Article 1 of the Saudi Engineering Professions Law

This is the definitions article, and it is the foundation for understanding the rest of the law: each term has the meaning given here wherever it appears, unless the context requires otherwise. The main definitions are:

• The Authority: the Saudi Authority for Engineers; the Board of Directors is its board, and the Committee is its Professional Accreditation Committee.
• The Ministry and the Minister: the Ministry and the Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing.
• Engineering work: studies, designs, drawings, supervision, execution, operation and maintenance in the engineering specialization branches and their sub-branches.
• Practicing engineering professions: carrying out any engineering work practiced in those branches and sub-branches.
• Professional accreditation: registration with the Authority and obtaining the professional grade; the professional grade is the one an engineer obtains from the Authority upon being professionally accredited.
• The Engineer's Charter: the rules governing the ethics and conduct of practicing engineering professions, as approved by the Authority.
• Licensing: what the Ministry grants to engineering offices and companies when they practice any of the engineering professions.

The key distinction is that professional accreditation concerns the engineer and is issued by the Authority, while licensing concerns offices and companies and is issued by the Ministry. The definition of engineering work is also broad: it is not limited to design but includes supervision, execution, operation and maintenance.

Amendment: This article was amended by Council of Ministers Resolution No. (250) dated 7/4/1444 AH, so that the Ministry and the Minister are the Ministry and Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing instead of the Ministry and Minister of Commerce.