Article 9 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
المادة 9 من نظام المحاكم التجارية · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
The article defines the addresses approved for service of notices in commercial cases, permits choosing a lawyer's address, and requires a party to notify the court of a change of address within 48 hours.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يعد عنواناً للتبليغ وفقاً لأحكام النظام الآتي:
أ- العنوان الإلكتروني الموثق أو المختار من الأطراف.
ب- عنوان إقامة الشخص ذي الصفة الطبيعية أو الاعتبارية، ما لم يختر عنواناً آخر.
ج- العنوان المعتمد لدى الجهة البريدية المختصة.
د- العنوان المدون في السجل التجاري فيما يتعلق بالنشاط المرتبط بذلك السجل.
هـ- العنوان الذي يثبته الشخص في بيانات الدعوى أو الطلب أو المذكرة المقدمة للمحكمة في الدعوى ذاتها.
و- العنوان المدون في العقد محل التعامل في المنازعات الناشئة عن ذلك العقد.
ز- العنوان الذي يختاره الأجنبي في المملكة.
2- للشخص ذي الصفة الطبيعية أو الاعتبارية أن يختار عنوان محامٍ لتلقي التبليغات عليه، وتسري عليه أحكام عنوان ذلك الشخص.
3- على الطرف حال تغييره العنوان المنصوص عليه في الفقرة (هـ) من هذه المادة أن يبلغ المحكمة خلال (ثمانٍ وأربعين) ساعة من تاريخ التغيير، وإلا عُدَّ التبليغ على ذلك العنوان لدى المحكمة منتجاً لآثاره.
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 9 explained in plain English
This article defines the addresses on which service of notices is valid under the Commercial Courts Law, which are:
- The documented electronic address or the one chosen by the parties.
- The residence address of the natural or legal person, unless the person chooses another address.
- The address approved with the competent postal authority.
- The address recorded in the commercial register, as regards the activity connected with that register.
- The address the person states in the particulars of the case, application or memorandum submitted to the court in the same case.
- The address recorded in the contract, in disputes arising from that contract.
- The address chosen by a foreigner in the Kingdom.
A person, whether natural or legal, may choose a lawyer's address to receive notices, and the lawyer's address is then treated as the person's own address.
One of the most important provisions of the article is paragraph 3: if a party changes the address stated in the particulars of the case, application or memorandum (item (e)), it must notify the court within 48 hours of the date of the change. If it does not, service on the old address recorded with the court is treated as producing its effects, as if notice had actually been given.
Therefore a merchant should take care to update its details in the commercial register and contracts, and promptly notify the court when it changes its address in the case. Article 10 sets out the method of service on these addresses, and Article 11 defines to whom service is directed where there is no special provision.
Practical example
A company in Khobar stated an address in its statement of claim, then moved to a new location and did not notify the court. The court sent notice of a hearing date to the address recorded with it. Because the company did not give notice of the change within 48 hours, service on the old address is treated as producing its effects.
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 9 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
What addresses are approved for service of notices in the commercial court?
They include the documented or chosen electronic address, the residence address, the approved postal address, the commercial register address, the address stated in the case, the address recorded in the contract, and the address a foreigner chooses in the Kingdom.
Can service be made on a lawyer's address?
Yes. A person may choose a lawyer's address to receive notices, and the provisions on that person's address apply to it.
What happens if I change my address and do not notify the court?
If a party changes the address stated in the case and does not notify the court within 48 hours, service on the address recorded with the court is treated as producing its effects.
More articles on Jurisdiction of the Commercial Court
- Article 1
The article defines the basic terms used in the Commercial Courts Law, such as the Law, the Regulations, the Council, the court, the Ministry, the Minister and the parties.
يقصد بالألفاظ الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتضِ السياق غير ذلك: النظام: نظام المحاكم التجارية. اللائحة: اللائحة التنفي
- Article 2
The article provides that the Commercial Courts Law and its Regulations apply to the commercial court and the cases within its jurisdiction, without prejudice to commercial laws and international agreements.
دون إخلال بما نصت عليه الأنظمة التجارية والاتفاقيات الدولية التي تكون المملكة طرفاً فيها، تسري أحكام النظام واللائحة على المحكمة والدعاوى التي تختص بنظرها.
- Article 3
The article gives the Supreme Judicial Council the power to establish commercial courts as needed and to form their appellate and first-instance circuits of three judges or a single judge according to the Law.
يتولى المجلس الأعلى للقضاء -وفقًا لاختصاصاته- النظر في الآتي: 1- إنشاء المحاكم التجارية في المناطق والمحافظات بحسب الحاجة، على أن تكوَّن كل محكمة من دوائر استئن
- Article 4
The article regulates the powers of the president of the commercial court in supervision and naming judges and employees, the way court assistants are chosen, and refers defining their tasks to the Regulations.
1- يتولى رئيس المحكمة الإشراف على المحكمة وتسمية قضاة دوائرها وموظفي إداراتها؛ وفق ضوابط يحددها المجلس. 2- يُختار أعوان القضاء في المحكمة من ذوي الكفاية وفق الإ
- Article 5
The article permits the commercial court to use the private sector in supporting work such as conciliation, service of notices and registering cases, without prejudice to the independence of the judiciary and litigation guarantees.
دون إخلال باستقلال القضاء، وضمانات التقاضي، يجوز للمحكمة الاستعانة بالقطاع الخاص في الآتي: 1- المصالحة والوساطة. 2- التبليغ والإشعار. 3- قيد الدعوى والطلبات وتس
- Article 6
The article permits the parties to a commercial transaction, when all of them are merchants, to agree on specific pleading procedures, without prejudice to public order and the rules of justice.
استثناء من الأحكام الواردة في النظام، والأحكام الواردة في نظام المرافعات الشرعية، ودون إخلال بالنظام العام وقواعد العدالة؛ للأطراف في التعامل التجاري - متى كان
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.