Article 461 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 461 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الأول: إنشاء عقد المقاولة
The article defines the contracting (muqawala) contract as one in which the contractor undertakes to make a thing or perform work for a fee, without being subordinate to or an agent of the client.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
المقاولة عقدٌ يلتزم بمقتضاه المقاول بصنع شيءٍ أو أداء عملٍ مقابل أجر دون أن يكون تابعًا لصاحب العمل ولا نائبًا عنه.
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 461 explained in plain English
This article gives the definition of the contracting contract, the kind of contract usually made for building, finishing, maintenance, made-to-order manufacturing and the like. Its parties are the contractor, who does the work, and the client, for whom the work is done.
The definition rests on the following elements:
- The contractor's undertaking: to make a thing or perform work.
- The fee: contracting is for a fee; it is not a gratuitous act.
- Independence: the contractor is not subordinate to the client, meaning the contractor does not work under the client's supervision and direction as a subordinate does, and is not the client's agent, so does not act in the client's name.
Independence is what distinguishes contracting from a relationship in which the person doing the work is subordinate to the person for whom the work is done, and from agency, in which a person acts in another's name. This distinction matters, because the description of the relationship determines which rules apply to it.
It is followed by Article 462, which allows the contractor to carry out the work with materials of the contractor's own or with materials supplied by the client. If a dispute arises about describing a particular contract as contracting, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in civil matters or in contracting and real estate cases.
Practical example
Ahmed agreed with a contracting firm in Riyadh to build an extension to his house for an agreed sum, with the firm carrying out the work with its own workers and its own method, without working under Ahmed's direction or in his name. This contract is contracting: the firm is a contractor performing work for a fee, and Ahmed is the client.
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 461 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
What is a contracting contract?
A contract under which the contractor undertakes to make a thing or perform work for a fee, without being subordinate to or an agent of the client.
Does a contractor work under the client's direction?
The definition requires that the contractor be neither subordinate to the client nor the client's agent.
Can contracting be without a fee?
No. The definition states that the contractor undertakes the work for a fee.
More articles on Contracting (Construction) Contract
- Article 167
The article regulates performance of an obligation to perform work: the creditor's right to refuse performance by anyone but the debtor, performance at the debtor's expense with or without court permission when urgent, and a judgment standing in for the work.
إذا كان الالتزام بعمل فتسري على تنفيذه الأحكام الآتية: أ- إذا نص الاتفاق أو اقتضت طبيعة العمل أن ينفذ المدين الالتزام بنفسه جاز للدائن أن يرفض الوفاء من غير الم
- Article 462
The article allows the contractor to carry out the work with materials supplied by the contractor or with materials supplied by the client.
يصح أن يكون التزام المقاول بتنفيذ العمل بمواد من عنده أو من صاحب العمل.
- Article 463
The article sets the contractor's obligations on materials: if the contractor supplies them, they must meet the specifications or be fit for the purpose by custom; if the client supplies them, the contractor must safeguard them, observe technical rules and return what is left.
1- إذا اشترط صاحب العمل أن يقدم المقاول المواد كلها أو بعضها؛ كان المقاول مسؤولًا عن توفر الشروط والمواصفات المتفق عليها إن وجدت، وإلا التزم بأن تكون وافيةً بال
- Article 464
The article puts the expenses of the machines and tools needed to complete the work on the contractor, unless the parties agree otherwise.
يتحمَّل المقاول نفقات ما يستلزمه إنجاز العمل من آلات وأدوات، ما لم يتفق على خلاف ذلك.
- Article 465
The article requires the contractor to complete the work according to the contract terms and within the agreed period, failing which according to the recognized standards and within the reasonable time the nature of the work requires.
يلتزم المقاول بإنجاز العمل وفقًا لشروط العقد وفي المدة المتفق عليها، فإن لم تكن هناك شروطٌ أو لم يُتفق على مدةٍ التزم بإنجازه وفقًا للأصول المتعارف عليها وفي ال
- Article 466
If the contractor breaches the contract, the client may call on the contractor to correct the work and then give it to another contractor at the contractor's expense or request termination, and may request termination at once in specified cases.
1- إذا أخل المقاول بشروط العقد أثناء سير العمل فلصاحب العمل إعذاره بالالتزام بها وتصحيح العمل خلال مدة معقولة يعينها له، فإذا انقضت هذه المدة دون تصحيح فلصاحب ا
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.