Article 11 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 11 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: الشخص ذو الصفة الطبيعية
The article allows a chosen domicile to be adopted for a particular act, serving as the domicile for everything relating to it unless expressly limited, and requires writing to prove it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجوز اتخاذ موطنٍ مختارٍ لعملٍ معيَّن، ويكون هو الموطن لكل ما يتعلق بهذا العمل؛ ما لم يُشترط صراحةً قصر هذا الموطن على أعمالٍ دون أخرى.
2- لا يجوز إثبات وجود الموطن المختار إلا بالكتابة.
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 11 explained in plain English
This article allows a person to choose a place to be his domicile for a particular act, which is called the chosen domicile.
First: a chosen domicile may be adopted: A chosen domicile may be adopted for a particular act, and it is the domicile for everything relating to that act.
Second: it may be limited: It may be expressly stipulated that this domicile is limited to some acts and not others. If there is such an express stipulation, the chosen domicile is limited to what it specifies. If there is no express stipulation, it extends to everything relating to the act.
Third: proof by writing: Paragraph 2 provides that the existence of a chosen domicile may be proved only by writing. An oral agreement is not enough to prove it, so it is best to state it in the contract or in a written document.
Practical effect: Contracting parties often specify an address to be used for everything relating to the contract. This article gives that choice its value when it is in writing.
Its link to other articles: The chosen domicile differs from the domicile of a person lacking capacity, a person with limited capacity, and a missing or absent person, which Article 10 makes the domicile of their legal representative. When drafting a chosen domicile clause in an important contract, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in civil or commercial cases.
Practical example
Nawaf concluded a supply contract with a company in Riyadh and wrote in the contract that he adopts his lawyer's office in Jeddah as a chosen domicile for everything relating to this contract. The lawyer's office becomes his domicile for everything concerning the contract, unless the contract expressly limits it to particular acts. Because the agreement is in writing, this chosen domicile can be proved.
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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Frequently asked questions about Article 11 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
What is a chosen domicile?
It is a domicile a person adopts for a particular act, and it is the domicile for everything relating to that act unless it is expressly limited to some acts and not others.
Can a chosen domicile be proved by witnesses?
No. Paragraph 2 provides that the existence of a chosen domicile may be proved only by writing.
Can a chosen domicile be limited to some acts?
Yes, if that is expressly stipulated.
More articles on Capacity and General Provisions
- Article 1
The Article sets the order of what applies to civil matters: the Law's provisions, then the general rules in the final provisions, then the most suitable rulings of Sharia, without prejudice to special statutory provisions.
1- تُطبق نصوص هذا النظام على جميع المسائل التي تناولتها في لفظها أو في فحواها، فإن لم يوجد نص يمكن تطبيقه طُبقت القواعد الكلية الواردة في الأحكام الختامية، فإن
- Article 2
The Article provides that all periods and time limits in the Civil Transactions Law are calculated by the Hijri calendar.
تحسب المدد والمواعيد الواردة في هذا النظام بالتقويم الهجري.
- Article 3
The Article provides that a person's legal personality begins with complete live birth and ends with death, and that the rights of an unborn child in the womb are determined by statutory provisions.
1- تبدأ شخصية الإنسان بتمام ولادته حيًّا وتنتهي بموته. 2- حقوق الحمل المستكن تحددها النصوص النظامية.
- Article 4
The Article refers the rules on the missing person, the absent person and the person of unknown parentage to the statutory provisions specific to them rather than regulating them in the Civil Transactions Law.
تسري على المفقود والغائب ومجهول النسب النصوص النظامية الخاصة بهم.
- Article 5
The Article refers the rules on persons' names, titles, families, kinship and nationalities to the statutory provisions specific to them.
تسري على أسماء الأشخاص وألقابهم وأسرهم وقراباتهم وجنسياتهم النصوص النظامية الخاصة بها.
- Article 6
The article defines direct kinship as the link between ascendants and descendants, and indirect kinship as the bond between persons who share a common ancestor without one being a descendant of the other.
1- القرابة المباشرة هي الصلة بين الأصول والفروع. 2- القرابة غير المباشرة هي الرابطة بين أشخاصٍ يجمعهم أصلٌ مشتركٌ دون أن يكون أحدهم فرعًا للآخر.
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.