Article 412 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 412 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: إنشاء عقد الإيجار
The article provides that the lease period starts from the date specified in the contract, or if none is specified, from the date the contract is concluded.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تبدأ مدة الإيجار من التاريخ المحدد في العقد، فإذا لم يحدد فمن تاريخ انعقاد 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 412 explained in plain English
This article answers a frequent practical question: when does the lease period start? It sets two rules in order:
- The date specified in the contract: if the parties specify in the contract a date for the lease to begin, the period starts from it.
- The date the contract is concluded: if the contract does not specify a start date, the period starts from the date the contract is concluded.
Priority goes to what the parties agreed, and the second rule applies only in the absence of such an agreement.
The start of the period is of great practical importance, because it determines when the period ends. It is also important to read this article with:
- Article 413, which deals with the case where the lease period is not specified at all.
- Article 414, which allows a lease contract to be attributed to a future term, that is, the contract is concluded today and the lease begins on a later date.
The practical advice is to write the start date clearly in the contract, to avoid any disagreement over the beginning and end of the period.
To assess a particular situation, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in real estate or civil cases.
Practical example
Hassan signed a lease contract for an apartment in Riyadh on 1 March, and the contract provided that the lease begins on 1 April. The lease period starts from 1 April. If the contract had not stated a start date, the period would have started from the date the contract was concluded.
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 412 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
When does the lease period start?
It starts from the date specified in the contract, and if none is specified, from the date the contract is concluded.
Can the lease period start after the contract is signed?
Yes. If the contract specifies a later date, the period starts from it, and Article 414 allows a lease contract to be attributed to a future term.
More articles on Lease Contract
- Article 287
The article prevents set-off between a depositary's debt against the depositor and the deposit, or between a borrower's debt against the lender and the loaned item, except by agreement of the parties.
إذا كان للمودع لديه دينٌ على المودع أو كان للمستعير دين على المعير، فلا تقع المقاصة بين الدين والوديعة أو بين الدين والشيء المعار ولو كان الدين من نوع أي منهما
- Article 296
The article sets a period of 5 years after which a claim is not heard against a party who denies it, for the rights of the liberal professions and recurring periodic rights, with an exception of 10 years for the proceeds owed by a bad-faith possessor and endowment proceeds.
دون إخلال بالنصوص النظامية، لا تُسمع الدعوى على المنكر بانقضاء (خمس) سنوات في الحقوق الآتية: أ- حقوق أصحاب المهن الحرة، كالأطباء والمحامين والمهندسين عما أدوه م
- Article 407
The article defines a lease as a contract by which the lessor enables the lessee to benefit from a non-consumable thing for a specified period in return for rent.
الإيجار عقد يُمَكِّنُ بمقتضاه المؤجر المستأجر من الانتفاع مدةً معينةً بشيءٍ غير قابل للاستهلاك مقابل أجرةٍ.
- Article 408
The article allows the leased item to be a thing, a usufruct or a right, specified individually or by type, and also allows it to be an undivided share.
1- يصح أن يكون المأجور عينًا أو منفعةً أو حقًّا؛ سواء كان معيَّنًا بالذات أو بالنوع. 2- يصح أن يكون المأجور حصَّةً شائعة.
- Article 409
The article allows it to suffice to state sound bases for determining the rent, and allows the rent to be a specified sum together with a known percentage of the output or profit.
يصح أن يقتصر تقدير الأجرة على بيان أسسٍ صالحةٍ تتحدد بمقتضاها، ويصح أن تكون بمبلغٍ معيَّنٍ مع نسبةٍ معلومةٍ من الناتج أو من الربح.
- Article 410
The article allows a lease contract to require that the rent be paid in advance, deferred or paid in installments.
يصح اشتراط تعجيل الأجرة أو تأجيلها أو تقسيطها.
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.