Article 66 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
المادة 66 من نظام الأحوال المدنية
The Article makes obtaining the burial permit a duty of those required to report the death, requires whoever supervises transport of the body to check it, and the cemetery keeper to receive a copy before burial.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
الأشخاص الذين يلزمهم الحصول على إذن الدفن هم الأشخاص المطلوب منهم التبليغ عن الوفاة، ويجب على الشخص المكلف بملاحظة نقل الجثة التحقق من وجود إذن الدفن وعلى حارس المقبرة أن يتسلم نسخة من إذن الدفن قبل الشروع فيه وتسليمها في نهاية كل شهر لمرجعه لبعثها لإدارة الأحوال المدنية المختصة، وترفق النسخة الأخرى بالتبليغ عن الوفاة.
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 66 explained in plain English
This Article sets out who obtains the burial permit, how it is checked, and where its two copies go.
Who must obtain the permit? The same persons who are required to report the death under the provisions of the Law.
Other duties:
- The person assigned to supervise the transport of the body: checks that the burial permit exists.
- The cemetery keeper: receives a copy of the burial permit before starting the burial, and hands it over at the end of each month to the authority he reports to, which sends it to the competent civil status department.
The second copy: it is attached to the report of the death.
In this way two copies of the burial permit reach civil status by two different routes: one with the report, and the other through the authority the cemetery keeper reports to.
This Article is linked to Article 65, which 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 its date.
If you are not sure who in your family is responsible for obtaining the permit, you may consult a lawyer who specializes in civil status and personal status cases.
Practical example
Ali's father died, and Ali is one of those required to report his death. Ali obtains the burial permit, the person assigned to transport the body checks that it exists, and the cemetery keeper receives a copy of it before the burial, while Ali attaches the other copy to the report of the death.
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 66 of the Saudi Civil Status Law
Who is responsible for obtaining the burial permit?
The persons required to report the death.
Does the cemetery keeper need the burial permit?
Yes. He must receive a copy of the burial permit before starting the burial.
Where do the two copies of the burial permit go?
The cemetery keeper receives one and hands it over at the end of each month to the authority he reports to, to be sent to civil status, and the other is attached to the report of the death.
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.