Article 17 of the Saudi Notarization Law

المادة 17 من نظام التوثيق · الفصل الأول: الموثق ومكتب التوثيق

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.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

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.

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 17 explained in plain English

This article deals with the licensed notary's workplace and the form in which they practice their profession.

It sets two provisions:

Duty to have an office: every licensed notary must have an office for practicing their profession, called under Article 1 a notarization office. The detailed conditions and specifications of this office are set by the Implementing Regulations, not by the Law.
Permissibility of a professional company: a professional notarization company may be formed, in accordance with what the Professional Companies Law provides.

So the licensed notary can work alone in their office, or practice notarization through a professional company. The article does not itself set out the rules on the professional company, but refers to its own law, so no conditions are assumed that do not appear in the text.

This provision is linked to Article 16, which requires the licensed notary to start practicing within 120 days of the license being issued. Anyone considering establishing a professional notarization company would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in companies and commercial law.

Practical example

Two licensed notaries in Jeddah agreed to work together. Under this article they can form a professional notarization company in accordance with the Professional Companies Law, with an office for practicing the profession as set by the Regulations.

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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