Article 120 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 120 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الثاني: إنهاء الخدمة
The article bars an officer who requested retirement or resignation from leaving his work before being officially notified that his request has been accepted.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز للضابط ترك عمله في حالة طلب إحالته على التقاعد أو الاستقالة قبل إخطاره رسمياً بقبول طلبه.
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 120 explained in plain English
This article is short but important in practice, as it specifies when an officer may leave his work after requesting retirement or resignation.
The rule is that an officer may not leave his work where he has requested referral to retirement or resignation before being officially notified that his request has been accepted. Merely submitting the request is not enough, nor is it enough that he learns of the acceptance by an unofficial route.
This article is consistent with Article 119, which gives the competent authorities the right to accept or refuse the request, requires the officer to be notified of acceptance or refusal within a maximum of 3 months, and requires deferring a decision if he is under investigation or trial. During the period of considering the request, or the period of deferral because of investigation or trial, the officer remains obliged to stay at his work until the official notice of acceptance reaches him.
So the employment relationship remains in place with all its obligations until the official notice of acceptance reaches him. The article does not state the penalty for violating this ban, so it cannot be inferred from its text.
To assess the position of a particular officer, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases.
Practical example
Captain Fahd submitted his resignation and waited a month without a reply, then decided to stop attending. This violates this article, because he may not leave his work before being officially notified that his request has been accepted.
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 120 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
May an officer leave work immediately after submitting a resignation?
No. He may not leave his work before being officially notified that his request has been accepted.
Does the ruling apply to a retirement request as well?
Yes. The article covers both a request for referral to retirement and a request for resignation.
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.