Article 5 of the Saudi Notarization Law

المادة 5 من نظام التوثيق · الفصل الثاني: كتابات وكتاب العدل

After appointment a notary must take a training course of at least 3 months and serve a two-year probation period; the Minister decides to dispense with them if they prove unfit.

Official text (Arabic)

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

يخضع كاتب العدل -بعد تعيينه- لدورة تدريبية تطبيقية في مجال عمله لا تقل مدتها عن (3) أشهر، وتكون مدة التجربة له سنتين من تاريخ مباشرته للعمل بعد صدور قرار تعيينه، وإذا لم تثبت صلاحيته للعمل خلال مدة التجربة يصدر الوزير قراراً بالاستغناء عنه.

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 5 explained in plain English

This article regulates the first stage after a notary's appointment, that is, after they meet the appointment conditions in Article 4.

The article contains three provisions:

The training course: after appointment, the notary undergoes a practical training course in their field of work, of a period of not less than 3 months.
The probation period: the probation period is two years, counted from the date they start work after the appointment decision is issued, not from the date of the decision itself.
Dispensing with their services: if they do not prove fit for work during the probation period, the Minister of Justice issues a decision dispensing with their services.

So an appointment does not become settled merely because the decision is issued; it goes through a training stage and then an assessment over two years. The article does not set out the criteria for proving fitness or the method of assessment, so nothing is assumed beyond the text.

Article 6 classifies notary posts into grades, from notary (D) to head of notary office (A). Anyone who is the subject of a decision dispensing with their services and wants to know their options can consult a lawyer specializing in administrative matters.

Practical example

Abdullah was appointed a notary and started work at a Notary Office in Dammam. He first joins a practical training course of at least 3 months, and his probation period runs for two years from the day he started work; if he does not prove fit during it, the Minister issues a decision dispensing with his services.

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 content

A question about Article 5 of Notarization Law?

Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.