Article 16 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
المادة 16 من نظام التعاملات الإلكترونية · الفصل السادس: المركز الوطني للتصديق الرقمي
The article establishes a National Center for Digital Certification in the Ministry to oversee the tasks of issuing and managing digital certification certificates, and refers the details of its seat, composition and competences to the Regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- ينشأ في الوزارة - بموجب هذا النظام - مركز وطني للتصديق الرقمي، يتولى الإشراف على المهمات المتعلقة بإصدار شهادات التصديق الرقمي وإداراتها.
2- تحدد اللائحة القواعد الخاصة بتحديد مقر المركز وتشكيله واختصاصاته ومهماته وكيفية قيامه بأعماله.
وللوزير الحق في منح الهيئة أو أية جهة أخرى صلاحيات القيام بمهمات المركز أو بعضها.
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 16 explained in plain English
This article establishes the National Center for Digital Certification (referred to in Article 1 as "the Center"), and provides the following:
- Establishment and affiliation: the Center is established in the Ministry (the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology) directly by this Law.
- Task: it oversees the tasks related to issuing and managing digital certification certificates. A digital certification certificate, according to Article 1, is an electronic document issued by a certification services provider to confirm the identity of the holder of an electronic signature system and contains the data for verifying their signature.
- Details in the Regulations: the Implementing Regulations set the rules on the Center's seat, composition, competences, tasks and how it carries out its work; the article does not state these details.
- Delegating tasks: the Minister has the right to grant the Authority (the Communications and Information Technology Authority) or any other body the powers to carry out all or some of the Center's tasks.
Thus the digital certification system brings together three official parties: the Ministry, which sets policies; the Authority, which licenses and monitors certification services providers (Article 15); and the Center, which oversees the tasks of issuing and managing certificates. Among the Center's competences expressly stated in the Law is approving foreign certificates under Article 17.
This article is organizational in essence and does not create direct obligations on individuals.
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 16 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
What is the National Center for Digital Certification?
A center established in the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology by the Law, which oversees the tasks related to issuing and managing digital certification certificates.
Where are the Center's competences set out?
The Implementing Regulations set the rules on the Center's seat, composition, competences, tasks and how it carries out its work.
Can another body carry out the Center's tasks?
Yes. The Minister may grant the Authority or any other body the powers to carry out all or some of the Center's tasks.
More articles on Certification Services and Digital Certificates
- Article 15
The article divides oversight of the Law: the Ministry sets policies and plans and represents the Kingdom; the Authority applies the Law, licenses and monitors certification services providers, and sets the fee with the Minister's approval.
يتم الإشراف على تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام وفقا للآتي: 1 - تقوم الوزارة بوضع السياسات العامة ورسم الخطط والبرامج التطويرية للتعاملات والتواقيع الإلكترونية ، ورفع مش
- Article 17
The National Center for Digital Certification is competent to approve digital certification certificates issued by foreign bodies, which are treated like their domestic counterparts in accordance with the Regulations' controls and procedures.
يختص المركز باعتماد شهادات التصديق الرقمي الصادرة من الجهات الأجنبية خارج المملكة وتعامل هذه الشهادات معاملة نظيراتها بداخل المملكة، وذلك وفقا للضوابط والإجراءا
- Article 18
The article lists eight obligations of a certification services provider, including prior licensing, issuing and protecting certificates, an accessible database, confidentiality, and handing documents to the Authority when its activity stops.
يجب على مقدم خدمات التصديق الالتزام بما يأتي: 1 - الحصول على الترخيص اللازم من الهيئة قبل البدء في ممارسة نشاطه. 2 - إصدار شهادات التصديق الرقمي ، وتسليمها وحفظ
- Article 19
A certification services provider may not stop its licensed activity, assign its license or merge into another entity without the Authority's prior written approval, in accordance with the Regulations' procedures.
لا يجوز لمقدم خدمات التصديق التوقف عن مزاولة نشاطه المرخص به أو التنازل عن الترخيص الصادر له أو الاندماج في جهة أخرى إلا بعد الحصول على موافقة كتابية مسبقة من ا
- Article 20
A certification services provider guarantees the validity of the certified information in the certificate at the time of delivery and the validity of the link between the holder and their electronic data, and is liable for harm to anyone who relied on it in good faith.
يتحمل مقدم خدمات التصديق مسؤولية ضمان صحة المعلومات المصدقة التي تضمنتها الشهادة وقت تسليمها وصحة العلاقة بين صاحب الشهادة وبياناتها الإلكترونية، وتقع عليه مسؤو
- Article 21
A certification services provider must revoke or suspend a certificate at its holder's request or in the cases the Regulations set, notify the holder immediately and lift the measure when its cause ends, and is liable for harm to good-faith persons.
يجب على مقدم خدمات التصديق إلغاء الشهادة أو إيقاف العمل بها عند طلب صاحبها ذلك أو في الحالات التي تحددها اللائحة. كما يجب عليه إبلاغ صاحب الشهادة فورا بالإلغاء
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.