Article 9 of the Saudi Judicial Costs Law
المادة 9 من نظام التكاليف القضائية
If a request changes the value of the case, up or down, its costs are calculated on the new value, while the costs set for the request itself remain.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا ترتب على الطلب تغير في تقدير قيمة الدعوى سواء بالزيادة أو النقص، فتُحسب التكاليف القضائية للدعوى بناء على تقدير القيمة الجديدة لها، وذلك مع عدم الإخلال بالتكاليف القضائية المحددة للطلب ذاته.
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 deals with a common situation: a request is submitted during the case that leads to a change in the assessed value of the case, up or down. The rule in this situation:
- The judicial costs of the case are calculated on the new value after the change, not on the first value.
- The request itself keeps its own set costs; the text says "without prejudice to the judicial costs set for the request itself".
This means the recalculation covers only the costs of the case, while the request that caused the change, if it has special costs under the Law, owes them separately. The meaning of "request" here is what is submitted before the court that is not part of the case, as Article 1 defines it.
This Article comes after Article 8 on the costs of copy and inspection requests, and is followed by Article 10, which sets out two situations in which no new costs are imposed on the case: a ruling of lack of jurisdiction followed by filing the case before the competent court, and a judgment being quashed and the case sent back.
The detailed method of calculation is subject to the assessment criteria to which the Law refers in the Implementing Regulations. To assess the effect of amending your claim on the costs, you can consult a lawyer specialized in litigation and procedure.
Practical example
Fahd filed a case claiming SAR 100,000, and during it he submitted a request raising the claim to SAR 300,000. Here the case's costs are calculated on the basis of SAR 300,000, in addition to any costs set for the request itself.
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 Judicial Costs Law
What happens to the fees if I increase the claim value during the case?
The case's judicial costs are calculated on the new value after the increase.
Do the fees go down if I reduce the claim?
The text of the Article bases the calculation on the new value whether the change is an increase or a decrease.
Is the amending request exempt from its own costs?
No. The recalculation does not prejudice the judicial costs set for the request itself.
More articles on Fees for Filing a Claim
- Article 3
The Article imposes judicial costs on a case of no more than 5% of the value of the claim with a maximum of SAR 1 million, and refers the criteria for assessing them to the Implementing Regulations.
تفرض تكاليف قضائية على الدعوى بمبلغ لا يزيد على ما نسبته (?5) من قيمة المطالبة، وبحد أعلى مبلغ مليون ريال. وتحدد اللائحة معايير تقدير التكاليف القضائية والضوابط
- Article 4
If a case is struck out, treated as if not filed, or ruled inadmissible for not being properly drafted and is then heard again, additional costs of 25% are imposed, borne by the plaintiff.
إذا قررت المحكمة شطب الدعوى، أو حكمت باعتبارها كأن لم تكن، أو بعدم قبولها لعدم تحريرها؛ فتفرض تكاليف قضائية إضافية في حال نظرها مجدداً بما يعادل نسبة (?25) من ت
- Article 5
The Article imposes costs on a person seeking annulment of an arbitral award of 1% of the amount awarded if their request is rejected, with a maximum of SAR 1 million.
تُفرض على دعوى بطلان حكم التحكيم تكاليف قضائية بما نسبته (?1) من قيمة المبلغ المحكوم به على مدعي البطلان، إذا حكم برفض طلبه، وبحد أعلى مليون ريال.
- Article 6
The Article imposes separate costs on the case of an intervening party seeking judgment for themselves, and spreads costs among multiple plaintiffs or defendants according to each one's share of the claim.
دون إخلال بما ورد في المادتين (السابعة) و(الثامنة) من النظام: 1- تفرض تكاليف قضائية مستقلة على دعوى الخصم المتدخل طالباً الحكم لنفسه. 2- في حال تعدد المدعين أو
- Article 10
No new costs are imposed on a case if a ruling of lack of jurisdiction is made and the case is brought before the competent court, or if the judgment is quashed and the case sent back.
لا تفرض تكاليف جديدة على الدعوى في أي من الحالتين الآتيتين: 1- إذا حكم بعدم الاختصاص وأقيمت الدعوى أمام المحكمة المختصة. 2- إذا قضت المحكمة المختصة بنقض الحكم و
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.

