gathered and a report is drawn up stating the condition of the body, and burial is not permitted until the emir of the region is informed.
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 52
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.
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 الشه
- 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
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.