Article 15 of the Saudi Notarization Law
المادة 15 من نظام التوثيق · الفصل الأول: الموثق ومكتب التوثيق
The article lists the work a licensed notary notarizes, such as conveying deeds, powers of attorney, mortgages, company contracts and financial suretyship, without prejudice to Articles 11 and 12.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
دون إخلال بما ورد في المادتين (الحادية عشرة) و(الثانية عشرة) من النظام، يعهد إلى الموثق
-وفق أحكام النظام- توثيق ما يأتي:
1- إفراغ صكوك الملكية العقارية، وفقاً لما تبينه اللائحة.
2- الوكالات وفسخها.
3- الرهن وفكه وتعديله.
4- عقود تأسيس الشركات، وملاحق التعديل، وقرارات ذوي الصلاحيات فيها.
5- محاضر الجمعيات العمومية للشركات.
6- التصرفات والعقود الواقعة على العلامات التجارية، وبراءات الاختراع، وحقوق المؤلف.
7- العقود الواقعة على المال المنقول.
8- إقرار الكفالة الغرمية.
9- الإقرار بالمبالغ المالية والمنقولات، وتسلمها، والتنازل عنها.
ويجوز بقرار من مجلس الوزراء -بناء على اقتراح من الوزير- أن يُعهد إلى الموثق بعض اختصاصات كاتب العدل الأخرى.
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 15 explained in plain English
This article sets out what the licensed notary is entrusted with notarizing; under Article 1 the licensed notary is a person who carries out notarization work under a license issued in accordance with the Law, unlike the notary, who is a government employee. The licensed notary, in accordance with the Law, notarizes the following:
- Conveying real estate title deeds, as set out in the Regulations.
- Powers of attorney and their cancellation.
- Mortgages and their release and amendment.
- Company incorporation contracts, amendment addenda and decisions of those authorized in them.
- Minutes of companies' general assemblies.
- Dealings and contracts concerning trademarks, patents and copyright.
- Contracts concerning movable property.
- Acknowledgment of financial suretyship (kafala gharamiyya).
- Acknowledgment of sums of money and movable property, receiving them and waiving them.
The article begins with the phrase "without prejudice to Articles 11 and 12": Article 11 sets out the notary's competence to notarize contracts and acknowledgments, including in particular divorce, khul', settlement, endowments, wills and others, and Article 12 prevents the notary from notarizing anything in which a party is a person lacking or with limited legal capacity, absent, or the administrator of an endowment or will, except in specific cases. The licensed notary's competence does not affect these provisions.
By decision of the Council of Ministers, on the proposal of the Minister of Justice, the licensed notary may be entrusted with some of the notary's other competences. Paragraph (8) was amended by Royal Decree No. M/191 dated 29/11/1444 AH to read "acknowledgment of financial suretyship". Anyone who needs advice on a particular transaction is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in notarization and transactions.
Practical example
Khalid wanted to authorize his brother to follow up his transactions, and to notarize his acknowledgment of a financial suretyship for his friend. He can notarize the power of attorney and the acknowledgment of financial suretyship with a licensed notary, because the article entrusts the licensed notary with notarizing powers of attorney and acknowledgment of financial suretyship.
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 15 of the Saudi Notarization Law
Is a licensed notary entitled to convey real estate deeds?
Yes. The licensed notary is entrusted with conveying real estate title deeds, as set out in the Regulations.
Does a licensed notary notarize powers of attorney and their cancellation?
Yes. Powers of attorney and their cancellation are among the work the article entrusts to the licensed notary.
Can a licensed notary's competences be expanded?
By decision of the Council of Ministers, on the proposal of the Minister, the licensed notary may be entrusted with some of the notary's other competences.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/191 — 29/11/1444 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- عُدلت الفقرة (8) من هذه المادة وذلك بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/191) وتاريخ 1444/11/29هـ، لتكون بالنص الآتي:
" إقرار الكفالة الغرمية "
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
دون إخلال بما ورد في المادتين (الحادية عشرة) و(الثانية عشرة) من النظام، يعهد إلى الموثق
-وفق أحكام النظام- توثيق ما يأتي:
1- إفراغ صكوك الملكية العقارية، وفقاً لما تبينه اللائحة.
2- الوكالات وفسخها.
3- الرهن وفكه وتعديله.
4- عقود تأسيس الشركات، وملاحق التعديل، وقرارات ذوي الصلاحيات فيها.
5- محاضر الجمعيات العمومية للشركات.
6- التصرفات والعقود الواقعة على العلامات التجارية، وبراءات الاختراع، وحقوق المؤلف.
7- العقود الواقعة على المال المنقول.
8- إقرار الكفالة الحضورية والغرمية.
9- الإقرار بالمبالغ المالية والمنقولات، وتسلمها، والتنازل عنها.
ويجوز بقرار من مجلس الوزراء -بناء على اقتراح من الوزير- أن يُعهد إلى الموثق بعض اختصاصات كاتب العدل الأخرى.
Articles this article refers to
- Article 11Amended by M/21
The article sets the notary's competence to notarize contracts and acknowledgments, and lists ten matters they notarize in particular, including divorce, settlement, endowments, partition and conveying deeds.
يختص كاتب العدل بتوثيق العقود والإقرارات، وله على وجه خاص توثيق ما يأتي: 1- الطلاق والخلع والرجعة. 2- الصلح. 3- عقد الزواج إذا كان أحد طرفيه سعودي الجنسية والآخ
- Article 12Amended by M/21
The article prevents a notary from notarizing an acknowledgment or contract where a party lacks or has limited capacity, is absent, or is an endowment or will administrator, except in five specific cases.
لا يختص كاتب العدل بتوثيق أي إقرار أو عقد يكون أحد طرفيه عديم الأهلية أو ناقصها، أو غائباً، أو ناظر وقف أو وصية، إلا في الحالات الآتية: 1- قبول الهبة. 2- تصرفات
More articles on The Private Notary and Notarization Office
- Article 14
The article sets seven conditions for the licensed notary, including Saudi nationality, good conduct, a Sharia or law degree with at least Good, an exam, a training course, and not combining notarization with a job or another profession other than law practice.
يشترط في الموثق ما يأتي: 1- أن يكون سعودي الجنسية. 2- أن يكون حسن السيرة والسلوك، وألا يكون محكوماً عليه بجريمة مخلة بالدين أو الشرف، أو صدر في حقه قرار تأديبي
- Article 16
The article requires the licensed notary to start within 120 days of the license being issued, and to notify the competent department if they do not practice or want to stop for more than 60 days, returning only after notice and annotation.
على الموثق البدء بمزاولة مهنته خلال مدة لا تزيد على مائة وعشرين يوماً من تاريخ صدور الرخصة، فإن لم يزاول المهنة، أو أراد التوقف عنها مدة تزيد على ستين يوماً، في
- Article 17
The article requires every licensed notary to have an office for practicing their profession as set by the Regulations, and allows forming a professional notarization company under the Professional Companies Law.
يجب على كل موثق أن يتخذ مكتباً لمزاولة مهنته وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة، ويجوز تكوين شركة مهنية للتوثيق وفقاً لما يقضي به نظام الشركات المهنية.
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.