Article 15 of the Saudi Environment Law
المادة 15 من نظام البيئة · الفصل الثالث: أراضي الغطاء النباتي
The article requires a license to reclaim and level agricultural land and vegetation cover lands, without prejudice to Article 14 on the sand and gravel extraction permit.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
دون إخلال بما ورد في المادة (الرابعة عشرة) من النظام، يشترط لاستصلاح الأرض الزراعية وأراضي الغطاء النباتي وتسويتها؛ الحصول على ترخيص وفقاً لما تُبيّنه اللوائح.
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 15 explained in plain English
This article governs land reclamation and leveling, and covers two kinds of land:
- Agricultural land.
- Vegetation cover lands, which under Article 1 are state-owned lands containing wild plants and the like, including rangelands, forests, parks, valleys, dunes and others.
The rule: Reclaiming and leveling these lands requires obtaining a license, as the regulations set out.
The phrase "without prejudice to what is stated in Article 14": Article 14 requires any person to obtain a permit before extracting or exploiting sand, gravel, rock or clay. "Without prejudice" means that the reclamation license does not cancel this provision; if the reclamation or leveling work involves extracting or exploiting any of these materials, the permit provided for in Article 14 remains required as well.
The article does not state the conditions or procedures of the license; it refers these to the regulations. It is followed by Article 16, which prohibits carrying out any activity or work within vegetation cover lands without a permit or license. Anyone planning to reclaim land can consult a lawyer specialized in environmental laws.
Practical example
Fahd bought agricultural land in Al-Jawf and wants to level and prepare it for farming, and in the course of this he will extract quantities of gravel to use. Under Article 15, he needs a license for the reclamation and leveling, and he must still obtain the Article 14 permit to exploit the gravel.
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 15 of the Saudi Environment Law
Do I need a license to level my agricultural land?
Yes. The article requires obtaining a license to reclaim and level agricultural land, as the regulations set out.
What does "without prejudice to what is stated in Article 14" mean?
That the reclamation license does not cancel the duty to obtain a permit before extracting or exploiting sand, gravel, rock or clay.
Does the article cover vegetation cover lands?
Yes. It covers agricultural land and vegetation cover lands together.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Vegetation Cover and Logging
- Article 12
The article prohibits owning forest, rangeland and national, wilderness and geological park lands by any transfer of ownership, and prohibits encroaching on them by expansion or new construction.
1- لا يجوز تملك أراضي الغابات والمراعي والمنتزهات الوطنية والبرية والجيولوجية، بأي وجه من أوجه التصرف الناقل للملكية. 2- لا يجوز التعدي -سواء أكان بالتوسع أم با
- Article 13
The article provides for establishing national, wilderness and geological parks by decision of the Minister on land free of private rights, and allows the competent authority to invest in them and regulate that investment.
1- تنشأ -بقرار من الوزير- المنتزهات الوطنية والبرية والجيولوجية على أرض غير مملوكة ملكية خاصة وليس لأحد عليها حق اختصاص أو حجز أو امتياز. وفي حالة وجود أي من ذل
- Article 14
The article requires any person to obtain a permit before extracting or exploiting sand, gravel, rock or clay, as the regulations set out.
على أي شخص قبل القيام بنهل أو استغلال الرمل أو الحصى أو الصخور أو الطين؛ الحصول على تصريح، وذلك وفقاً لما تُبيّنه اللوائح.
- Article 16
The article prohibits any activity or work within vegetation cover lands, or in urban lands with vegetation cover supervised by the competent authority, without a permit or license.
1- تُحظر ممارسة أي نشاط أو عمل داخل أراضي الغطاء النباتي؛ دون الحصول على تصريح أو ترخيص، وذلك وفقاً لما تبينه اللوائح. 2- تُحظر ممارسة أي نشاط أو عمل في الأراضي
- Article 17
The article requires the license holder and permit holder, when using vegetation cover lands in their activities, to take environmental considerations into account and use the soil rationally.
على كل من المرخص له والمصرح له -عند استخدامه أراضي الغطاء النباتي في تنفيذ أنشطته- الأخذ بالاعتبارات البيئية، والالتزام بالاستخدام الرشيد للتربة؛ وذلك وفقاً لما
- Article 18
The article prohibits cultivation or tree planting within vegetation cover lands without obtaining a license.
يُحظر الاستزراع أو التشجير داخل أراضي الغطاء النباتي؛ دون الحصول على ترخيص.
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.