Article 17 of the Saudi Patents Law
المادة 17 من نظام براءات الاختراع · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة
The article requires the owner of a protection document who disposes of it to another, or whose right to exploit it passes to another, to formally notify that person of any legal procedure concerning the document.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا تم التصرف في وثيقة الحماية للغير بأي نوع من أنواع التصرف، أو انتقل حق استغلالها للغير لأي سبب من الأسباب، فعلى مالك الوثيقة إبلاغ المتصرف إليه، أو من انتقل إليه حق الاستغلال رسميًّا بأي إجراء نظامي تم بشأن وثيقة الحماية، سواء اتخذه المالك، أو اتخذه الغير ضده.
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 17 explained in plain English
This article places a duty to notify on the owner of a protection document, to protect those who have received a right in it from the owner.
When does the duty arise? In two cases:
- If the owner disposes of the document to another by any kind of disposition.
- Or if the right to exploit it passes to another for any reason.
What is the duty? The owner must formally notify the transferee, or the person to whom the right of exploitation has passed, of any legal procedure taken concerning the document.
Which procedures? The duty covers a procedure whether:
- the owner took it personally,
- or a third party took it against the owner.
The aim is that anyone with an interest in the document stays informed of what is happening to it, because any procedure affecting it may affect their right.
This article complements Article 16, which regulates the form of assignment and its recording. The article sets no deadline for notification and no penalty for failing to give it, so nothing of the kind should be assumed.
If you are a licensee or a buyer of a right in a protection document and were not notified of a procedure affecting it, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and patents.
Practical example
The owner of a patent licensed a company in Dammam to exploit the invention, and then another person brought a legal procedure against the owner concerning the patent. The owner must formally notify the company of this procedure because it was taken against the owner concerning the document.
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 17 of the Saudi Patents Law
Must the patent owner notify the licensee of cases?
Yes. The owner must formally notify the person to whom the right of exploitation has passed of any legal procedure taken concerning the document.
Does the notification cover procedures brought by third parties?
Yes, whether the owner took the procedure personally or a third party took it against the owner.
More articles on Patent Ownership
- Article 5
The article makes a protection document a private right of the person in whose name it is issued and transferable, and regulates joint work, priority of filing, and the inventor's right to be named.
أ - تكون وثيقة الحماية حقًّا خاصًّا لمن صدرت باسمه، وينتقل هذا الحق بالميراث، كما ينتقل بعوض أو بغير عوض. ب - إذا كان موضوع الحماية عملًا مشتركًا لعدة أشخاص كان
- Article 6
The article makes ownership of a protection document the employer's in specified cases unless the employment contract provides otherwise, while preserving the worker's right to a special reward.
أ - تكون ملكية وثيقة الحماية لصاحب العمل، ما لم ينص عقد العمل على غير ذلك، متى كان موضوعها ناتجًا عن تنفيذ عقد، أو التزام مضمونه إفراغ الجهد فيما تم التوصل إليه
- Article 7
The article lets a person whose subject of protection was taken from them ask the Committee to transfer ownership of the application or document to them; a claim is not heard after five years from grant except on proof of the applicant's bad faith.
إذا كان موضوع الحماية المدعى به في طلب الحماية، أو في وثيقة الحماية مأخوذًا من موضوع حماية يعود الحق فيه إليه شخص آخر خلاف مقدم الطلب أو مالك وثيقة الحماية؛ فإن
- Article 16
The article requires any assignment of an application or protection document to be in writing, signed by both parties and certified, and not effective against third parties until the change is requested, the fee paid and the change recorded.
أي تصرف يحصل بمقتضاه التنازل عن طلب الحماية ، أو وثيقة الحماية نفسها، ينبغي أن يكون مكتوبًا وموقعًا عليه من الطرفين، ومعتمدًا من جهة تقبلها الإدارة، ولا يعتد بأ
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.