Article 40 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 40 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: أركان العقد أولًا: الرضى
In adhesion contracts, acceptance is limited to mere submission to fixed terms set by the offeror that are not open to discussion.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
القبول في عقود الإذعان يقتصر على مجرد التسليم بشروط مقررة يضعها الموجب ولا يقبل مناقشة فيها.
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 40 explained in plain English
This article explains the nature of acceptance in adhesion contracts, which are contracts whose terms are not negotiated, but are set by the offeror and presented to the other party as they are.
According to the article, acceptance in these contracts is limited to mere submission to fixed terms, and these terms have two characteristics:
- they are set by the offeror.
- they are not open to discussion, so the other party cannot negotiate them.
This means that acceptance in an adhesion contract is achieved by submitting to these terms, and does not depend on discussing or negotiating them.
This article describes only the form of acceptance. It does not itself deal with the ruling on the terms found in adhesion contracts or how they are interpreted, which falls outside its text.
This article relates to Article 39, which regulates the conclusion of a contract in auctions, and to Article 41, which provides that negotiating a contract does not oblige the parties to conclude it, but a person who negotiates or ends negotiations in bad faith is liable for the harm caused to the other party. The difference is clear: in adhesion contracts the offeror does not allow its terms to be discussed, whereas Article 41 deals with a case in which negotiation actually takes place.
If you have concerns about the terms of an adhesion contract you entered into, consult a lawyer who specializes in civil or commercial cases.
Practical example
Abdullah wanted to subscribe to a home internet service in Riyadh, and the company offered him a contract on standard terms that were not open to discussion, and he agreed to it as it was. His acceptance here is submission to fixed terms set by the company, which is the form of acceptance in adhesion contracts.
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 40 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
What is an adhesion contract?
It is a contract in which acceptance is limited to mere submission to fixed terms set by the offeror that are not open to discussion.
Is acceptance valid in an adhesion contract without negotiation?
Yes. The article makes acceptance in it limited to mere submission to the terms the offeror set.
Who sets the terms of an adhesion contract?
The offeror sets them, and they are not open to discussion.
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 31
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.
ينشأ العقد بارتباط الإيجاب بالقبول لإحداث أثر نظامي، مع مراعاة ما تقرره النصوص النظامية من أوضاعٍ معيّنةٍ لانعقاد العقد.
- 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
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.