Article 319 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 319 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثاني: آثار عقد البيع أولًا: التزامات البائع
The seller must do what is necessary on his side to transfer ownership of the item to the buyer and refrain from any act that makes the transfer impossible or difficult.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يلتزم البائع بأن يقوم بما هو ضروريٌّ من جانبه لنقل ملكية المبيع للمشتري وأن يمتنع عن أي عمل من شأنه جعل نقل الملكية مستحيلًا أو عسيرًا.
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 319 explained in plain English
This article places two obligations on the seller concerning the transfer of ownership of the item sold to the buyer:
- A positive obligation: the seller must do what is necessary on his side to transfer ownership.
- A negative obligation: the seller must refrain from any act that would make the transfer of ownership impossible or difficult.
The text limits the first obligation by the phrase "on his side": what is required of the seller is what is needed from his side to complete the transfer of ownership.
This article is linked to Article 318, which provides that ownership of the item sold passes to the buyer on conclusion of the sale, without prejudice to Articles 655, 656 and 657, and that a sale being in bulk does not prevent ownership from passing. Where transferring ownership requires an act by the seller, Article 319 obliges him to perform it.
It is also linked to Article 320, which permits the seller, where the price is deferred or paid in installments, to stipulate that the transfer of ownership is suspended until the buyer pays the entire price, even if the item has been delivered.
This article does not state what follows if the seller breaches this obligation. Anyone facing a seller who refuses to complete the transfer of ownership is advised to consult a lawyer specialized in civil or real estate cases to learn the options available.
Practical example
Salem sold land in Riyadh to Omar and received the price, and then refused to complete what was required on his side to transfer its ownership to Omar. Under this article Salem must do what is necessary on his side to transfer ownership, and must refrain from any act that makes the transfer impossible or difficult.
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 319 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
What must the seller do to transfer ownership of the item sold?
He must do what is necessary on his side to transfer ownership of the item to the buyer, and refrain from any act that makes the transfer impossible or difficult.
May the seller delay transferring ownership until the full price is paid?
Under Article 320, if the price is deferred or paid in installments, the seller may stipulate that the transfer of ownership is suspended until the buyer pays the entire price, even if the item has been delivered.
More articles on Sale Contract
- Article 23
The article defines consumable things as those whose use, according to what they are prepared for, is limited to consuming or spending them, and treats everything prepared in stores for sale as consumable.
الأشياء القابلة للاستهلاك هي التي ينحصر استعمالها -بحسب ما أُعدّت له- في استهلاكها أو إنفاقها، ويعد قابلًا للاستهلاك كل ما أعد في المتاجر للبيع.
- Article 44
Paying earnest money gives only the payer the right to withdraw from the contract without recovering it, unless otherwise agreed; the court sets the withdrawal period if the parties have not.
1- دفع العربون عند إبرام العقد يفيد أن لدافع العربون وحده الحق في العدول عن العقد، وليس له إذا عدل أن يسترد مبلغ العربون، وذلك كله ما لم يتفق على خلافه. 2- إذا
- Article 109
The article provides that exchange contracts are concluded on the basis that the subject matter is free of defects except what custom tolerates, and that an intolerable defect is a breach of the obligation.
تُعدُّ عقود المعاوضات منعقدةً على أساس سلامة محل العقد من العيوب إلا ما جرى العرف على التسامح فيه، فإذا تبيَّن في المحل عيبٌ لم يجر العرف على التسامح فيه؛ عُدَّ
- Article 165
The article provides that a right to a thing specified by kind attaches to a particular item only once it is set apart, and lets the creditor, on non-performance, obtain a like item at the debtor's expense.
1- إذا تعلق الحق بشيء معين بالنوع لا بالذات، فإنه لا يختص بشيء بذاته من ذلك النوع إلا بإفرازه. 2- إذا لم يقم المدين بتنفيذ التزامه جاز للدائن أن يحصل على شيء من
- Article 166
The article places the risk of destruction or damage on the debtor who failed to deliver, in two cases: transfer of a real right and an obligation to perform work involving delivery, each on different conditions.
1- الالتزام بنقل حق عيني يتضمن الالتزام بتسليم الشيء والمحافظة عليه حتى تسليمه، فإذا لم يقم المدين بتسليمه حتى هلك أو تلف كانت تبعة ذلك عليه. 2- إذا كان محل الا
- Article 307
Article 307 defines sale as a contract under which the seller transfers ownership of the item sold to the buyer for a cash price.
البيع عقد يُمَلِّكُ بمقتضاه البائع المبيع للمشتري مقابل ثمنٍ نقدي.
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.