Article 7 of the Saudi Municipal Licensing Law
المادة 7 من نظام إجراءات التراخيص البلدية
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations the question of who may issue, suspend, cancel, amend or decline to renew a municipal license, and to the competent authority's regulations the same question for an activity license.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ - تحدد اللائحة صلاحية من يملك إصدار الترخيص البلدي أو إيقافه أو إلغاءه أو عدم تجديده أو تعديله وفقاً لما تقضي به الأنظمة واللوائح والتعليمات ذات الصلة.
ب - تحدد الجهة الحكومية المختصة في لوائحها صلاحية من يملك إصدار ترخيص ممارسة النشاط الداخل تحت إشرافها، أو إيقافه، أو إلغاءه، أو عدم تجديده، أو تعديله، وفقاً لما تقضي به الأنظمة واللوائح والتعليمات ذات الصلة.
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 7 explained in plain English
This article concerns the allocation of powers within the authorities, that is, which person or post may take decisions on a license.
Paragraph (A) - the municipal license: the Implementing Regulations of the Law determine who has the power to:
- Issue the municipal license.
- Suspend or cancel it.
- Decline to renew it, or amend it.
Paragraph (B) - the license to carry on the activity: the competent government authority determines in its regulations who has the power to issue the license for an activity under its supervision, or to suspend it, cancel it, decline to renew it, or amend it.
In both cases the determination is made in accordance with the relevant laws, regulations and instructions. The article itself does not name the responsible official; it refers the matter to the Implementing Regulations and to each authority's regulations, so the person competent to take a decision can be identified only by consulting them.
In practice this matters because a decision on a license is expected to be issued by someone who holds the power under the regulations. If the holder of a municipal license believes a decision to suspend, cancel or not renew it is wrong, they can consult a lawyer specializing in administrative matters and commercial licensing.
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 7 of the Saudi Municipal Licensing Law
Who has the power to suspend a municipal license?
The article refers this to the Implementing Regulations of the Law, in accordance with the relevant laws, regulations and instructions.
Who determines the power to cancel a license to carry on an activity?
The competent government authority, in its regulations, for activities under its supervision.
Does the article name the responsible official?
No. The article refers the question of who holds the power to the Implementing Regulations and the regulations of the competent authorities.
More articles on Municipal License and Activity License
- Article 1
The article defines the key terms of the Law, including the Ministry, the competent government entity, the municipal license and the competent government entity's license.
يكون للألفاظ والعبارات الآتية المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتضِ السياق خلاف ذلك: النظام: نظام إجراءات التراخيص البلدية. اللائحة: اللائحة التنفيذية للنظا
- Article 2
No activity may be carried on until a municipal license and a license from the competent government authority have been obtained, as each activity requires and under the laws and regulations.
لا تجوز ممارسة أي نشاط إلا بعد الحصول على ترخيصٍ بلدي وترخيصٍ من الجهة الحكومية المختصة، وذلك بحسب حال كل نشاط، ووفقاً للأنظمة واللوائح.
- Article 3
The Ministry is responsible for issuing, amending, renewing, canceling and suspending municipal licenses for activities of all kinds.
تختص الوزارة بإصدار التراخيص البلدية للأنشطة بجميع أنواعها، وتعديلها، وتجديدها، وإلغائها، وإيقافها.
- Article 4
The competent government authority sets the conditions and requirements for the activity it supervises, and issues, amends, renews and cancels licenses to carry it on.
تتولى الجهة الحكومية المختصة وضع اشتراطات ممارسة النشاط الداخل تحت إشرافها ومتطلباته وإصدار تراخيص ممارسته، وتعديلها، وتجديدها، وإلغاءها.
- Article 14
The Minister issues the Implementing Regulations of the Law within 90 days of its publication, setting out the conditions, controls and forms of municipal licenses.
يصدر الوزير اللائحة خلال تسعين يوماً من تاريخ نشر النظام، وتحدد فيها شروط التراخيص البلدية وضوابطها ونماذجها.
- Article 15
The Law repeals everything that conflicts with it and takes effect 90 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.
يلغي هذا النظام كل ما يتعارض معه، ويعمل به بعد تسعين يوماً من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية.
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.