Article 5 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
المادة 5 من نظام التعاملات الإلكترونية · الفصل الثاني: الآثار النظامية للتعاملات والسجلات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية
The article gives electronic transactions, records and signatures binding authority, so their validity may not be denied or their enforcement prevented merely because they are electronic, provided they meet the Law's conditions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يكون للتعاملات والسجلات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية حجيتها الملزمة، ولا يجوز نفي صحتها أو قابليتها للتنفيذ ولا منع تنفيذها بسبب أنها تمت كليا أو جزئيا بشكل إلكتروني بشرط أن تتم تلك التعاملات والسجلات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية بحسب الشروط المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام.
2- لا تفقد المعلومات التي تنتج من التعامل الإلكتروني حجيتها أو قابليتها للتنفيذ متى كان الاطلاع على تفاصيلها متاحًا ضمن منظومة البيانات الإلكترونية الخاصة بمنشئها وأشير إلى كيفية الاطلاع عليها.
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 5 explained in plain English
This is one of the most important articles of the Law, because it establishes equality of effect between what is done electronically and what is done by traditional means.
Paragraph 1: electronic transactions, records and signatures have their binding authority. Neither of the following is permitted:
- denying their validity or enforceability,
- or preventing their enforcement,
on the ground that they were carried out wholly or partly in electronic form. But this is conditional on their being carried out in accordance with the conditions set out in the Law; electronic form alone does not invalidate a transaction, and it does not give it authority if the Law's conditions are not met.
Paragraph 2: information resulting from an electronic transaction does not lose its authority or enforceability where two things are both met: access to its details is available within the originator's electronic data system, and reference is made to how to access it. An example is terms and conditions available on the originator's website with a link pointing to them.
This article is linked to Article 4, which requires consent to electronic dealing, and to Article 6, which explains when the retention requirement is met by an electronic record. The terms used here (electronic transactions, records and signatures, data system and originator) are defined in Article 1.
Anyone who disputes or relies on a particular electronic transaction would be well advised to consult a lawyer specializing in electronic transactions and commercial disputes to assess whether it meets the Law's conditions.
Practical example
Sarah bought a device from an online store; the return policy was published on the store's website with a clear link to it on the order page. Neither party can disown the order or that policy merely because the transaction was carried out electronically, as long as it was carried out in accordance with the Law's conditions and access to the policy was available and the way to access it was indicated.
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 5 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
Does an electronic contract or signature have binding force?
Yes. Electronic transactions, records and signatures have their binding authority where they are carried out in accordance with the conditions set out in the Law.
Can enforcement of an agreement be refused because it was made electronically?
Its validity or enforceability may not be denied, and its enforcement may not be prevented, because it was carried out wholly or partly in electronic form, provided it was carried out in accordance with the Law's conditions.
Do terms published through a link on a website have authority?
Information resulting from an electronic transaction does not lose its authority where access to its details is available within its originator's data system and reference is made to how to access it.
More articles on Evidentiary Weight of Electronic Records
- Article 6
Where a law requires a document or information to be retained, the requirement is met by retaining or sending it as an electronic record under conditions that ensure the integrity of its content, its retrievability, and the identity of the originator and addressee and the timing.
1- مع عدم الإخلال بما تنص عليه المادة (الثالثة) من هذا النظام؛ إذا اشترط أي نظام في المملكة حفظ وثيقة أو معلومة لأي سبب فإن هذا الشرط يتحقق عندما تكون تلك الوثي
- Article 7
Where a law requires a document or information provided to another person to be in writing, providing it in electronic form satisfies this once the retention conditions in paragraph 1 of Article 6 are met.
مع عدم الإخلال بما تنص عليه المادة (الثالثة) من هذا النظام؛ إذا اشترط أي نظام في المملكة أن تكون الوثيقة أو السجل أو المعلومة المقدمة إلى شخص آخر مكتوبة، فإن تق
- Article 8
An electronic record is an original in itself when technical means and conditions are used that confirm the integrity of its information from its creation in final form and allow it to be displayed on request; the Regulations specify these.
يعد السجل الإلكتروني أصلا بذاته عندما تستخدم وسائل وشروط فنية تؤكد سلامة المعلومات الواردة فيه من الوقت الذي أنشئ فيه بشكله النهائي على أنه سجل إلكتروني ، وتسمح
- Article 9
The article sets out when an electronic transaction or signature is accepted as evidence or as a presumption, presumes its integrity unless the contrary appears, and gives the criteria for assessing its authority.
1- يقبل التعامل الإلكتروني أو التوقيع الإلكتروني دليلا في الإثبات إذا استوفى سجله الإلكتروني متطلبات حكم المادة (الثامنة) من هذا النظام. 2 - يجوز قبول التعامل ا
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.