Article 163 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 163 من نظام العمل · الباب العاشر: تشغيل الأحداث
Article 163 prohibits employing juveniles during a night period of at least 12 consecutive hours, except in cases the Minister specifies by decision.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يحظر تشغيل الأحداث أثناء فترة من الليل لا تقل عن اثنتي عشرة ساعة متتالية إلا في الحالات التي يحددها الوزير بقرار منه.
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 163 explained in plain English
This article is within Part Ten of the Labor Law on the employment of juveniles, and its purpose is to protect the health, development and education of the young worker by preventing his employment at night. The article sets a clear rule: an employer may not employ a juvenile during a period of the night of not less than 12 consecutive hours.
What this means in practice:
- The party bound by the prohibition is the employer, and the protected person is the juvenile whom the Law permits to be employed under Article 162 (one who has completed 15 years, or those between 13 and 15 in light work the Minister permits).
- The article does not specify the hour when night begins or ends, but requires that there be a continuous night period of not less than 12 hours in which the juvenile does not work at all. This period may not be divided or shortened below 12 hours.
- The only exception is the cases the Minister specifies by decision. The Law does not list these cases, so an employer may not assume an exception on its own without an express ministerial decision.
This article complements Article 164, which sets other limits on juveniles' work: actual work may not exceed 6 hours a day (and 4 hours in Ramadan), a juvenile may not work more than 4 consecutive hours without a rest period of not less than half an hour, he may not remain at the workplace more than 7 hours, and he may not be employed on weekly rest days, feasts and official holidays, and annual leave, with the exceptions of Article 106 not applying to him. The time in which a juvenile may be employed is thus confined to a short, regulated daytime period.
If a juvenile is asked to work at night contrary to this article, that is a violation of the Law's provisions, and he or his guardian can contact the competent authorities or consult a labor lawyer to learn the appropriate steps.
Practical example
Khalid, aged 16, works at a restaurant in Jeddah under a regular employment contract. His employer asked him to come in during the late evening hours to cover the rush of customers until midnight, and to return the next morning at 7 a.m. This arrangement violates Article 163, because the night period in which Khalid does not work would be less than 12 consecutive hours. If Khalid's work ends, for example, at 6 p.m., he may not be employed before 6 a.m. the next day at the earliest. The employer must also observe Article 164 so that his actual work does not exceed 6 hours a day, and that he gets a rest period after every 4 consecutive hours of work.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 163 of the Saudi Labor Law
Can juveniles be employed at night in Saudi Arabia?
No. Article 163 of the Labor Law prohibits employing juveniles during a period of the night of not less than 12 consecutive hours, and this is permitted only in cases the Minister specifies by decision.
How many night hours is a juvenile prohibited from working?
There must be a night period of not less than 12 consecutive hours in which the juvenile does not work. The article does not specify when this period starts or ends, but requires that it be at least 12 hours and continuous.
Are there exceptions that allow juveniles to work at night?
Yes, but the only exception is the cases the Minister specifies by decision. The Law does not list these cases, so an employer may not assume an exception without an express ministerial decision.
What is the maximum number of hours a juvenile may work a day, besides the night work prohibition?
Under Article 164, a juvenile may not be actually employed more than 6 hours a day, reduced to 4 hours in the month of Ramadan, he may not remain at the workplace more than 7 hours, and he must get a rest period of not less than half an hour after every 4 consecutive hours of work.
More articles on Employment of Juveniles
- Article 131 bisAmended (1442 AH)
Article 131 bis authorizes the Minister to specify by decision the dangerous or harmful occupations and work, and the categories barred from them or employed only on special conditions, consistent with international conventions.
يحدد الوزير – بقرار منه – المهن والأعمال التي تعد خطرة أو ضارة أو من شأنها أن تعرض العامل لأخطار أو أضرار غير عادية، والفئات التي يحظر -–دائماً أو مؤقتاً _ تشغي
- Article 161
Article 161 prohibits employing juveniles in hazardous work, harmful industries and any occupation that may threaten their health, safety or morals, with the Minister specifying such work by decision.
لا يجوز تشغيل الأحداث في الأعمال الخطرة أو الصناعات الضارة، أو في المهن والأعمال التي يحتمل أن تعرض صحتهم أو سلامتهم أو أخلاقهم للخطر، بسبب طبيعتها أو الظروف ال
- Article 162
Article 162 prohibits employing anyone under 15 or letting them enter workplaces, while allowing the Minister to permit light work for those aged 13 to 15 under set conditions.
1- لا يجوز تشغيل أي شخص لم يتم الخامسة عشرة من عمره ولا يسمح له بدخول أماكن العمل، وللوزير أن يرفع هذه السن في بعض الصناعات أو المناطق أو بالنسبة لبعض فئات الأح
- Article 164
Article 164 sets juveniles' working hours at six a day and four in Ramadan, regulates their rest breaks, and prohibits employing them on leave days and for overtime.
لا يجوز تشغيل الأحداث تشغيلًا فعليًّا أكثر من ست ساعات في اليوم الواحد لسائر شهور السنة، عدا شهر رمضان، فيجب ألا تزيد ساعات العمل الفعلية فيه على أربع ساعات. وت
- Article 165
Before employing any juvenile, the employer must obtain proof of his identity or birth, a certified medical fitness certificate and his guardian's consent, and keep them in his file.
على صاحب العمل قبل تشغيل الحدث أن يستوفي منه المستندات الآتية: 1 - بطاقة الهوية الوطنية أو شهادة رسمية بميلاده. 2 - شهادة باللياقة الصحية للعمل المطلوب صادرة من
- Article 166
The article requires the employer to notify the competent labor office of each juvenile it employs within the first week of employing him, and to keep a special register of juvenile workers at the workplace.
على صاحب العمل أن يبلغ مكتب العمل المختص عن كل حدث يشغله خلال الأسبوع الأول من تشغيله، وأن يحتفظ في مكان العمل بسجل خاص للعمال الأحداث يبين فيه اسم الحدث وعمره
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.