Article 8 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
المادة 8 من نظام الأحوال الشخصية · الفصل الثاني: أحكام عامة للزواج
The article requires the marriage contract to be documented by the spouses or one of them, lets any interested person request proof of an undocumented marriage, and regulates documenting a non-Muslim's marriage.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجب توثيق عقد الزواج، وعلى الزوجين -أو أحدهما- توثيقه، وذلك وفق الأحكام المنظمة لذلك.
2- يجوز لكل ذي مصلحة طلب إثبات عقد الزواج غير الموثق.
3- يوثق عقد زواج غير المسلم لدى المختص بالتوثيق، وتبين لوائح هذا النظام الأحكام المتصلة بذلك.
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 8 explained in plain English
This article deals with documenting the marriage contract, that is, registering it officially, and contains three provisions:
1- The duty to document: the marriage contract must be documented, and the responsibility for this falls on the spouses or one of them, with documentation carried out under the provisions regulating it. It is not enough for a marriage to be concluded without being registered.
2- Proving an undocumented marriage: if a marriage takes place and is not documented, any interested person may request that it be proved. This right is not limited to the spouses but extends to anyone with an interest in proving the marriage.
3- A non-Muslim's marriage: the marriage contract of a non-Muslim is documented before the person competent to document, and the regulations of this Law set out the provisions relating to this. The article does not give the details of these provisions but refers them to the regulations.
This article follows Article 7, which defines seclusion (khalwa), and precedes Article 9, which prevents documenting the marriage contract of a person under 18 except with the court's permission under specified conditions.
In practice, spouses should make sure their contract is documented. A person who has an undocumented marriage and needs to prove it can request this as an interested person, and it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in personal status to learn the appropriate procedures for his or her case.
Practical example
Fahd concluded his marriage in Riyadh without documenting it, and his wife then needed to prove the marriage in order to register their newborn. As an interested person, she may request proof of the undocumented marriage contract.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 8 of the Saudi Personal Status Law
Is documenting a marriage contract mandatory in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. The article provides that the marriage contract must be documented, and the spouses or one of them must document it under the provisions regulating this.
Who may request proof of an undocumented marriage?
Any interested person may request proof of an undocumented marriage contract.
How is a non-Muslim's marriage documented?
It is documented before the person competent to document, and the regulations of the Law set out the provisions relating to it.
More articles on Marriage Contract and Its Conditions
- Article 6
The article defines marriage as a contract with pillars and conditions that creates rights and duties between the spouses, aimed at chastity and founding a stable family.
الزواج عقد بأركان وشروط، يرتب حقوقاً وواجبات بين الزوجين، غايته الإحصان وإنشاء أسرة مستقرة يرعاها الزوجان بمودة ورحمة.
- Article 7
The article defines seclusion (khalwa) as the spouses being alone in a place where no person of discernment is with them.
الخلوة -في سبيل تطبيق هذا النظام- هي انفراد الزوجين في مكان ليس عندهما من يميِّز.
- Article 9
The article bars documenting the marriage contract of a person under 18, and lets the court permit the marriage if the person has reached puberty and his or her interest is established.
يمنع توثيق عقد الزواج لمن هو دون (ثمانية عشر) عاماً، وللمحكمة أن تأذن بزواج من هو دون ذلك ذكراً كان أو أنثى إذا كان بالغاً بعد التحقق من مصلحته في هذا الزواج، و
- Article 10
The article gives a person who married under 18 with the court's permission capacity to litigate in everything relating to the marriage and its effects, provided he or she is of sound mind.
يكتسب من تزوج وفق حكم المادة (التاسعة) من هذا النظام أهلية التقاضي في كل ما له علاقة بالزواج وآثاره؛ إذا كان عاقلاً.
- Article 11
The article lets the court permit the marriage of a person who is insane or mentally impaired at the request of his guardian, on condition of a medical report, the other party's acceptance and a proven interest.
للمحكمة أن تأذن بزواج المجنون أو المعتوه بناء على طلب ولي تزويجه، بعد توافر الشروط الآتية: 1- أن يقدم الولي تقريراً طبيًّا معتمداً عن حالة الجنون أو العته. 2- أ
- Article 12
The article sets the two pillars of the marriage contract: the spouses, who are a man and a woman, and offer and acceptance.
أركان عقد الزواج هي: 1- الزوجان، وهما: الرجل والمرأة. 2- الإيجاب والقبول.
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.