Article 3 of the Saudi Municipalities Law
المادة 3 من نظام البلديات والقرى
The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs approves a plan showing the municipality's boundaries and the area under its authority, on the municipal council's proposal and with the Province Council's approval.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يعتمد وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية بناء على اقتراح المجلس البلدي وموافقة مجلس المقاطعة مخططا يبين حدود البلدية والمنطقة الخاضعة لسلطتها.
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 3 explained in plain English
This article answers the question: where does a municipality's authority begin and end?
The answer is that this is set by a plan showing two things: the municipality's boundaries, and the area under its authority. The plan passes through three bodies:
- The municipal council: proposes the plan.
- The Province Council: approves it.
- The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs: adopts it.
On the apparent wording of the text, it is not enough for the Minister to adopt the plan without the municipal council's proposal and the Province Council's approval.
The importance of this plan is that a municipality's powers are exercised within the area under its authority. It is preceded by Article 2, which makes the establishment of a municipality, its naming and the setting of its grade a decision of the Minister on the proposal of the Province Council, whereas this article deals with drawing the municipality's geographic boundaries. It is followed by Article 4, which allows two or more municipalities to be merged, or one municipality to be split into more than one, by decision of the Minister, with the names, centers, grades, rights and obligations of the municipalities specified in the decision.
The article does not state criteria for drawing the boundaries, a period for reviewing the plan, or procedures for objecting to it. Anyone who needs to know whether their property is within a particular municipality's area should refer to the plan approved by the competent municipality.
Practical example
A landowner on the outskirts of Buraydah wants to know which municipality to go to for a building permit. Under this article, the reference is the plan approved by the Minister, which shows the municipality's boundaries and the area under its authority.
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 3 of the Saudi Municipalities Law
Who sets the boundaries of a municipality?
The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs approves a plan showing the municipality's boundaries, on the proposal of the municipal council and with the approval of the Province Council.
What does the municipality boundary plan show?
It shows the municipality's boundaries and the area under its authority.
More articles on Establishing Municipalities and Their Boundaries
- Article 1
The article provides that a municipality is a legal person with financial and administrative independence, exercising the functions assigned to it under the Municipalities and Villages Law and its Implementing Regulations.
البلدية شخصية اعتبارية ذات استقلال مالي وإداري، تمارس الوظائف الموكولة إليها بموجب هذا النظام ولوائحه التنفيذية.
- Article 2
The article provides that municipalities are established, named, graded and abolished by decision of the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs on the Province Council's proposal, with a temporary committee when one is established.
أ - يتم إنشاء البلديات وتسميتها، وتحديد وتعديل درجاتها وإلغاؤها بقرار من وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية بناء على اقتراح مجلس المقاطعة، ويراعى في ذلك الظروف السكان
- Article 4
The article allows two or more municipalities to be merged, or one municipality split into several, by decision of the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs setting names, centers, grades, rights and obligations.
أ - يجوز ضم بلديتين أو أكثر، بقرار من وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية بناء على توصية من المجالس البلدية المعنية وموافقة مجلس المقاطعة ، ويحدد في القرار اسم البلدية
- Article 42
The Minister of Interior and the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs exercise the powers the law gives the Province Council until that council is formed under the Provinces Law.
يمارس وزير الداخلية ووزير الشئون البلدية والقروية الصلاحيات المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام لمجلس المقاطعة ، إلى أن يتم تشكيله وفقا لنظام المقاطعات.
- Article 43
Municipalities may conclude agreements among themselves on matters relating to their common interests, subject to the approval of the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs.
يجوز للبلديات أن تعقد فيما بينها اتفاقات في الأمور المتعلقة بمصالحها المشتركة، وتخضع هذه الاتفاقات لموافقة وزير الشئون البلدية والقروية.
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.