Article 6 of the Saudi Municipal Penalties Regulations
المادة 6 من لائحة الجزاءات عن المخالفات البلدية
Article 6 allows, with the Minister's or his delegate's approval, the penalty decision for a repeated violation to include publishing its operative part at the violator's expense, once the decision is final or the judgment becomes conclusive.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز -بموافقة الوزير أو من يفوضه- تضمين القرار الصادر بتحديد الجزاء المقرر للمخالفة في حالة تكرارها؛ النص على نشر منطوقه على نفقة المخالف في صحيفة (أو أكثر) من الصحف المحلية التي تصدر في محل إقامته، أو في أي وسيلة أخرى مناسبة، وذلك بحسب نوع المخالفة ومدى تأثيرها، على أن يكون النشر بعد تحصن القرار بمضي المدة المحددة نظاماً أو كان الحكم الصادر في شأنه مكتسباً للصفة القطعية.
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 6 explained in plain English
Article 6 adds another effect of the penalty in the case of a repeated violation, namely publishing the operative part of the decision. Its conditions in the text are:
- The case: the decision setting the penalty for the violation when it is repeated, so publication does not apply to a first violation.
- Approval: with the approval of the Minister or his delegate.
- The means: one or more of the local newspapers published where the violator resides, or any other suitable means.
- The cost: at the violator's expense.
- The criterion: according to the type of violation and its impact.
- The timing: publication takes place after the decision becomes final by the lapse of the period set by law, or after the judgment issued on it acquires conclusive force.
The last condition is an important safeguard: the decision is not published while it can still be challenged or is before the courts. Publication is permitted, not mandatory; it is decided case by case.
The Article follows Article 5, which specifies who issues penalty decisions, and is followed by Article 7, which preserves the violator's right to file a grievance against the application of the penalty to him as established by law, and preserves the injured party's right to bring a private action. Anyone whose penalty decision includes publication and who wishes to file a grievance before the decision becomes final may consult a specialized lawyer in administrative matters (the Board of Grievances).
Practical example
A restaurant in Abha repeatedly violated the hygiene requirements, so the penalty decision, with the approval of the Minister's delegate, included publishing its operative part in a local newspaper at the restaurant's expense. But publication does not take place until the decision becomes final by the lapse of the legal period without a grievance, or until a conclusive judgment has been issued on it.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentAdministrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 6 of the Saudi Municipal Penalties Regulations
Does the municipality publish the name of a violating shop in the newspapers?
With the approval of the Minister or his delegate, the penalty decision for a repeated violation may include publishing its operative part at the violator's expense.
When is a municipal violation decision published?
After the decision becomes final by the lapse of the period set by law, or after the judgment issued on it acquires conclusive force.
Who pays the cost of publishing the violation decision?
The violator, since publication is at his expense.
More articles on Municipal Fines and Shop Closure
- Article 2
Article 2 sets the penalties for municipal violations: a fine up to SAR 500,000 (SAR 1 million if serious), closure up to two weeks, license cancellation and a ban up to two years if serious, doubled on repetition.
مع مراعاة ما ورد في أحكام اللائحة، ودون الإخلال بأي عقوبة أشد منصوص عليها نظاماً، يعاقب كل من ارتكب مخالفة بواحد (أو أكثر) من الجزاءات الآتية: 1- غرامة لا تتجاو
- Article 3
Article 3 provides for a schedule issued by the Minister setting violations and their penalties with gradation and proportionality, those doubled on repetition, and those where the violator must remove the violation within a period.
1- يصدر بقرار من الوزير جدول تُحدد فيه المخالفات والجزاءات المقابلة لها المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثانية) من اللائحة، التي تطبق على كل منها، وفق آلية حوكمة واضح
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.