In force
Saudi Explosives and Fireworks Law
نظام المتفجرات والمفرقعات
The law governing explosives and fireworks. The text is set out in 31 articles.
- Articles
- 31
- In force
- 31
- Amended
- 0
- Issued
- 28/4/1428 AH
Issued by: مرسوم ملكي رقم م/38 بتاريخ 28 / 4 / 1428هـ · قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم 141 بتاريخ 27 / 4 / 1428هـ
Each article shows the official Arabic text, which is the only legally binding version, followed by our plain-English explanation.
Browse Explosives and Fireworks Law by topic
Definition of Explosives and Fireworks3 articlesExplosives and Fireworks Permits4 articlesObligations of the Authorized Person6 articlesDetection, Investigation and Judicial Jurisdiction4 articlesPenalties for Explosives Offenses6 articlesViolations by Explosives Permit Holders4 articlesPenalties for Fireworks and Firecrackers2 articlesExemption from Penalty and Reward for Informants5 articles
Articles of the Saudi Explosives and Fireworks Law
الفصل الأول: أحكام عامةArticles 1–5
- Article 1The article defines the key terms in the Explosives and Fireworks Law: explosives, fireworks, authorized person, the Minister, the Ministry and the Regulations.
- Article 2The article sets the Law's aim: regulating dealing in explosives prepared for non-military use and in fireworks, from manufacture to destruction, in accordance with controls set by the Regulations.
- Article 3The article refers to the Regulations the specification of the names and categories of explosive materials, their accessories, supplements and fireworks, and the procedures for issuing, renewing and replacing permits when damaged or lost.
- Article 4The article prohibits all forms of dealing in explosives and fireworks, from manufacture, possession and sale to transport, storage, destruction and training, except with a permit from the Ministry of Interior.
- Article 5The article prohibits using explosives for any purpose other than the one the permit was issued for, and prohibits assigning or disposing of them except with a permit from the Ministry of Interior.
الفصل الثاني: أحكام المتفجرات والمفرقعاتArticles 6–13
- Article 6The article requires an authorized person who manufactures, imports, exports or uses explosives to keep special records of them in accordance with the forms and procedures set by the Regulations.
- Article 7The article requires an authorized person who exports explosives to obtain the approval of the relevant authorities in the importing country, certified by the Kingdom's representation in that country.
- Article 8The article prohibits using individuals or guards from security guard companies to guard explosives without a permit from the Ministry of Interior.
- Article 9The article confines blasting work, supervising it and operating fireworks equipment to authorized persons.
- Article 10The article refers to the Regulations the conditions, procedures, technical and security specifications and safety requirements for transporting, using, storing and guarding explosives, professional permits and fireworks displays.
- Article 11The article makes the seizure of violations and drawing up of reports the task of enforcement officers designated by the Ministry, and allows those the Ministry names to enter explosives warehouses and production sites for inspection or follow-up.
- Article 12The article makes investigating and prosecuting violations of the Explosives and Fireworks Law the responsibility of the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution.
- Article 13The article makes the Board of Grievances responsible for adjudicating all violations of the Explosives and Fireworks Law and compensation claims, and for ruling on confiscation of the materials and the vehicle used in smuggling.
الفصل الثالث: العقوباتArticles 14–25
- Article 14The article applies the Law's provisions to violators, subject to what the Unified Customs Law of the Gulf Cooperation Council states and its implementing regulations provide.
- Article 15The article punishes with up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to SAR 5 million, or either, anyone who commits explosives-related acts with intent to undermine the Kingdom's security, unless the circumstances call for a harsher penalty.
- Article 16The article punishes with up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to SAR 2,500,000, or either, anyone who smuggles explosives into the Kingdom with intent to trade in them or who manufactures them.
- Article 17The article punishes with up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to SAR 1 million, or either, anyone who possesses explosives, transports them knowing they are explosives, or buys, sells or uses them.
- Article 18The article punishes a permit holder in the explosives field with a fine of up to SAR 100,000 for breaching the permit, transport or storage conditions or committing one of the other listed violations.
- Article 19The article punishes a permit holder in the explosives field with a fine of up to SAR 50,000 for continuing his activity after the permit expires without applying for renewal within 3 months, or for breaching the guarding conditions.
- Article 20The article allows the Minister of Interior to suspend all explosives-activity permits for up to 60 days where the conditions for warehouses or means of transport are breached, and to cancel them if the violation is repeated.
- Article 21The article punishes with up to 6 months in prison and a fine of up to SAR 100,000, or either, anyone who smuggles fireworks into the Kingdom, makes them or trades in them.
- Article 22The article punishes a fireworks permit holder with a fine of up to SAR 40,000 for not renewing the permit within 3 months while continuing the activity, or for breaching the permit, transport or storage conditions.
- Article 23The article punishes a blasting technician who is negligent, makes a technical error or breaches his permit conditions with a warning, a fine of up to SAR 20,000, a ban on blasting within cities or suspension, without prejudice to the injured party's right to compensation.
- Article 24The article punishes anyone proven to have knowingly taken part in committing any violation of the Explosives and Fireworks Law with the penalty set for the violator himself.
- Article 25The article provides for applying the Explosives and Fireworks Law's penalties and doubling them in case of repeat offense, unless another law provides a harsher penalty.
الفصل الرابع: أحكام ختاميةArticles 26–31
- Article 26The article exempts from the penalties of Articles 15, 16, 17 and 21 anyone who reports to the authorities before the violation is carried out, or reports afterward and his report helps catch his accomplices, under rules set by the Implementing Regulations.
- Article 27The article exempts from the Law's penalties anyone who unlawfully possessed explosives or fireworks if he applies for the required permit or hands them over to the Ministry within 3 months of the Law taking effect.
- Article 28The article grants anyone who reports a violation of the Explosives and Fireworks Law, where the report leads to catching it, a reward assessed by the Minister that does not exceed the fine set for the violation.
- Article 29The article leaves it to the Implementing Regulations to set the fee for the Ministry's services in guarding explosives and fireworks during transport, storage or use, taking quantities and distances into account.
- Article 30The article requires the Minister of Interior to issue the Implementing Regulations of the Explosives and Fireworks Law within 120 days, publish them in the Official Gazette, and apply them from the date the Law takes effect.
- Article 31The article provides that the Explosives and Fireworks Law is published in the Official Gazette and takes effect 120 days after its publication, and that anything that conflicts with it is repealed.