Article 443 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 443 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الخامس: إيجار الأرض للزراعة
Leasing land for farming is valid, whether what is to be planted is specified or the choice of what to plant is left to the tenant.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يصح إيجار الأرض للزراعة مع تعيين ما يزرع فيها أو أن يجعل المؤجر للمستأجر اختيار ما يزرع 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 443 explained in plain English
This article is one of the rules on leasing land for farming, and it recognizes this kind of lease as valid in two forms:
- With what is to be planted specified: the contract states the type of crop, for example wheat, palms or vegetables. In that case the tenant is bound by what was specified.
- With the choice left to the tenant: the lessor gives the tenant freedom to choose what to plant in the land.
Both forms are valid. What matters is that the contract is clear: either it specifies what is to be planted, or it leaves the choice to the tenant.
This clarity matters because crops differ in their effect on the land and in how long they take, and an owner may want to rule out certain crops, or a tenant may want freedom to move between crops. The parties should therefore settle this point in the contract.
This article connects to Article 444, which does not allow a lease of land for farming to take immediate effect if the land is occupied by a crop belonging to someone other than the tenant that has not reached harvest and was planted with a right to do so.
Anyone who wants to make a lease of farmland or faces a dispute about what may be planted should consider consulting a lawyer specializing in real estate or civil matters.
Practical example
Sulaiman leased his land in Al-Ahsa to a farmer, and the contract said the tenant may choose what to plant in it. This lease is valid, and the tenant chooses the suitable crop. Had the contract provided for planting palms only, it would also be valid and the tenant would be bound by it.
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 443 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Must the type of crop be specified in a land lease contract?
No. A lease of land for farming is valid either with what is to be planted specified or with the choice of what to plant left to the tenant.
Can the owner leave the choice of what to plant to the tenant?
Yes. The lessor may leave it to the tenant to choose what to plant in the land.
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.