Article 12 of the Saudi Enlisted Personnel Service Law
المادة 12 من نظام خدمة الأفراد · الفصل الرابع: الرواتب
The article provides that a promoted enlisted person receives the salary of the first grade in the new rank, and if his salary equals or exceeds it, he receives the first grade that exceeds his salary.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يمنح الفرد المرقى راتب أول درجة الرتبة المرقى إليها، فإذا كان راتبه عند الترقية ساوياً لراتب هذه الدرجة أو يزيد عليه يمنح راتب أول درجة تتجاوز راتبه.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article deals with a practical question that every enlisted person asks on promotion: what salary does he earn in his new rank?
The rule has two cases:
- The usual case: the promoted enlisted person is given the salary of the first grade of the rank to which he was promoted in the salary scale.
- If his salary at promotion equals or exceeds the salary of that grade: he is given the salary of the first grade that exceeds his salary in the new rank.
The evident rationale for the second case is that promotion should not leave the salary unchanged or reduce it. An enlisted person who has reached advanced grades in his rank may have a current salary higher than the start of the scale of the higher rank, so he moves to the grade whose salary exceeds his current salary.
The salary meant here is the basic salary set in the salary scale, since Article 2 defines the basic salary as the amount set for the rank and grade that the enlisted person occupies in the salary scale attached to the Law.
If you have a question about how the Law applies to your service position, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases and military service matters.
Practical example
Mohammed was promoted from lance corporal to corporal, and his basic salary as a lance corporal, at an advanced grade, exceeded the salary of the first grade for the rank of corporal. He is therefore not placed in the first grade, but in the first grade of the rank of corporal whose salary exceeds the salary he was receiving.
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 12 of the Saudi Enlisted Personnel Service Law
What is a military enlisted person's salary after promotion?
He is given the salary of the first grade in the rank to which he is promoted.
What if my current salary is higher than the first grade in the new rank?
In that case the enlisted person is given the salary of the first grade in the new rank that exceeds his salary.
More articles on Enlisted Personnel Salaries and Attachment of Them
- Article 11
The article provides that enlisted personnel's pay is set by the salary scale attached to the Law, including the basic salary and periodic increments, and an enlisted person may not be assigned to more than one post but may carry out its duties.
أ- تحدد رواتب الأفراد بموجب سلم الرواتب المرفق بهذا النظام ويشمل الراتب الأساسي والعلاوات الدورية. ب- لا يجوز أن يثبت الفرد على أكثر من وظيفة ولكن يجوز أن يقوم
- Article 13Amended (1422 AH)
The article provides for paying half of an enlisted person's net salary while he is detained or imprisoned for investigation or trial, and returning what was withheld if he is not convicted or is punished with something other than dismissal.
يصرف للفرد أثناء مدة توقيفه أو سجنه لغرض التحقيق أو المحاكمة نصف صافي راتبه، فان لم تثبت ادانته او عوقب بغير الطرد، يعاد اليه ما استقطع من راتبه.
- Article 14
The article provides for paying the full salary of a captive enlisted person, with increments and allowances, to his family until his captivity ends, after which he is treated according to the decisions issued about him.
يصرف لعائلة الفرد في حالة أسره كامل راتبه مع العلاوات والبدلات إلى أن ينتهي اسره ثم يعامل بموجب ما يصدر بحقه من قرارات.
- Article 14 bisAmended (1435 AH)
The article regulates attachment of an enlisted person's salary by order of the Prime Minister for government debts, or by court judgment for others, up to one third of net salary, with the debt of alimony taking priority without regard to the ratio.
يحجز على راتب الفرد بأمر من رئيس مجلس الوزراء إن كان متعلقاً بديون الحكومة، أو بحكم قضائي إن كان متعلقاً بغير ديون الحكومة، على ألا يتجاوز المقدار المحجوز ثلث ص
- Article 15
The article provides that the enlisted person receives the periodic increment annually by moving him from his grade to the next grade directly in the same rank in the salary scale, with the move taking place on the first of Muharram each year.
يمنح الفرد العلاوة الدورية سنوياً وفي سلم الرواتب المرفق بهذا النظام وذلك بنقلة من الدرجة التي يشغلها إلى الدرجة التي تليها مباشرة في الرتبة ذاتها ويتم هذا النق
- Article 48
The article provides for paying the salaries of members on annual leave in advance, including all allowances and increments, with the subsistence allowance paid in cash.
تصرف رواتب الافراد المجازين في إجازة سنوية مقدما بما في ذلك جميع البدلات والعلاوات كما يصرف بدل الاعاشة نقداً.
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.

