Article 15 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
المادة 15 من نظام التنفيذ · الفصل الثاني: الإفصاح عن الأموال
The article requires the enforcement debtor to disclose his assets from notification, allows the court to compel his agents, dealers and asset holders to disclose where assets are being hidden, and sets response time limits.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- على المنفذ ضده أن يفصح عن أمواله من تاريخ إبلاغه بأمر التنفيذ أو من تاريخ الإعلان وفق ما قضت به المادة (الرابعة عشرة) من النظام.
2- على المحكمة -بناءً على طلب طالب التنفيذ- إذا توافرت قرائن تدل على إخفاء المنفذ ضده أموالَه أو تهريبها أن تأمر بالإفصاح كلاً من:
أ- وكلاء المنفذ ضده ومن تربطه بهم علاقة تعاقد عمالية.
ب- المتعاملين ماليًّا مع المنفذ ضده، ومدينيه، والمشتبه في محاباتهم له.
ج- المحجوز لديه مال من أموال المنفذ ضده.
وذلك في حدود ما يحقق الغرض من الإفصاح. وعلى المأمور بالإفصاح أن يستجيب لذلك خلال مدة لا تتجاوز (عشرة) أيام عمل من تاريخ إبلاغه به عبر الوسيلة المناسبة التي تحددها اللائحة.
3- على الجهة المشرفة على الأموال أو تسجيلها تزويد المحكمة بما لديها من بيانات أو معلومات بناءً على أمر صادر من المحكمة، خلال مدة لا تتجاوز (ثلاثة) أيام عمل من تاريخ إبلاغها بالأمر.
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 15 explained in plain English
This article governs disclosure of assets, which is a means of learning what the enforcement debtor owns so that enforcement can be carried out against him. It has three paragraphs:
1- Disclosure by the enforcement debtor himself: he must disclose his assets from the date he is notified of the enforcement order, or from the date of the announcement if he cannot be notified, as Article 14 provides.
2- Disclosure by others: if there are indications that the enforcement debtor is hiding or smuggling out his assets, the court, at the request of the enforcement applicant, orders each of the following to disclose:
- The enforcement debtor's agents, and those linked to him by an employment contract.
- Those who deal financially with him, his debtors, and those suspected of favoring him.
- The holder of an asset of his that has been attached.
This is only to the extent that achieves the purpose of the disclosure. The person ordered to disclose must respond within a period not exceeding 10 working days from the date he is notified, by the means the Implementing Regulations specify.
3- Authorities supervising or registering assets: they must provide the court with the data or information they hold on the basis of the court's order, within a period not exceeding 3 working days from the date they are notified.
The important difference is that disclosure by the enforcement debtor is his duty as soon as he is notified, whereas compelling others requires a request from the enforcement applicant and indications of hiding or smuggling. Article 16 completes this rule by obliging the authorities supervising assets to set up departments, databases and electronic links to serve enforcement.
Practical example
An enforcement order was issued against a merchant in Jeddah, and the creditor presented the court with indications that the merchant had moved his goods to a warehouse owned by one of his dealers. The creditor may ask the court to order this dealer to disclose, and the dealer must respond within 10 working days from the date he is notified, to the extent that achieves the purpose of the disclosure.
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 15 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
When must a debtor disclose his assets?
From the date he is notified of the enforcement order, or from the date of the announcement if he cannot be notified, under Article 14.
Can other people be compelled to disclose the debtor's assets?
Yes. If there are indications that the enforcement debtor is hiding or smuggling out his assets, the court, at the request of the enforcement applicant, orders his agents, those linked to him by employment, his dealers, his debtors and the holder of his attached assets to disclose.
How long does the person ordered to disclose have to respond?
No more than 10 working days from the date he is notified; the authorities supervising or registering assets have 3 working days.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Enforcement Request and Disclosure of Assets
- Article 11
The article provides that a request to enforce an instrument more than 10 years past its due date is not accepted, without prejudice to the relevant legal provisions.
دون إخلال بما تقضي به الأحكام النظامية ذات الصلة، لا يُقبل طلب التنفيذ بموجب سند تنفيذي مضى على تاريخ استحقاقه أكثر من (عشر) سنوات.
- Article 12
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations the cases in which the creditor must notify the debtor to pay the right in the enforcement instrument before the enforcement request is registered.
تحدد اللائحة الحالات التي يجب فيها أن يخطر الدائن المدين بأداء الحق محل السند التنفيذي قبل قيد طلب التنفيذ.
- Article 13
The article governs registering the enforcement request with the competent department, gives the applicant 10 working days to complete any shortfall, and 10 working days to file a grievance if the request is treated as rejected.
1- تقيّد الإدارة المختصة طلب التنفيذ بعد تحققها من استيفائه المتطلبات المنصوص عليها في النظام واللائحة، وذلك وفقًا للإجراءات والنماذج التي تحددها الوزارة. 2- إذ
- Article 14
The article provides that the court orders the enforcement debtor to comply once the instrument meets its conditions, notifies him at once, and where notification is impossible announces the order, with effects running from the announcement.
إذا كان السند مستوفيًا شروطه النظامية، أمرت المحكمة المنفذ ضده بتنفيذه، ويبلغ المنفذ ضده بأمر التنفيذ فور صدوره، فإذا تعذر التبليغ فيُعلن عن أمر التنفيذ عبر الو
- Article 16
The article obliges the authorities supervising or registering assets, or the entities they supervise, to set up a department for enforcement orders, build ownership databases and enable electronic links with the Ministry.
على الجهة المشرفة على الأموال أو تسجيلها أو الكيانات التي تشرف عليها وفق النصوص النظامية ذات العلاقة -بحسب الأحوال- القيام بالآتي: 1- إنشاء أو تحديد إدارة (أو أ
- Article 17
The article provides that exchange of asset disclosure with other states is on a reciprocal basis, within the purpose of the exchange and without harming national security, subject to international agreements.
مع مراعاة ما تقضي به التزامات المملكة بموجب المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية، يكون تبادل الإفصاح عن الأموال مع الدول الأخرى على أساس المعاملة بالمثل، وفي حدود ما ي
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.