Article 303 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 303 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثالث: عدم سماع الدعوى بمرور الزمن (التقادم المانع من سماع الدعوى
The transfer of a right from its holder to his successor does not interrupt the period after which a claim is not heard; the period continues to run.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا انتقل الحق من شخص إلى خلفه فلا تنقطع المدة المقررة لعدم سماع الدعوى.
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 303 explained in plain English
This article lays down a short but practical rule: if a right is transferred from one person to his successor, this transfer does not interrupt the period after which a claim is not heard.
A successor is someone who takes the place of the right-holder in the right, such as an heir who inherits the right from the person he inherits from, or someone to whom the right is transferred by its holder. The meaning of the rule is that the successor does not start a new period of his own but takes the right in the state it was in, so the time that has passed against the predecessor is counted, and the period continues to run.
The importance of this rule becomes clear when it is read with Article 302, which mentioned as cases of interrupting the period: the debtor's acknowledgment of the right, express or implied, a court claim even before a court without jurisdiction, and any other court procedure by which the creditor asserts his right. The transfer of a right is not among these cases. As for Article 304, it explains that when the period is interrupted, a new period similar to the first begins from the end of the effect resulting from the cause of interruption, and this does not apply to the mere transfer of a right.
An heir or a person to whom a right has been transferred should therefore verify how much of the period had passed before the right came to him, and should act promptly where necessary to interrupt the period under Article 302. To assess the remaining period in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in civil cases.
Practical example
Abdullah was owed a sum by a person, and several years passed without a claim. Then Abdullah died and the right passed to his son Mohammed. Under this article, no new period begins for Mohammed because of the inheritance; the years that passed during his father's lifetime are counted and the period continues to run.
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 303 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Does the limitation period start again when a debt passes to the heirs?
No. The transfer of a right from one person to his successor does not interrupt the period after which a claim is not heard.
What does interrupt the period after which a claim is not heard, then?
Under Article 302: the debtor's acknowledgment of the right, a court claim even before a court without jurisdiction, and any other court procedure by which the creditor asserts his right.
More articles on Limitation Periods
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- Article 81
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- Article 143
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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.