Article 40 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
المادة 40 من نظام خدمة الضباط · الفصل الأول: الاختيار والنقل
The Article provides that transfer and confirmation of officers within each force is on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee for the rank of lieutenant colonel and above, and by decision of the force commander for major and below.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يجري نقل واثبات الضباط داخل كل قوة بالقوات المسلحة على الوجه الآتي:
1- من رتبة مقدم فما فوق بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا.
2- من رتبة رائد فما دون بقرار من قائد القوة.
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 40 explained in plain English
This Article governs the transfer and confirmation of officers within a single force of the Armed Forces, and distinguishes by rank:
- Lieutenant colonel and above: transfer and confirmation take place on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
- Major and below: it takes place by decision of the force commander.
"Confirmation" means confirming the officer in a particular post. In practice, junior officers up to the rank of major are transferred within their force by decision of the force commander himself, while senior officers of lieutenant colonel and above are transferred through the Higher Officers Committee.
This wording was put into effect by Royal Decree No. M/40 dated 10/6/1409 AH.
Note that the Article concerns transfer within each force, that is, without leaving it. The Article does not set out the reasons for transfer or its substantive controls, or whether an officer may request it; it is limited to identifying the competent authority according to rank.
An officer who is the subject of a transfer decision and wants to check that it was issued by the competent authority may consider consulting a lawyer specializing in administrative cases and military service matters.
Practical example
The commander of the Land Forces wants to transfer Major Omar from one brigade to another within the Land Forces, so the decision issues from him directly. The transfer of Lieutenant Colonel Ziad within the same force, however, takes place on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
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 40 of the Saudi Officers Service Law
Who has the power to transfer a major within the force?
Transfer and confirmation of officers of the rank of major and below is by decision of the force commander.
How are lieutenant colonels and colonels transferred within the force?
Transfer and confirmation of officers of the rank of lieutenant colonel and above is on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/40 — 10/6/1409 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- عُّدلت هذه المادة وذلك بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/40) وتاريخ 1409/6/10هـ، لتكون كما يلي: " يجري نقل واثبات الضباط داخل كل قوة بالقوات المسلحة على الوجه الآتي:
1- من رتبة مقدم فما فوق بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا.
2- من رتبة رائد فما دون بقرار من قائد القوة.
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يجري نقل وإثبات الضباط داخل السلاح على الوجه الآتي :
1- من رتبة مقدم فما فوق بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا.
2- من رتبة رائد فما دون بقرار من قائد السلاح المختص.
More articles on Officer Transfer, Secondment and Loan
- Article 35
The article provides that the Chief of the General Staff is selected by order of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
يتم اختيار رئيس هيئة الأركان العامة بأمر من القائد الأعلى للقوات المسلحة.
- Article 36Amended (1438 AH)
The article provides that the Deputy Chief of the General Staff and the commanders of the Land, Air, Naval, Air Defense and Strategic Missile Forces are selected by order of the Supreme Commander on the recommendation of the Minister of Defense.
يتم اختيار نائب رئيس هيئة الأركان العامة وقائد القوات البرية وقائد القوات الجوية وقائد القوات البحرية وقائد قوات الدفاع الجوي وقائد قوة الصواريخ الاستراتيجية بأ
- Article 38
The Article bars appointing an officer to a leadership post unless fully qualified, and provides that where more than one officer is nominated, the more competent officers are preferred.
لا يعين الضباط في منصب قيادي ما لم يكن تام التأهيل وإذا رشح أكثر من ضابط لتولي منصب قيادي فيفضل اختيار الضباط الأكفاء.
- Article 39
The Article provides that officers of all ranks are transferred outside their arm or specialty on the recommendation of the Higher Officers Committee.
يجري نقل الضباط على اختلاف رتبهم خارج السلاح أوالاختصاص بتوصية من لجنة الضباط العليا.
- Article 41
The Article provides that an officer serves in field units for the longest possible period and is not transferred from them, or from the arm he serves in, except in case of extreme necessity.
يخدم الضابط في الوحدات الميدانية أطول مدة ممكنة ولا ينقل منها أو من السلاح الذي يعمل فيه إلا عند الضرورة القصوى.
- Article 42
The Article permits an officer to fill a post of a rank higher than his own, provided the difference does not exceed two ranks.
يجوز أن يشغل الضابط وظيفة ذات رتبة أعلى من رتبته على أن لا تتجاوز رتبتين على الأكثر.
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.