Article 88 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 88 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الثالث: النيابة في التعاقد
The article prohibits a representative from exceeding the limits of his representation as set in the instrument creating it, whether a contract, a court judgment or a statutory text.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ليس للنائب أن يتجاوز حدود نيابته المعيَّنة في سند إنشائها، سواء أكان السند عقدًا أم حكمًا قضائيًّا أم نصًّا نظاميًّا.
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 88 explained in plain English
This article lays down a basic rule of representation: the representative may not exceed the limits of his representation.
What determines the limits of representation?
The limits of representation are determined by what appears in the instrument creating it, and this instrument differs according to the kind of representation:
- A contract: in agreed representation, such as a power-of-attorney contract that specifies what the agent may do.
- A court judgment: in judicial representation.
- A statutory text: in statutory representation.
These three kinds are those mentioned in Article 87, which provides that contracting through representation is valid unless statutory texts require otherwise, and that representation is agreed, judicial or statutory.
What does this mean in practice? The representative must keep to what the instrument of representation authorizes him to do, and may not conclude transactions he was not given the power to conclude.
The article states the prohibition; the consequences of a representative exceeding the limits of his representation are not dealt with by this article. To know the effect of a transaction in which a representative exceeded his limits in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in civil cases and contracts.
Practical example
Sami appointed his friend under a power-of-attorney contract to sell his car only. The friend may not sell land that Sami owns on the strength of this power of attorney, because that would exceed the limits of the representation set in the instrument creating 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 88 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
May an agent act outside the limits of the power of attorney?
No. The representative may not exceed the limits of his representation as set in the instrument creating it.
What is the instrument of representation?
It is what creates the representation and determines its limits, and it may be a contract, a court judgment or a statutory text.
More articles on Effects and Interpretation of Contracts
- 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 40
In adhesion contracts, acceptance is limited to mere submission to fixed terms set by the offeror that are not open to discussion.
القبول في عقود الإذعان يقتصر على مجرد التسليم بشروط مقررة يضعها الموجب ولا يقبل مناقشة فيها.
- Article 45
A framework agreement is a contract in which the parties set the basic terms of the contracts they create between them under its provisions, and it is treated as part of those contracts.
الاتفاق الإطاري عقدٌ يُحدد المتعاقدان بمقتضاه البنود الأساسية التي تخضع لها العقود التي ينشئها المتعاقدان بينهما وفقًا لأحكام هذا الاتفاق، ويُعد ذلك الاتفاق جزء
- Article 46
If the contracting parties, expressly or impliedly, refer in the contract to a model document, specified rules or any other document, it is treated as part of the contract.
إذا أحال المتعاقدان صراحةً أو ضمنًا في العقد إلى أحكام وثيقةٍ نموذجيَّةٍ أو قواعد محددة أو أي وثيقة أخرى عُدَّت جزءًا من العقد.
- Article 73
If the parties do not specify the quantity of the subject matter and the contract contains what allows it to be determined, the court determines it; if they do not agree on quality and there is no custom or indication, an item of medium quality must be delivered.
1- إذا لم يحدِّد المتعاقدان مقدار المحل وتضمن العقد ما يمكن للمحكمة تحديده به؛ حددته بناءً على ذلك. 2- إذا لم يتفق المتعاقدان على درجة جودة الشيء ولم يوجد عرف أ
- Article 87
The article permits contracting through representation unless statutory texts require otherwise, and divides representation into agreed, judicial and statutory.
1- يصح التعاقد بالنيابة؛ ما لم تقتض النصوص النظامية خلاف ذلك. 2- تكون النيابة في التعاقد اتفاقيةً أو قضائيةً أو نظاميةً.
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.