Article 9 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
المادة 9 من نظام التنفيذ · الباب الثالث: السند التنفيذي
The article sets the conditions for enforcing foreign judgments and orders in the Kingdom, including reciprocity, finality and not violating public order, and the rules for enforcing foreign arbitral awards and notarized documents.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- مع مراعاة ما تقضي به التزامات المملكة بموجب المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية، لا يجوز للمحكمة تنفيذ الحكم أو الأمر الأجنبي إلا على أساس المعاملة بالمثل وبعد التحقق من توافر الشروط الآتية:
أ- ألا تكون الدعوى الصادر فيها الحكم أو الأمر الأجنبي مما تنفرد بالاختصاص بنظره جهة قضائية في المملكة.
ب- ألا تكون هناك دعوى مماثلة قائمة في المملكة سابقة على قيد الدعوى التي صدر الحكم أو الأمر الأجنبي فيها.
ج- أنّ الخصوم في الدعوى التي صدر فيها الحكم قد كُلفوا بالحضور، ومُثّلوا تمثيلاً صحيحًا، ومُكِّنوا من الدفاع عن أنفسهم.
د- أنّ الحكم أو الأمر الأجنبي أصبح نهائيًّا، وفقًا للأحكام المنظمة للجهة القضائية المختصة التي أصدرته.
هـ- أنّ الحكم أو الأمر الأجنبي لا يتعارض مع حكم أو أمر سابق -في الموضوع نفسه- صدر من جهة قضائية مختصة في المملكة.
و- ألا يتضمن الحكم أو الأمر الأجنبي ما يخالف أحكام النظام العام في المملكة.
2- يكون تنفيذ أحكام المحكّمين واتفاقات التسوية الصادرة في دولة أجنبية؛ وفق ما تقضي به التزامات المملكة بموجب المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية، وبعد التحقق من توافر الشروط المنصوص عليها في الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة.
3- يكون تنفيذ المحررات الموثقة الصادرة في دولة أجنبية بعد التحقق من توافر الشروط المقررة في أنظمة تلك الدولة، وعلى أساس المعاملة بالمثل فيما بين المملكة وتلك الدولة فيما يتصل بشروط تنفيذ المحررات.
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 9 explained in plain English
This article governs enforcement of instruments issued by a foreign state, and has three paragraphs.
First: foreign judgments and orders. Subject to the Kingdom's obligations under international treaties and conventions, the court enforces a foreign judgment or order only on the basis of reciprocity and after verifying the following conditions:
- The case is not one over which a judicial body in the Kingdom has exclusive jurisdiction.
- There is no similar case pending in the Kingdom that was filed before the case in which the foreign judgment was issued.
- The parties were summoned to appear, were properly represented, and were enabled to defend themselves.
- The judgment or order has become final under the provisions of the judicial body that issued it.
- It does not conflict with an earlier judgment or order on the same subject issued by a competent judicial body in the Kingdom.
- It does not contain anything that violates public order in the Kingdom.
Second: foreign arbitral awards and settlement agreements. They are enforced in accordance with the Kingdom's obligations under international treaties and conventions, and after verifying the same conditions stated in paragraph 1.
Third: foreign notarized documents. They are enforced after verifying that the conditions set by the laws of the state in which they were issued are met, and on the basis of reciprocity between the Kingdom and that state as regards the conditions for enforcing documents.
Because the application of these conditions depends on the facts of each judgment and the state it comes from, it is best to consult a lawyer specializing in international cases.
Practical example
A Saudi company obtained a final judgment from a court in a foreign state against a company with assets in Riyadh, and asked the Enforcement Court to enforce it. The court verifies reciprocity with that state, that the defendant company was summoned to appear and enabled to defend itself, and that the judgment does not violate public order and does not conflict with an earlier Saudi judgment on the same subject.
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 9 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
Can a foreign judgment be enforced in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, on the basis of reciprocity and subject to international conventions, after verifying the six conditions in paragraph 1 of the article.
Must a foreign judgment be final?
Yes. One of the conditions is that the foreign judgment or order has become final under the provisions governing the judicial body that issued it.
How are foreign arbitral awards enforced?
In accordance with the Kingdom's obligations under international treaties and conventions, after verifying the conditions in paragraph 1 of the article.
What are the conditions for enforcing a notarized document issued in a foreign state?
That the conditions set by that state's laws are met, and reciprocity between the Kingdom and that state as regards the conditions for enforcing documents.
More articles on Enforcement Document
- Article 4
The article sets the Enforcement Court's jurisdiction over supervising enforcement, compulsory enforcement and enforcement disputes, except for criminal penalties and the Board of Grievances' matters, without looking at the underlying right.
1- عدا تنفيذ العقوبات الجزائية وما تختص به محاكم ديوان المظالم، تختص المحكمة بالإشراف على التنفيذ وإجراءاته، وبالتنفيذ الجبري وإجراءاته، وتتولى الفصل في منازعات
- Article 7
The article provides that compulsory enforcement requires an enforcement instrument for a specific right due for payment, and lists the enforcement instruments, such as final judgments, cheques, registered bills and notarized contracts.
1- لا يجوز التنفيذ الجبري إلا بسند تنفيذي، اقتضاءً لحقٍّ معيّنٍ حالّ الأداء. والسندات التنفيذية المشمولة بأحكام النظام -دون إخلال بالسندات التنفيذية المشمولة بن
- Article 8
The article allows the holder of the right to enforce settlement agreements, notarized contracts and instruments with enforcement status whose right depends on an obligation not shown as performed in the instrument, by attaching a report from an approved expert body.
إذا كان الحق محل السندات التنفيذية، المنصوص عليها في الفقرات الفرعية (ج) و(و) و(ح) من الفقرة (1) من المادة (السابعة) من النظام، معلقًا على تنفيذ التزام لا يعلم
- Article 10
The article allows a debtor to ask the court to compel a creditor who refuses to collect a specific right due and established by an enforcement instrument, and if collection is impossible the court takes steps to let the debtor pay.
للمدين أن يتقدم إلى المحكمة بطلب استيفاء الدائن لحق معين حالّ الأداء وثابت بموجب سند تنفيذي امتنع الدائن عن استيفائه، وتأمر المحكمة في هذه الحالة الدائن باستيفا
- 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 45
The article lets any interested person bring an enforcement dispute about the validity of the instrument, the conditions of its enforcement or the court's jurisdiction, which the court decides under the provisions on urgent cases.
1- دون إخلال بما نصت عليه الفقرة (2) من المادة (الرابعة) من النظام، لمن له مصلحة من أطراف التنفيذ أو من غيرهم أن يتقدم بمنازعة تنفيذ تتعلق بصحة السند التنفيذي أ
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.