Article 8 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
المادة 8 من نظام التعاملات الإلكترونية · الفصل الثاني: الآثار النظامية للتعاملات والسجلات والتوقيعات الإلكترونية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 بعرض المعلومات المطلوب تقديمها متى طلب ذلك، وتحدد اللائحة الوسائل والشروط الفنية المطلوبة.
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 8 explained in plain English
In paper transactions, a distinction is usually drawn between an "original" and a "copy". This article answers the question: when is an electronic record an original?
An electronic record is an original in itself where two conditions are met:
- Integrity of information: technical means and conditions are used that confirm the integrity of the information in it from the time it was created in its final form as an electronic record; that is, it has not changed since then.
- Ability to display: these means allow the information required to be provided to be displayed whenever requested.
The article does not itself specify these technical means and conditions; it provides that the Implementing Regulations specify them. So it cannot be asserted that a particular technology makes a record an original without referring to the Regulations.
The importance of this article appears in Article 9: an electronic transaction or signature is accepted as evidence in proof if its record meets the requirements of this article, whereas if it does not meet them it may be accepted only as a presumption. It also comes after Article 7, which makes electronic form satisfy the writing requirement.
Practical example
A company in Khobar keeps electronically signed contracts in a system that records any modification, preserves the final version so that it cannot be changed, and allows it to be displayed on request. If these means conform to what the Regulations specify, the record is an original in itself and is not treated as a mere copy.
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 8 of the Saudi Electronic Transactions Law
Is an electronic document an original or a copy?
It is an original in itself if 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.
Who sets the technical conditions for an electronic record to be an original?
They are specified by the Implementing Regulations of the Electronic Transactions Law.
What is the effect of an electronic record being an original?
Under Article 9, an electronic transaction or signature is accepted as evidence in proof if its record meets the requirements of this article.
More articles on Evidentiary Weight of Electronic Records
- Article 5
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.
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 إلكترو
- 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 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.