Article 4 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
المادة 4 من نظام التعاملات الإلكترونية · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة: تعريفات
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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، يجب أن تكون موافقة الجهة الحكومية على التعامل الإلكتروني صريحة مع مراعاة ما تحدده الجهة الحكومية من اشتراطات للتعامل الإلكتروني.
3- يجوز لمن يرغب في إجراء تعامل إلكتروني أن يضع شروطا إضافية خاصة به لقبول التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية على ألا تتعارض تلك الشروط مع أحكام هذا النظام.
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 4 explained in plain English
The article establishes the principle that electronic dealing is consensual, and contains three provisions:
- No obligation without consent: the Law does not force anyone to deal electronically. It is enough that consent is express (for example, agreeing in writing to deal electronically) or implied, understood from the person's conduct.
- Government bodies are an exception: a government body's consent to electronic dealing must be express; implied consent is not enough, subject to any requirements that body sets for electronic dealing.
- Additional conditions: a person who wishes to carry out an electronic transaction may set their own conditions for accepting electronic transactions and signatures, provided they do not conflict with the provisions of the Law.
Since "person" in Article 1 includes individuals and legal entities, this provision applies equally to individuals and companies. It works alongside Article 3, which sets the Law's scope and exceptions, and comes before Article 5, which establishes the authority of electronic transactions when they are carried out in accordance with the Law's conditions.
In practice, if a party does not wish to conclude a particular transaction electronically, the Law does not impose it on them. Anyone dealing electronically with a government body should make sure it has expressly announced its acceptance of such dealing and what it requires for it.
Practical example
A contracting company in Dammam sends its price quotations by email, and a government body had been receiving its correspondence by email without announcing that it accepts electronic dealing. Under this article, that does not count as the government body's consent, because its consent must be express and subject to its requirements.
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 4 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
Can I be forced to deal or sign electronically?
The Law does not oblige any person to deal electronically without their consent, which may be express or implied.
Is implied consent from a government body enough?
No. A government body's consent to electronic dealing must be express, subject to any requirements it sets.
May I set conditions for accepting electronic signatures?
Yes. A person who wishes to carry out an electronic transaction may set additional conditions of their own for accepting electronic transactions and signatures, provided they do not conflict with the provisions of the Law.
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 3
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.
يسري هذا النظام على التعاملات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية ، ويستثنى من أحكامه ما يلي: 1 - التعاملات المتعلقة بالأحوال الشخصية. 2 - إصدار الصكوك المتعلقة بالتصرفات ال
- 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.