Article 31 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 31 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفصل الأول: العقد
A contract arises when one party's offer is joined to the other's acceptance to produce a legal effect, subject to the particular forms the legal provisions set for the formation of certain contracts.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ينشأ العقد بارتباط الإيجاب بالقبول لإحداث أثر نظامي، مع مراعاة ما تقرره النصوص النظامية من أوضاعٍ معيّنةٍ لانعقاد العقد.
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 31 explained in plain English
This article sets the basic rule for the formation of any contract in the Civil Transactions Law: a contract exists only when an offer is joined to an acceptance. The offer is the proposal made by one party and the acceptance is the other party's agreement to it, and when they meet, the contract arises.
The article requires that this joining be to produce a legal effect, that is, that the parties intend to create rights and obligations that the Law attaches, such as transferring ownership, paying a price or performing a service.
The article adds an important qualification: the particular forms that the legal provisions set for the formation of the contract must be observed. If a legal provision requires a special form for the formation of a particular contract, exchanging offer and acceptance alone is not enough; what that provision requires must be met. The article itself does not specify these forms, but refers to the legal provisions that set them.
This article is linked to Article 30, which makes the provisions of this chapter apply to named and unnamed contracts, without prejudice to the legal provisions that regulate contracts of a special nature. It is also linked to Article 32, which explains that consent is achieved when the wills of two or more contracting parties who have capacity to contract coincide and the will is expressed by what indicates it.
If you have a dispute over whether a contract has actually been formed, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in civil cases.
Practical example
Khalid offered his neighbor in Riyadh to sell his bicycle for SAR 1,500, and the neighbor said: "I accept". By the joining of the offer to the acceptance with the intention of producing a legal effect, a sale contract arose, under which Khalid is obliged to deliver the bicycle and the neighbor is obliged to pay the price.
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 31 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
When is a contract formed under the Civil Transactions Law?
A contract is formed by joining an offer to an acceptance to produce a legal effect, subject to the particular forms the legal provisions set for the formation of the contract.
What do offer and acceptance mean?
The offer is the proposal made by one party, and the acceptance is the other party's agreement to it; under this article the contract arises when they are joined.
Are offer and acceptance always enough for a contract to be formed?
Not always. The article requires observing the particular forms the legal provisions set for the formation of the contract; if a legal provision requires a special form for a contract, it must be met.
More articles on Elements of the Contract
- Article 11
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.
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
- Article 30
The article provides that the rules of the contract chapter apply to named and unnamed contracts, without prejudice to the legal provisions that regulate contracts of a special nature.
تطبق الأحكام الواردة في هذا الفصل على العقود المسماة وغير المسماة، وذلك دون إخلال بالأحكام الواردة في النصوص النظامية التي تنظم عقودًا ذات طبيعة خاصة.
- Article 32
Consent in a contract is achieved when the wills of two or more contracting parties who have capacity to contract coincide and the will is expressed by what indicates it.
يتحقق الرضى إذا توافقت إرادتا متعاقدين (أو أكثر) لديهما أهلية التعاقد وعُبِّر عن الإرادة بما يدل عليها.
- Article 33
Offer and acceptance may be by anything that indicates the will: words, writing, an understood gesture or mutual exchange, explicit or implicit, unless the legal provisions, the agreement or the nature of the transaction require otherwise.
1- يكون الإيجاب والقبول بكل ما يدل على الإرادة. 2- يجوز أن يكون التعبير عن الإرادة باللفظ أو بالكتابة أو بالإشارة المفهومة أو بالمعاطاة، وأن يكون صريحًا أو ضمني
- Article 34
Displaying goods and services with their price stated is an offer, and an advertisement with the prevailing prices is not an offer, unless there are indications to the contrary in either case.
1- يعد عرض البضائع والخدمات مع بيان ثمنها إيجابًا، إلا إذا قامت دلائل تفيد خلاف ذلك. 2- لا يعدُّ الإعلان مع بيان الأسعار المتعامل بها إيجابًا، إلا إذا قامت دلائ
- Article 35
The offeror may withdraw his offer before acceptance is made unless the offer has a fixed period, and if he does not inform the other party he compensates him for the harm suffered but not the expected profit.
1- للموجب أن يعدل عن الإيجاب قبل صدور القبول؛ ما لم تكن للإيجاب مدةٌ معينة. 2- إذا لم تكن للإيجاب مدة معينة؛ فعلى الموجب إذا عدل إعلام من وجه إليه الإيجاب بذلك،
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.