Article 5 of the Saudi Municipal Penalties Regulations

Article 5 specifies who has the power to issue the penalty decision after the violation is detected, and distinguishes according to the type and amount of the penalty:

1) The Minister's power:

• The Minister has the power to issue the penalty decisions provided for in the Regulations, and he may delegate officials of the Amanah, the municipality, or the related bodies.
• Excepted from this are decisions on a fine exceeding SAR 25,000, or exceeding SAR 50,000 for a serious violation.
• A decision setting the penalty provided for in paragraph (3) of Article 2 takes effect only after the Minister issues or approves it, if he has delegated someone else to issue it.

2) The committee's power:

• By decision of the Minister, one or more committees are formed, with no fewer than three members, including a legal adviser, with one of them designated as chair.
• It is competent to issue decisions on fines exceeding SAR 25,000, or SAR 50,000 for a serious violation.
• Its rules of work and its members' remuneration are set by decision of the Minister.

So large fines are not issued by a delegated employee but by a committee that includes a legal adviser, and the penalty in paragraph (3) of Article 2 requires issuance or approval by the Minister himself. Note that the dividing line differs by type of violation: SAR 25,000 for a municipal violation, and SAR 50,000 for a serious municipal violation, which Article 1 defines as one that is likely to cause serious harm to human health or safety or to public health.

Before this, Article 4 provides for detecting violations in reports. Anyone against whom a decision has been issued by a body he considers not competent to issue it may consult a specialized lawyer in administrative matters (the Board of Grievances).