Article 9 of the Saudi Enlisted Personnel Service Law
المادة 9 من نظام خدمة الأفراد · الفصل الثالث: الترقية
The article allows the Minister to exempt an enlisted person from one or more of the promotion conditions in the Law, except the condition of time and the availability of a vacancy.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز للوزير الاعفاء من شرط وأكثر من شروط الترقية الواردة في هذا النظام عدا شرط المدة وتوفر الشاغر.
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 gives the Minister discretionary power to exempt the enlisted person from one or more of the promotion conditions in the Law. Under Article 2, the Minister is the competent minister or head of the body to which the enlisted person belongs.
But this power is limited by two conditions from which exemption is not allowed:
- The condition of time, that is, completion of the period prescribed in the rank before promotion.
- The condition that a vacancy is available.
The Minister may exempt from the other promotion conditions in the Law. The article uses the word "may", so exemption is not a right the enlisted person can demand, but a power the Minister exercises at his discretion.
In practice, an enlisted person who has not completed the prescribed period cannot be promoted by exemption whatever his circumstances, and likewise if there is no vacancy for the rank. The article does not set out the procedures for requesting exemption or its reasons, nor does it list the conditions that can be exempted, but refers generally to the promotion conditions in 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
Naif, a sergeant, has completed four years in his rank and there is a vacancy for the rank of staff sergeant, but he was unable to attend one of the courses because of a circumstance in his unit. The Minister may exempt him from this condition. But his colleague who has not completed the period may not be exempted from the condition of time.
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 Enlisted Personnel Service Law
May an enlisted person be exempted from the promotion conditions?
Yes. The Minister may exempt him from one or more of the promotion conditions in the Law.
Which promotion conditions cannot be exempted?
The condition of time and the availability of a vacancy.
More articles on Promotion of Enlisted Military Personnel
- Article 8
The article regulates promotion of the enlisted person to the next rank by decision of the Minister, promotion of a sergeant major to second lieutenant by order of the Supreme Commander, and sets the conditions and minimum periods for each rank.
تجوز ترقية الفرد ما عدا رئيس الرقباء من الرتبة الأدنى إلى الرتبة الأعلى التي تليها مباشرة بقرار من الوزير. أما رئيس الرقباء فلا تجوز ترقيته إلى رتبة ملازم إلا ب
- Article 10
The article allows, exceptionally, granting an enlisted person seniority of up to one year or promoting him to the next rank without the promotion conditions, except a vacancy, if he performs outstanding, extraordinary deeds.
يجوز بصورة استثنائية وفقاً لما تحدده اللائحة التنفيذية منح الفرد الأقدمية لا تزيد عن سنة أو ترقيته للرتبة التي تلي رتبته دون التقيد بشروط الترقية ما عدا الشاغر
- Article 12
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.
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.
- Article 65
The transitional article counts the period beyond four years spent by those holding the rank of wakil on 1/11/1394 AH as seniority in the rank of sergeant first class, with no financial benefits.
الافراد الذين كانوا برتبة وكيل في 1394/11/1هـ ثم صنفوا برتبة رقيب ورقوا بعد ذلك الى رتبة رقيب أول تحسب لهم المدة الزائدة عن أربع سنوات التي قضوها في رتبة وكيل ك
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.