In force
Saudi Donation Collection Law
نظام جمع التبرعات
Regulates the collection of donations in Saudi Arabia, including licensing, accepted methods of receiving donations, fundraising campaigns, financial reporting, spending and penalties. It concerns charities and anyone who collects donations.
- Articles
- 23
- In force
- 23
- Amended
- 0
- Issued
- 8/2/1446 AH
Issued by: مرسوم ملكي رقم (م/43) وتاريخ 1446/2/8هـ · قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم (116) وتاريخ 1446/2/2هـ
Each article shows the official Arabic text, which is the only legally binding version, followed by our plain-English explanation.
Browse Donation Collection Law by topic
Articles of the Saudi Donation Collection Law
- Article 1This article defines the terms of the Donation Collection Law, such as collecting donations, calling for them, the campaign, the licensing authority, the licensed entity and the donor.
- Article 2The article limits donation collection to the licensed entity and requires those who collect and spend donations for it to be Saudis.
- Article 3The article requires a licensed entity to collect donations in line with its objectives, and through its approved bank accounts, electronic transfers and the like, or checks deposited in its accounts.
- Article 4The article permits the licensed entity to receive in-kind donations at its head office, its branches or the sites licensed for collection, with serially numbered receipts, a copy of which is given to the donor.
- Article 5The article prohibits the licensed entity from receiving monetary donations except by direct deposit into its approved bank accounts, and from receiving donations from outside the Kingdom except with the licensing authority's approval.
- Article 6Before any donation campaign, a request stating its purpose, start, duration and amount must be submitted to the licensing authority, which decides within 30 days; the campaign must stop when its period ends or the target amount is reached, whichever is earlier.
- Article 7The article prevents the licensed entity from printing or publishing printed materials calling for donations unless its regulations or bylaws permit it.
- Article 8The article sets the means of calling for donations: local media, local telecommunications companies, billboards and service bills, printed materials, social media and websites, and whatever the Implementing Regulations specify.
- Article 9The article requires the licensed entity to include in its donation call the license number, its approved account numbers, its address and telephone numbers, and information about the purpose.
- Article 10The article requires the licensed entity to give the licensing authority, within 15 days of the campaign ending, a bank statement and a detailed financial report showing the in-kind and cash donations received.
- Article 11The article prevents the licensed entity from spending donations on anything other than the purpose they were collected for except with the licensing authority's approval, subject to the donor's condition if there is one.
- Article 12The article requires identifying those authorized to spend from donations, at least two persons by joint signature with the financial officer's signature essential, and spending from approved bank accounts.
- Article 13The article requires the licensed entity, when preparing its annual budget, to state the proceeds of donation collection and its items of revenue and expenses, supported by documents.
- Article 14The article requires the licensing authority to issue a decision suspending the licensed entity from collecting donations for the purpose they were collected for if it violates any provision of the Law while collecting.
- Article 15The article permits the licensing authority, the Public Prosecution and the Presidency of State Security to request a precautionary attachment on the bank accounts of anyone collecting donations in violation of the Law, for up to 60 days, extendable by a judicial order.
- Article 16The article assigns to the Public Prosecution the investigation of violations of the Donation Collection Law and prosecution of them before the competent court.
- Article 17The article sets the penalties for violating the Donation Collection Law: a fine of up to SAR 500,000 or imprisonment of up to two years for an individual, with deportation of a non-Saudi, and fines on entities and media outlets that double on repetition.
- Article 18The article provides for confiscating, by judicial judgment, all donations collected in violation of the Law and spending them on the charitable purposes the Implementing Regulations specify, subject to the donor's condition if there is one.
- Article 19The article entitles the chief officer of the licensing authority to identify those of its staff who have law-enforcement capacity to record violations of the Law.
- Article 20The article excludes from the Donation Collection Law the entities subject to the rules governing oversight of government bodies' receipt of gifts and donations, issued by Council of Ministers Resolution No. (365) dated 14/8/1436 AH.
- Article 21The article provides that the Implementing Regulations are issued by Council of Ministers decision after being prepared by the National Center for Non-Profit Sector Development in coordination with specified bodies, within 90 days of the Law's publication.
- Article 22Under this article the Law repeals the Charitable Donation Collection Regulation issued by Council of Ministers Resolution No. (547) dated 30/3/1396 AH, and all provisions that conflict with it.
- Article 23The article provides that the Donation Collection Law takes effect after 180 days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.