Article 17 of the Saudi Cosmetics Law
المادة 17 من نظام منتجات التجميل
The article bars the factory from starting to market a cosmetic product until it has been listed with the Authority.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز للمصنع أن يبدأ تسويق المنتج التجميلي إلا بعد إدراجه.
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 17 explained in plain English
This article makes clear that the factory's technical license is not enough by itself to market its products. Even if the factory is licensed, it may not start marketing any cosmetic product until it has been listed.
Under Article 1, listing is registering the product in the cosmetic products register after the Authority approves it. The license concerns the establishment, while listing concerns each product separately.
Marketing is one form of circulation in the definition in Article 1, and the factory under the same definition is the local establishment where the product is manufactured, so this rule is directed at factories inside the Kingdom.
In practice, if the factory develops a new product, it must:
- Notify the Authority of the change in its products as Article 16 requires.
- List the product before starting to market it.
Article 18 follows to require the factory to apply good manufacturing practices (GMP). Anyone with a question about the timing of a new product launch can consult a lawyer specializing in commercial law and food and drug law.
Practical example
A licensed factory in Riyadh produced a new face wash and wanted to show it at a trade fair to attract distributors before its listing was complete. This is not permitted, because the article bars the factory from starting to market the product before it is listed.
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 17 of the Saudi Cosmetics Law
Is the factory license enough to sell its products?
No. The factory may not start marketing a cosmetic product until it has been listed, so listing is required for each product.
Does the listing requirement apply to locally made products?
Yes. The article expressly provides that the factory does not start marketing the product until it has been listed.
What does listing a cosmetic product mean?
Registering it in the cosmetic products register after the Authority approves it.
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 12
The article requires the Authority to publish on its website the list of cosmetic products listed in the cosmetic products register.
تنشر الهيئة على موقعها الإلكتروني قائمة بالمنتجات التجميلية المدرجة في سجل منتجات التجميل.
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.