Article 446 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 446 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الخامس: إيجار الأرض للزراعة
A lease of land for farming includes its appurtenances, what is permanently attached to it and what custom treats as belonging to it, but not farm tools and machinery unless otherwise agreed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا استأجر شخص الأرض للزراعة شمل الإيجار ملحقاتها، وما اتصل بها اتصال قرار، وما جرى العرف على أنه من توابعها، ولا يشمل ذلك الأدوات والآلات الزراعية، ما لم يتفق على خلاف ذلك.
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 446 explained in plain English
This article defines the scope of what falls within a lease of farmland, so that the parties do not disagree about what the tenant may use.
What the lease includes:
- The appurtenances of the land.
- What is attached to it permanently, meaning what is fixed in it on a lasting basis such that it cannot be moved without damage or alteration.
- What custom treats as belonging to it, since custom is the reference for determining what ordinarily goes with farmland.
What the lease does not include: farm tools and machinery, which do not automatically fall within a lease of the land.
Agreeing otherwise is allowed: the parties may agree on a different rule, for example by having the contract expressly include farm machinery. In practice such an agreement may be made to avoid disputes over equipment.
The article does not list the appurtenances and accessories by name, but refers to the standards of permanent attachment and custom. It is therefore advisable for the contract to state what is included in the lease and what is not.
This article connects to Article 447, which allows someone who leases land for farming with no agreement on the kind and type of crop to plant it in all seasons of the year, and to Article 445 on a lease of land occupied by a crop made with effect deferred.
In a dispute about what counts as an accessory, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in real estate or civil matters.
Practical example
A farmer leased land in Al-Kharj that has an irrigation network fixed underground, and a farm tractor in its storehouse. The irrigation network, permanently attached to the land, falls within the lease. The tractor does not, because it is farm machinery, unless the parties agree to include 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 446 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Does the lease of a farm include equipment and machinery?
A lease of land for farming does not include farm tools and machinery unless the parties agree otherwise.
What is included in a lease of farmland?
Its appurtenances, what is permanently attached to it, and what custom treats as belonging to it.
Can machinery be included in the lease by agreement?
Yes. The text allows agreeing on something different.
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.