Article 82 of the Saudi Commercial Papers Law
المادة 82 من نظام الأوراق التجارية · الفصل الثامن: تعدد النسخ والصور والتحريف
The Article provides that where the text of a bill is altered, signatories after the alteration are liable on the altered text and signatories before it on the original text.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا وقع تحريف في متن الكمبيالة التزم الموقعون اللاحقون لهذا التحريف بما ورد في المتن المحرف، أما الموقعون السابقون فيلزمون بما ورد في المتن الأصلي.
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 82 explained in plain English
This Article deals with alteration of the text of a bill of exchange, meaning a change to what is written in its body after some parties have signed it.
The rule: each signatory's liability is determined by the time of their signature in relation to the alteration:
- Signatories after the alteration: are liable on the altered text.
- Signatories before the alteration: are liable on the original text.
Each signatory is thus liable on the text the bill bore when they signed. In practice, this means that establishing when the alteration took place in relation to each signature is an important question in a dispute, because it determines what each signatory is liable for.
This Article is connected to Article 81, which regulates reproductions of a bill, requires the name of the possessor of the original to be stated in the reproduction, and obliges the possessor to hand the original to the lawful holder of the reproduction. It is also connected to Article 83, which provides that the holder loses rights arising from the bill against its drawer, endorsers and other parties liable, other than its acceptor, on the expiry of the periods prescribed for presenting the bill or making a protest.
The Article only determines the obligations of the signatories of the bill; it does not address liability for the act of alteration itself. Where alteration of a bill is suspected, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial matters and commercial papers before claiming or paying.
Practical example
A company in Riyadh drew a bill for SAR 50,000, and the first beneficiary endorsed it. The amount in the body was then altered to SAR 80,000, and after that a later holder endorsed it. The holder who signed after the alteration is liable for SAR 80,000, while the company and the first beneficiary are liable for the SAR 50,000 in the original text.
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 82 of the Saudi Commercial Papers Law
What is the rule if the amount of a bill is changed after it was signed?
If the text of the bill is altered, signatories after the alteration are liable on the altered text, and signatories before it are liable on the original text.
Is the drawer liable for the altered amount?
If the drawer signed before the alteration, the drawer is liable on the original text.
More articles on Bill of Exchange
- Article 1
The article sets out the eight particulars a bill of exchange must contain, including the word "bill of exchange", the amount, the name of the drawee, the due date and the drawer's signature.
تشتمل الكمبيالة على البيانات الآتية: أ - كلمة (كمبيالة) مكتوبة في متن الصك وباللغة التي كتب بها. ب - أمر غير معلق على شرط بوفاء مبلغ معين من النقود. ج - اسم من
- Article 2
An instrument lacking the particulars of Article 1 is not a bill of exchange, except where the due date, place of payment, drawee's domicile or place of issue is missing, each of which has a substitute rule.
لا يعتبر الصك الخالي من البيانات المذكورة في المادة السابقة كمبيالة إلا في الأحوال الآتية: أ - إذا خلت الكمبيالة من بيان ميعاد الاستحقاق، اعتبرت مستحقة الوفاء ل
- Article 3
The article permits three ways of drawing a bill of exchange: to the drawer's own order, on the drawer himself, or for the account of another person.
يجوز سحب الكمبيالة لأمر الساحب نفسه، ويجوز سحبها على ساحبها، ويجوز سحبها لحساب شخص آخر.
- Article 4
The article permits stipulating that a bill of exchange be paid at the domicile of a person other than the drawee, whether in the drawee's town or in another.
يجوز اشتراط وفاء الكمبيالة في موطن شخص آخر غير المسحوب عليه سواء كان هذا الموطن في الجهة التي فيها موطن المسحوب عليه أو في جهة أخرى.
- Article 5
If the amount of a bill written in words differs from the amount in figures, the words prevail; if the amount is written several times and differs, the smaller amount prevails.
إذا كتب مبلغ الكمبيالة بالحروف وبالأرقام معا فتكون العبرة عند الاختلاف بالمكتوب بالحروف، وإذا كتب المبلغ عدة مرات بالحروف أو بالأرقام فتكون العبرة عند الاختلاف
- Article 6
Article 6 provides that any stipulation of interest on the amount of a bill of exchange is treated as if it had not been written.
اشتراط فائدة الكمبيالة يعتبر كأن لم يكن.
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.