Article 3 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
المادة 3 من نظام التعاملات الإلكترونية · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة: تعريفات
The article defines the Law's scope: it applies to electronic transactions and signatures and excludes personal status transactions and the issuance of deeds for real estate dealings, unless the responsible authority allows them to be carried out electronically.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يسري هذا النظام على التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية ، ويستثنى من أحكامه ما يلي:
1 - التعاملات المتعلقة بالأحوال الشخصية.
2 - إصدار الصكوك المتعلقة بالتصرفات الواردة على العقار.
وذلك ما لم يصدر من الجهة المسؤولة عن هذه التعاملات ما يسمح بإجرائها إلكترونيا، وفق ضوابط تضعها تلك الجهة بالاتفاق مع الوزارة.
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 3 explained in plain English
The general rule is that the Electronic Transactions Law applies to all electronic transactions and signatures. But the article excludes two areas from it:
- Transactions relating to personal status.
- The issuance of deeds relating to dealings in real estate.
This exclusion is not absolute: the text allows these transactions to be carried out electronically if the authority responsible for them issues something permitting it, in accordance with controls that authority sets in agreement with the Ministry (the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, according to Article 1).
In practical terms, the provisions of this Law alone cannot be relied on to carry out a personal status transaction or issue a real estate deed electronically. Instead, one first looks at whether the authority responsible for that transaction has made it available electronically, and under what controls. The article does not identify these authorities or the details of their controls.
This article is consistent with the objectives of the Law in Article 2, and is complemented by Article 4, which provides that the Law does not oblige anyone to deal electronically without their consent. To find out whether a particular transaction is available electronically, it is advisable to consult the responsible authority or a specialist lawyer.
Practical example
Khalid wanted to transfer ownership of a plot of land in Riyadh to his brother and wondered whether an electronic agreement between them was enough to issue the deed. Under this article, the issuance of deeds for real estate dealings is excluded from the Law, so the deed is issued electronically only if the responsible authority allows it, under its controls agreed with the Ministry.
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 3 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
Does the Electronic Transactions Law apply to personal status matters?
Not as a general rule. Personal status transactions are excluded, unless the responsible authority issues something permitting them to be carried out electronically under controls it sets in agreement with the Ministry.
Can a real estate deed be issued electronically?
The issuance of deeds for real estate dealings is excluded from the Law, unless the responsible authority allows it to be done electronically under controls it sets in agreement with the Ministry.
What does the Electronic Transactions Law apply to?
It applies to electronic transactions and signatures, with the exception of personal status transactions and the issuance of deeds for real estate dealings.
More articles on Scope of the Electronic Transactions Law
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms used in the Electronic Transactions Law, such as electronic record, electronic signature, digital certification certificate and certification services provider.
يقصد بالألفاظ والعبارات الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك: 1 - الوزارة : وزارة الاتصالات وتقنية المعلوم
- Article 2
The article sets out the objectives of the Electronic Transactions Law: unifying its rules, building confidence in it, facilitating its use, removing obstacles to it, and preventing its misuse and fraud.
يهدف هذا النظام إلى ضبط التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية ، وتنظيمها، وتوفير إطار نظامي لها بما يؤدي إلى تحقيق ما يلي: 1 - إرساء قواعد نظامية موحدة لاستخدام التع
- Article 4
The Law does not oblige anyone to deal electronically without their express or implied consent, but a government body's consent must be express, and additional conditions may be set that do not conflict with the Law.
1- لا يلزم هذا النظام أي شخص بالتعامل الإلكتروني دون موافقته، ويمكن أن تكون هذه الموافقة صريحة أو ضمنية. 2- استثناء من الحكم الوارد من الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة،
- Article 28
Applying the Electronic Transactions Law does not prejudice the provisions of related laws, especially intellectual property rights and the relevant international agreements to which the Kingdom is a party.
لا يخل تطبيق هذا النظام بالأحكام الواردة في الأنظمة ذات العلاقة، وخاصة ما يتعلق بحقوق الملكية الفكرية والاتفاقيات الدولية ذات الصلة التي تكون المملكة طرفا فيها.
- Article 30
The Minister of Communications and Information Technology issues the Law's Implementing Regulations on the Authority's proposal within 120 days of the date the Law was issued.
يصدر الوزير اللائحة لهذا النظام، بناء على اقتراح من الهيئة وذلك خلال (مائة وعشرين) يوما من تاريخ صدور النظام.
- Article 31
The Electronic Transactions Law takes effect 120 days after the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.
يعمل بهذا النظام بعد (مائة وعشرين) يوما من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية.
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.