Article 19 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 19 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفصل الثالث: الأشياء والأموال
The article provides that anything material or immaterial may be the object of financial rights, except things that by nature cannot be exclusively possessed by anyone or that the legal provisions prevent from being the object of financial rights.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
كل شيء مادي أو غير مادي يصح أن يكون محلًّا للحقوق المالية، عدا الأشياء التي لا تقبل بطبيعتها أن يستأثر أحد بحيازتها، أو التي تمنع النصوص النظامية أن تكون محلًّا للحقوق المالية.
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 19 explained in plain English
This article sets the general rule for determining the things that may be the object of financial rights, such as ownership, usufruct, sale and lease.
The principle: permissibility: Anything may be the object of financial rights, whether it is:
- Material, that is, it has a tangible existence such as land or a car.
- Immaterial, that is, not perceived by the senses.
The two exceptions: A thing may not be the object of financial rights in two cases:
- Things that by their nature cannot be exclusively possessed by anyone, that is, things that by their nature cannot be reserved to one person to the exclusion of others.
- Things that the legal provisions prevent from being the object of financial rights.
The prohibition therefore comes either from the nature of the thing or from a legal provision, and otherwise permissibility remains the principle.
Its link to other articles: Article 20 defines property as anything that has a material value recognized in dealings, whether a thing, a usufruct or a right. Article 18 explains that a person with juridical personality has an independent financial liability, so it can hold these rights.
To know whether a particular thing may be dealt in or is prevented by the legal provisions, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in civil cases.
Practical example
Sami wanted to sell his car and to lease an immaterial right that he owns. In principle, both may be the object of financial rights, whether material or immaterial. But if he wanted to deal in something that the legal provisions prevent from being the object of financial rights, or something that by its nature cannot be exclusively possessed by anyone, that would not be valid.
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 19 of Civil Transactions Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Active contributor
Unwan Law Firm
Frequently asked questions about Article 19 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
May immaterial things be the object of financial rights?
Yes. Anything material or immaterial may be the object of financial rights, unless it falls within one of the two exceptions.
Which things may not be the object of financial rights?
Things that by their nature cannot be exclusively possessed by anyone, and things that the legal provisions prevent from being the object of financial rights.
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.