Article 12 of the Saudi Cosmetics Law
المادة 12 من نظام منتجات التجميل
The article requires the Authority to publish on its website the list of cosmetic products listed in the cosmetic products register.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تنشر الهيئة على موقعها الإلكتروني قائمة بالمنتجات التجميلية المدرجة في سجل منتجات التجميل.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article aims to achieve transparency in the cosmetic products market, as it requires the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to publish on its website a list of the cosmetic products listed in the cosmetic products register.
Under Article 1, listing means registering the product in this register after the Authority approves it. This published list is a practical tool for:
- The consumer who wants to make sure the product they are buying is listed.
- The trader or distributor who wants to check a product before buying it for resale.
- The lister itself, who wants to confirm its product appears.
The article does not specify the data the list contains or how to search it; it simply sets the duty to publish. It sits alongside Article 11, which requires every cosmetic product to carry identification data or a label, and Article 13, which requires a technical license for the factory from the Authority.
Practical example
Reem found a perfume at a very low price from an online seller, so before buying she searched for it in the list of listed products published on the website of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, to find out whether it is listed in the cosmetic products register.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentCommercial & Corporate Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Commercial & Corporate Law lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ibrahim Al Salem Law Firm
Active contributorDr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Frequently asked questions about Article 12 of the Saudi Cosmetics Law
How do I know a cosmetic product is registered with the Food and Drug Authority?
The Authority publishes on its website a list of the cosmetic products listed in the cosmetic products register, which you can consult.
Is publishing the list of listed products mandatory for the Authority?
Yes. The article provides that the Authority publishes this list on its website.
What does it mean for a product to be listed?
It means the product has been registered in the cosmetic products register after the Authority approved it, as defined in Article 1.
More articles on Listing of Cosmetic Products
- Article 6
The article bars importing or circulating a cosmetic product in the Kingdom until it is listed with the Authority and a listing certificate is obtained, under the Implementing Regulations' controls.
لا يجوز استيراد أو تداول المنتج التجميلي في المملكة إلا بعد إدراجه لدى الهيئة والحصول منها على شهادة إدراج وفق الضوابط والشروط التي تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 7
The article says who may apply to list a cosmetic product: the manufacturer, the producing company, or whoever either of them authorizes, under the procedures in the Implementing Regulations.
يتقدم لطلب الإدراج المصنع أو الشركة المنتجة للمنتج التجميلي أو من يفوض منهما وفقًا للإجراءات والشروط التي تحددها اللائحة.
- Article 8
The article requires the Authority to decide on a listing application within 15 days of its requirements being completed and to issue a listing certificate, and to state its reasons when it refuses or does not decide.
تبتّ الهيئة في طلب الإدراج خلال خمسة عشر يومًا من استكمال متطلباته، وتصدر شهادة بالإدراج، وفي حالة الرفض أو عدم البت تبين الهيئة أسباب ذلك.
- Article 17
The article bars the factory from starting to market a cosmetic product until it has been listed with the Authority.
لا يجوز للمصنع أن يبدأ تسويق المنتج التجميلي إلا بعد إدراجه.
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.

