Article 64 of the Saudi Labor Law
المادة 64 من نظام العمل · الباب الخامس: علاقات العمل
Article 64 requires the employer, on the end of the contract, to give the worker a free service certificate free of anything harmful to them, and to return all certificates and documents they deposited with it.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يلتزم صاحب العمل عند انتهاء عقد العمل بما يأتي :
1 - أن يعطي العامل – بناءً على طلبه – شهادة خدمة دون مقابل، يوضح فيها تاريخ التحاقه بالعمل، وتاريخ انتهاء علاقته به، ومهنته، ومقدار أجره الأخير. ولا يجوز لصاحب العمل تضمين الشهادة ما قد يسيء إلى سمعة العامل أو يقلل من فرص العمل أمامه.
2 - أن يعيد إلى العامل جميع ما أودعه لديه من شهادات أو وثائق.
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 64 explained in plain English
Article 64 of the Labor Law sets two obligations on the employer as soon as the employment contract ends, whatever the reason for ending: resignation, expiry of the contract term, or termination by either party. The current text of the article is the one issued after its amendment by Royal Decree No. M/46 dated 5/6/1436 AH.
The first obligation: the service certificate
- It is given at the worker's request, meaning the employer is not required to issue it automatically, but is required to do so whenever the worker asks for it.
- It is free of charge; no fees may be taken for it.
- It must contain four particulars: the date the worker joined the work, the date their relationship with it ended, their profession, and the amount of their last wage.
- The employer may not include in it anything that may harm the worker's reputation or reduce their job opportunities, such as references to disputes, negative evaluations, or a reason for termination that harms them.
The second obligation: returning documents
- The employer must return to the worker all the certificates or documents the worker deposited with it, such as original educational or professional certificates and other papers the worker handed over on contracting or during the work.
- The text is absolute; it does not tie the return to settling dues or to any other condition.
Where the article sits in the Law
This article comes within the provisions on labor relations that set out each party's duties; Article 65 corresponds to it with the worker's duties, including returning unconsumed materials to the employer and preserving the establishment's secrets. In this way the Law ensures that the relationship ends with each party returning to the other what it holds, while enabling the worker to prove their experience to new employers.
If the employer refuses to issue the certificate, includes offensive wording in it, or holds the documents, the worker is advised to consult a labor lawyer to learn the appropriate steps for their case.
Practical example
Fahad worked as an accountant for a company in Dammam for 4 years, and had handed it the original of his university certificate when he was appointed. After resigning, he asked for a service certificate, and the company issued it stating that he "left work after disputes with its management", asked for an administrative fee in return, and kept his university certificate until internal procedures were finished. Under Article 64, Fahad is entitled to receive the certificate free of charge, limited to his joining date, the date his service ended, his profession and his last wage, without any wording that harms him, and the company must return his university certificate to him.
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 64 of the Saudi Labor Law
Is the employer obliged to give a service certificate when the contract ends?
Yes. Article 64 requires it to give the worker a service certificate free of charge, at the worker's request.
What particulars must the service certificate contain?
The date the worker joined the work, the date their relationship with it ended, their profession, and the amount of their last wage.
May the reason for dismissal or negative remarks be written in the service certificate?
No. The employer may not include in the certificate anything that may harm the worker's reputation or reduce their job opportunities.
May the employer keep the worker's original certificates after the contract ends?
No. Article 64 requires it to return to the worker all the certificates or documents the worker deposited with it when the employment contract ends.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/46 — 5/6/1436 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
تم تعديل هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم ( م/ 46) وتاريخ 5 / 6 / 1436 هـ ؛ لتكون بالنص الآتي :
"يلتزم صاحب العمل عند انتهاء عقد العمل بما يأتي :
1 - أن يعطي العامل – بناءً على طلبه – شهادة خدمة دون مقابل، يوضح فيها تاريخ التحاقه بالعمل، وتاريخ انتهاء علاقته به، ومهنته، ومقدار أجره الأخير. ولا يجوز لصاحب العمل تضمين الشهادة ما قد يسيء إلى سمعة العامل أو يقلل من فرص العمل أمامه.
2 - أن يعيد إلى العامل جميع ما أودعه لديه من شهادات أو وثائق".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يلزم صاحب العمل عند انتهاء عقد العمل بما يأتي:
1 - أن يعطي العامل- بناءً على طلبه- شهادة خدمة دون مقابل، ويوضح فيها تاريخ التحاقه بالعمل وتاريخ انتهاء علاقته بالعمل الذي كان يؤديه ومهنته ومقدار أجره الأخير، ويجب أن تكون هذه الشهادة مسببة إذا اشتملت على ما قد يسيء إلى سمعة العامل أو يقلل فرص العمل أمامه.
2 - أن يعيد للعامل جميع ما أودعه لديه من شهادات ووثائق.
More articles on End-of-Service Award
- Article 54Amended (1436 AH)
Article 54 prevents placing a worker on probation more than once with the same employer except on conditions, and provides that ending the contract during probation gives rise to no compensation or end-of-service award.
لا يجوز وضع العامل تحت التجربة أكثر من مرة واحدة لدى صاحب عمل واحد. واستثناء من ذلك يجوز باتفاق طرفي العقد - كتابة - إخضاع العامل لفترة تجربة أخرى بشرط أن تكون
- Article 56
Article 56 provides that the term to which a fixed-term contract is renewed is treated as an extension of the original term when calculating the worker's rights linked to length of service.
في جميع الحالات التي يتجدد فيها العقد لمدة محددة، تعد المدة التي تجدد إليها العقد امتدادًا للمدة الأصلية في تحديد حقوق العامل التي تدخل مدة الخدمة في حسابها.
- Article 79 bisAmended by M/44
Article 79 bis regulates resignation: it is deemed accepted after 30 days without a reply, acceptance may be deferred up to 60 days by written explanation, and the worker may withdraw it within 7 days.
1- يُعد طلب الاستقالة المقدم مقبولاً إذا مضى على تقديمه (ثلاثون) يوماً دون ردٍّ من صاحب العمل. ولصاحب العمل تأجيل قبول طلب الاستقالة مدة لا تزيد على (ستين) يوما
- Article 84
Article 84 requires the employer to pay the worker an end-of-service award when employment ends, based on the last wage: half a month per year for the first five years and a month per year after.
إذا انتهت علاقة العمل وجب على صاحب العمل أن يدفع إلى العامل مكافأة عن مدة خدمته تحسب على أساس أجر نصف شهر عن كل سنة من السنوات الخمس الأولى، وأجر شهر عن كل سنة
- Article 85
Article 85 sets a resigning worker's share of the end-of-service award: one third after two to five years, two thirds after five up to ten years, and the full award at ten years.
إذا كان انتهاء علاقة العمل بسبب استقالة العامل يستحق في هذه الحالة ثلث المكافأة بعد خدمة لا تقل مدتها عن سنتين متتاليتين، ولا تزيد على خمس سنوات، ويستحق ثلثيها
- Article 86
Article 86 allows an agreement to exclude commissions, sales percentages and other naturally variable pay from the wage on which the end-of-service award is calculated, as an exception to Article 8.
استثناء من حكم المادة (الثامنة) من هذا النظام، يجوز الاتفاق على ألا تحسب في الأجر الذي تسوى على أساسه مكافأة نهاية الخدمة جميع مبالغ العمولات أو بعضها والنسب ال
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.