Article 47 of the Saudi Notarization Law

المادة 47 من نظام التوثيق · الفصل الأول: الرقابة والتفتيش

The article provides that the Minister suspends a licensee from work for no more than 90 days during an investigation on the recommendation of the competent department, and the suspension ends when its term ends or the investigation ends without conviction, whichever is earlier.

Official text (Arabic)

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

يصدر الوزير قراراً بإيقاف المرخص له عن العمل مدة لا تزيد على تسعين يوماً أثناء التحقيق معه بناءً على توصية من الإدارة المختصة، وينتهي قرار الإيقاف بانتهاء مدته أو بانتهاء التحقيق بعدم الإدانة أيهما أسبق.

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 47 explained in plain English

This article deals with a temporary measure taken during the investigation of a licensee, meaning a licensed notary or marriage officiant: suspension from work.

Elements of the rule:

Who issues the decision? The Minister, that is, the Minister of Justice.
On what basis? A recommendation from the competent department.
When? During the investigation of the licensee.
Duration: no more than 90 days.

End of the suspension: the suspension decision ends on one of two events, whichever is earlier:

The end of its term.
The end of the investigation without conviction.

So if the investigation ends without conviction of the licensed notary before the term has run, the suspension ends at once without waiting for the end of the term. This suspension is a temporary measure during the investigation, and differs from the penalties considered by the committee mentioned in Article 48, which the Minister forms to consider the results of investigations and impose penalties.

Note that the article concerns the licensee and does not mention the notary. The investigation itself is carried out by the competent department under Article 46, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the Judicial Inspection Department of the Supreme Judicial Council.

Anyone against whom a suspension decision has been issued may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative matters to understand their position.

Practical example

A licensed notary in Riyadh is under investigation over a complaint. The competent department recommended suspending him, and the Minister issued a decision suspending him for 90 days. After 40 days the investigation ended without conviction, so the suspension ends then, because the end of the investigation without conviction came earlier than the end of the term.

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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