Article 5 of the Saudi Patents Law
المادة 5 من نظام براءات الاختراع · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 الحق لهم جميعًا بالتساوي، ما لم يتفقوا على خلاف ذلك.
جـ - لا يعد مشتركًا من لم يسهم بجهد في موضوع الحماية، وإنما اقتصرت جهوده على المساعدة في تنفيذه.
د - إذا توصل بشكل مستقل أكثر من شخص إلى موضوع الحماية نفسه؛ فإن وثيقة الحماية تكون لمن سبق في إيداع طلبه.
هـ - يكون لمن توصل إلى موضوع الحماية الحق في ذكر اسمه بتلك الصفة في وثيقة الحماية.
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 5 explained in plain English
This article regulates who owns a protection document and how it is transferred, in five rules:
- A private right that can be transferred (A): the document is a private right of the person in whose name it is issued, and this right passes by inheritance and may be transferred for consideration, such as a sale, or without consideration, such as a gift.
- Joint work (B): if the subject of protection is a joint work of several persons, the right belongs to all of them equally, unless they agree otherwise.
- Who is not a joint participant (C): someone whose role was limited to helping with implementation, without contributing effort to the subject of protection itself, is not regarded as a participant in it.
- Priority of filing (D): if more than one person independently arrives at the same subject, the document belongs to the one who was first to file an application, not the one who was first to invent.
- Naming (E): the person who arrived at the subject of protection has the right to have their name stated in that capacity in the document.
Article 6 follows, regulating the special case of a worker's invention during employment, where ownership belongs to the employer in the cases it specifies. The procedures for transferring and recording ownership are regulated by other articles of the law.
The priority-of-filing rule makes it practically important to file an application promptly for anyone who believes they have arrived at something new.
If there is a dispute over partnership in an invention or the distribution of its shares, consult a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and patents.
Practical example
Khalid and Saad worked together on developing a smart lock and registered the application in both their names without agreeing on shares, so the right belongs to them equally. The technician who helped them only with assembling the prototype, without contributing to the idea, is not regarded as a participant.
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 5 of the Saudi Patents Law
Can a patent be inherited?
Yes. The article provides that the right in a protection document passes by inheritance, and may also be transferred for consideration or without consideration.
If two people invent the same thing independently, who gets the patent?
The document belongs to whoever was first to file an application.
How is a patent divided among joint inventors?
The right belongs to all of them equally, unless they agree otherwise.
Is someone who helped with implementation a joint inventor?
No. Someone who did not contribute effort to the subject of protection, and whose efforts were limited to helping with its implementation, is not regarded as a participant.
More articles on Patent Ownership
- 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
- Article 17
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.
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
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.