Article 118 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 118 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الثاني: إنهاء الخدمة
The article requires an officer's resignation request to be free of any condition or restriction, otherwise the competent authority may decline to consider it, and provides that his service ends only when a decision accepting his resignation is issued.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
أ- يجب أن يكون طلب الاستقالة الذي يقدمه الضابط خالياً من أي شرط أو قيد، وإلا جاز للجهة المختصة عدم النظر فيها.
ب- لا تنتهي خدمات الضابط إلا بصدور قرار قبول استقالته.
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 118 explained in plain English
This article regulates an officer's resignation, in two paragraphs:
(a) The form of the request: the resignation request must be free of any condition or restriction. If it contains a condition or restriction, the competent authority may decline to consider it.
(b) When service ends: an officer's service ends only when a decision accepting his resignation is issued.
The practical meaning of paragraph (a) is that an officer who wants to resign must submit it unconditionally, without making it depend on something like "on condition that such-and-such is paid" or "if I am transferred to such-and-such". A conditional request may not be considered at all, and the article makes that permissible for the competent authority, not obligatory on it.
The practical meaning of paragraph (b) is that submitting a resignation does not end service; the officer remains in service with all his obligations until the acceptance decision is issued. He may therefore not stop work merely because he has submitted the request.
This article does not specify a period for deciding the resignation, nor the authority competent to accept it. A person thinking of resigning who wants to word his request properly or learn its effects may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and military service matters.
Practical example
Captain Firas submitted his resignation and wrote in it: "I resign on condition that my leave compensation is paid in full." This is a conditional request, so the competent authority may decline to consider it. Even if he submitted an unconditional resignation, his service remains in place and he continues his work until the decision accepting it is issued.
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 118 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
May an officer's resignation be conditional?
The resignation request must be free of any condition or restriction, otherwise the competent authority may decline to consider it.
When does the service of a resigning officer end?
His service ends only when a decision accepting his resignation is issued.
More articles on Placement on Reserve and End of Officer Service
- Article 8
The article puts a second lieutenant on probation for two years, then a third year in another unit if his confidential reports are unsatisfactory, after which he is dispensed with, without rights, if they remain so.
يعتبر الضابط المعين في رتبة ملازم تحت الاختبار لمدة سنتين فإذا كانت تقاريره السرية غير مرضية ينقل إلى وحدة أخرى لمدة سنة ثالثة فإذا كانت تقاريره عند نهايتها غير
- Article 22Amended (1423 AH)
The article ends the service of an officer of the rank of major or below who has spent four years beyond the period in Article 18 without meeting the promotion conditions in Article 21.
إذا أمضى الضابط من رتبة رائد فما دون أرب سنوات في رتبته بالإضافة إلى المدة المقررة في المادة (18) من هذه النظام ولم تتوافر شروط الترقية المنصوص عليها في المادة
- Article 25Amended (1423 AH)
The article retires a lieutenant colonel, colonel or brigadier after six years in the rank without promotion: in the next rank if recommended for promotion, and in his own rank if not, with the service of a doctor officer extendable.
أ- إذا أمضى الضابط الموصى بترقيته من رتبة مقدم وعقيد وعميد مدة ست سنوات في رتبته ولم يرق أو بلغ سن التقاعد في رتبته قبل ذلك يحال إلى التقاعد بالرتبة التي تلي رت
- Article 26Amended (1403 AH)
The article retires a major general who has spent three years without an order extending his service, and allows extension for renewable periods by decision of the Supreme Commander unless he reaches retirement age.
إذا أمضى اللواء ثلاث سنوات في الخدمة ولم يصدر امر بتمديد خدمته فيحال للتقاعد ويجوز مد خدمته ستين قابلة للتجديد عدة مرات وذلك بقرار من القائد الأعلى للقوات المسل
- Article 109
The article regulates placing an officer on standby by the Minister's decision on the recommendation of the Senior Officers Committee for four reasons: medical unfitness, his own request, being accused of a crime, and failing the promotion exam, with a three-year limit for the last.
يحال الضابط إلى الاستيداع من قبل الوزير بناءً على توصية لجنة الضباط العليا ويحدد في القرار مدة الإحالة إلى الاستيداع وذلك وفقاً لما يأتي : أ- تتم الإحالة إلى ال
- Article 110
The article sets the seniority of an officer returning from standby: he keeps it, except where standby was for the reasons in paragraphs (c) and (d) of Article 109 and he returns after a year, when it runs from the decision returning him.
إذا أعيد أحد الضباط إلى الخدمة وكان قد أحيل إلى الاستيداع لغير الأسباب المنصوص عليها في الفقرتين (ج،د) من المادة (109) يعود إلى رتبته التي كان يشغلها قبل إحالته
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.