Article 40 of the Saudi Patents Law
المادة 40 من نظام براءات الاختراع · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة
The article permits free inspection of protection documents registered in the Administration and their data, and lets any person obtain copies after paying the fee.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز الاطلاع دون مقابل على وثائق الحماية المسجلة في الإدارة، وأي بيان متعلق بها، ويحق لأي شخص أن يحصل على صور منها، بعد دفع المقابل المالي المقرر.
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 establishes the principle that registered protection documents are public: patents, design certificates, plant patents and industrial design certificates.
- Inspection is free: protection documents registered in the Administration, and any statement relating to them, may be inspected without charge.
- Copies for a fee: any person is entitled to obtain copies of these documents after paying the prescribed fee.
The article speaks of registered documents, so it should not be understood to mean that all information on applications under examination is available. Article 41 in fact requires Administration employees and Committee members not to disclose technical information relating to protection applications except to a person officially authorized to receive it.
This article does not set the amount of the fee for copies. The Schedule, under the definitions in Article 2, is the schedule attached to the Law that shows the fees for the work the Administration performs.
This public access helps inventors and companies know what is protected before starting to produce a new product or filing a protection application.
Practical example
A startup in Jeddah wants to launch a household device and fears it may be protected by someone else's patent. The company can inspect the protection documents registered in the Administration, and their data, free of charge, and if it wants a copy of a particular document it can obtain one after paying the prescribed fee.
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 Patents Law
Is it free to look at registered patents?
Yes. Protection documents registered in the Administration, and any statement relating to them, may be inspected without charge.
Can I get a copy of someone else's patent?
Any person is entitled to obtain copies of registered protection documents after paying the prescribed fee.
More articles on Patent Registration
- Article 8
The article regulates filing an application for a protection document on a prepared form, what is required if it is filed by someone other than the inventor, and recording the application once the requirements are met and the fee is paid.
يقدم طلب منح وثيقة الحماية إلى الإدارة على نموذج يعد لذلك، وتحدد اللائحة المعلومات والوثائق المطلوب إرفاقها بالطلب. وإذا كان الطلب مقدمًا من غير من توصل إلى موض
- Article 9
The article lets the applicant make whatever amendments the applicant sees fit to the application, provided they do not go beyond what was disclosed in the original application.
يجوز لمقدم الطلب أن يدخل ما يراه من تعديلات على الطلب، على ألا تتجاوز هذه التعديلات ما كشف عنه في الطلب الأصلي.
- Article 10
The article lets an applicant benefit from the priority of an earlier application within 12 months for patents and plant varieties and 6 months for industrial models, on specified conditions.
أ - يحق لمقدم الطلب الاستفادة من الأسبقية المقررة لطلب سابق، أودع خلال فترة الأسبقية المحددة لكل موضوع من موضوعات الحماية، اعتبارًا من تاريخ إيداع الطلب السابق،
- Article 11
The article requires the Administration to publish applications for patents and plant patents within 18 months of the filing date, after the prescribed fee is paid.
تقوم الإدارة بنشر طلبات براءات الاختراع، والبراءات النباتية خلال ثمانية عشر شهرًا من تاريخ إيداع الطلب، بعد دفع المقابل المالي المقرر.
- Article 12
The article requires the Administration to examine recorded applications formally, gives the applicant at most 90 days to complete any missing requirements, failing which the application is treated as if it had not been filed.
تقوم الإدارة بفحص الطلبات المسجلة من الناحية الشكلية، وإذا تبين من الفحص عدم استيفاء بعض الشروط المقررة نظامًا، فلها أن تكلف مقدم الطلب باستيفائها خلال تسعين يو
- Article 13
The article provides that the substantive examination of an application for a patent or plant patent begins once it has been examined formally, as the Regulations specify.
إذا تم فحص طلب براءة الاختراع، أو البراءة النباتية من الناحية الشكلية؛ يبدأ بفحصه موضوعيًّا، طبقًا لما تبينه اللائحة.
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.