Article 7 of the Saudi Patents Law
المادة 7 من نظام براءات الاختراع · الفصل الأول: أحكام عامة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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؛ فإنه يجوز لهذا الشخص أن يطلب من اللجنة تحويل ملكية طلب الحماية أو وثيقة الحماية إليه. ولا تسمع الدعوى في طلب التحويل بعد مضي خمس سنوات على منح وثيقة الحماية إلا في حالة ثبوت سوء نية مقدم الطلب.
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 7 explained in plain English
This article addresses the case of a subject of protection that belongs to one person being taken and filed in the name of another. If the subject of protection claimed in the application or in the protection document is taken from a subject of protection to which a person other than the applicant or the owner of the document has the right, that person may:
- ask the Committee to transfer ownership of the application for protection to them if it is still an application.
- or transfer ownership of the protection document itself if it has been issued.
Under Article 2, the Committee is the committee provided for in Article 35 of the law.
Time limit: a claim for transfer is not heard after five years from the grant of the protection document, unless the applicant's bad faith is proved. If bad faith is proved, the person entitled is not bound by this period.
This article connects with Article 6, which sets out when ownership of a worker's invention belongs to the employer; if a worker files in their own name an invention that belongs to the employer under that article, or the reverse, a request for transfer may be the route available.
The article does not specify how the taking or bad faith is to be proved, so gathering evidence of who first arrived at the subject is important for anyone considering this request. It is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in intellectual property and patents before applying to the Committee.
Practical example
Noura discovered that a former colleague had filed a patent application for a device that she developed and shared its details with him. She can ask the Committee to transfer ownership of the application to her; and if the patent is issued and five years pass, her claim is not heard unless she proves his bad faith.
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 7 of the Saudi Patents Law
What can I do if someone registers my invention in their name?
You may ask the Committee to transfer ownership of the application for protection or the protection document to you.
Is there a time limit for requesting transfer of ownership of a patent?
A claim is not heard after five years from the grant of the document, unless the applicant's bad faith is proved.
Which body is the transfer request submitted to?
To the Committee provided for in Article 35 of the law.
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 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.