Article 25 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
المادة 25 من نظام التنفيذ · الفصل الخامس: الحجز التنفيذي
The article limits attachment of the enforcement debtor's property to the amount of the debt unless the property is indivisible, and lets him designate property to be enforced against first.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لا يجوز حجز أموال المنفذ ضده إلا بمقدار الدين المطالب به، ما لم يكن المال المحجوز عليه غير قابل للتجزئة.
2- تحدد المحكمة أموال المنفذ ضده محل التنفيذ بما يحقق سرعة الوفاء، سواء أكان ذلك قبل صدور الأمر بالحجز عليها أم بعده. وتبين اللائحة الضوابط المتعلقة بما ورد في هذه الفقرة.
3- يجوز للمنفذ ضده إذا أثبت أن لديه أموالاً أكثر من مقدار الحق محل السند التنفيذي المراد استيفاؤه؛ أن يحدد مالاً تكون له الأولوية في التنفيذ عليه، وعلى المحكمة أن تأخذ بذلك ما لم يُخِل بمصلحة التنفيذ.
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 25 explained in plain English
This article sets rules on the scope and object of attachment, balancing the creditor's right to quick satisfaction against the enforcement debtor's right not to have more of his property attached than necessary.
1- Attachment to the extent of the debt: The enforcement debtor's property may be attached only to the amount of the debt claimed. The exception is where the attached property is indivisible, such as a single asset that cannot be split; it is attached in full even if its value exceeds the debt.
2- Identifying the property to be enforced against: The court identifies the enforcement debtor's property to be enforced against in a way that achieves speedy payment, whether before or after the attachment order is issued. The Implementing Regulations set out the related rules.
3- The enforcement debtor's right to choose: If the enforcement debtor proves that he has property exceeding the amount of the right to be satisfied, he may designate property that is to have priority for enforcement. The court must accept this unless it prejudices the interest of enforcement.
In practice, an enforcement debtor who owns sufficient property can propose which asset is to be enforced against first, provided he proves his property is sufficient, and the court may still reject his choice if it harms the interest of enforcement.
This article follows Article 24 on annulling the enforcement debtor's acts, and is followed by Article 26, which sets out the property that may not be attached at all.
Practical example
An enforcement order was issued against Adel for a specified sum. He owns a car, a bank balance and land, and he proved that his property exceeds the amount of the debt. Adel may ask that enforcement be carried out first against his bank balance, and the court must accept his request unless this prejudices the interest of enforcement; only property equal to the amount of the debt is attached.
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 25 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
Can more of a debtor's property be attached than the value of the debt?
No. The enforcement debtor's property may be attached only to the amount of the debt claimed, unless the attached property is indivisible.
Can the debtor choose which property is enforced against?
Yes. If he proves that he has property exceeding the amount of the right, he may designate property to have priority for enforcement, and the court accepts this unless it prejudices the interest of enforcement.
More articles on Seizing Assets and Auctions
- Article 5
The article requires the holder of an asset of the enforcement debtor, where several bodies issued attachment orders on it, to notify the body that issued the later order of the first attachment.
إذا تعددت الجهات التي أصدرت أمر الحجز على مال من أموال المنفذ ضده، فعلى المحجوز لديه المال إشعار الجهة التي أصدرت أمر الحجز اللاحق بالحجز الأول. وتحدد اللائحة ا
- Article 6
The article provides that where enforcement attachments from two judicial bodies, or from a judicial and an administrative body, meet on the enforcement debtor's assets, all his assets are treated as attached for all requests, supervised by the judicial body that attached first.
1- استثناءً من أحكام الاختصاص المنصوص عليها في النظام ونظام التنفيذ أمام ديوان المظالم والأنظمة الأخرى ذات الصلة، إذا اجتمع حجز تنفيذي من جهتين قضائيتين أو من ج
- Article 18
The article provides that compulsory enforcement begins when 5 working days pass from notification without compliance, unless the debtor provides a bank guarantee, and permits a daily fine of up to SAR 5,000.
1- إذا مضت (خمسة) أيام عمل من تاريخ إبلاغ المنفذ ضده بأمر التنفيذ أو من تاريخ الإعلان وفق ما قضت به المادة (الرابعة عشرة) من النظام، ولم ينفذ المنفذ ضده التزامه
- Article 23
The article provides that all the enforcement debtor's assets stand as security for his debts from the date of notice or notification of the enforcement order or announcement, and allows enforcement attachment on an asset under precautionary attachment.
1- جميع أموال المنفذ ضده ضامنة لديونه من تاريخ إخطاره بطلب أداء الحق وفق ما قضت به المادة (الثانية عشرة) من النظام، أو من تاريخ إبلاغه بأمر التنفيذ أو من تاريخ
- Article 24
The article lets the enforcement applicant sue to annul the debtor's gifts, early repayments and unusual contracts made before attachment, and declares any disposal after an attachment order void.
1- يجوز لطالب التنفيذ أن يتقدم إلى المحكمة بدعوى إبطال تصرف المنفذ ضده، إذا ثبت أنه تصرف بأي مالٍ من أمواله من تاريخ إخطاره بطلب أداء الحق وفق ما قضت به المادة
- Article 26
The article lists property that may not be attached or enforced against, such as public property, the home and government aid, and sets the shares of wages, salaries and pensions that may be attached.
لا يجوز الحجز والتنفيذ على ما يأتي: 1- الأموال العامة. 2- الدار التي يسكنها المنفذ ضده أو من يعولهم أو وسيلة نقل المنفذ ضده أو من يعولهم، إذا لم تتجاوز مقدار كف
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.