Article 12 of the Saudi Publications Law
المادة 12 من نظام المطبوعات والنشر
The article requires heirs to notify the Ministry of the license holder's death within two months, and gives them the right to continue the activity after the Ministry's approval and in line with the Law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا توفي صاحب الترخيص، فإن على الورثة إشعار الوزارة بذلك خلال شهرين من تاريخ الوفاة، ولهم الحق في استمرار النشاط بعد موافقة الوزارة، وبما يتفق مع أحكام هذا النظام.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article deals with what happens to a license if its holder dies, and sets two rules:
- Duty to notify: the heirs must notify the Ministry (the Ministry of Media under Article 1) of the death within two months of the date of death.
- Right to continue: the heirs have the right to continue the activity, provided the Ministry approves and this is consistent with the provisions of this Law.
So, under the text of the article, death does not end the activity automatically; the heirs may continue it, but they may not continue without the Ministry's approval. The two-month period runs from the date of death, not from the date the heirs learn of the license or the date the estate is divided.
The article does not say what follows if the heirs are late in notifying after the two months, and it sets no detailed conditions for the Ministry's approval other than that continuing be consistent with the provisions of the Law.
This article works together with Article 11, which allows a license to be assigned, leased or shared with others after the Ministry's approval; both make the Ministry's approval a condition for the activity passing to, or continuing with, a person other than the original license holder. Heirs facing this situation can consult a lawyer who specializes in media and publishing law.
Practical example
The owner of a publishing house in Riyadh has died. His heirs must notify the Ministry of Media of the death within two months of its date, and they may then continue running the house after the Ministry's approval and in line with the provisions of the Law.
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 12 of the Saudi Publications Law
What happens to a library license if its owner dies?
The heirs must notify the Ministry within two months of the death, and they have the right to continue the activity after the Ministry's approval and in line with the Law.
What is the deadline to notify the Ministry of Media of a license holder's death?
Two months from the date of death.
Can the heirs continue the activity without approval?
No. The article requires the Ministry's approval for the activity to continue.
More articles on Licensing Publication Activities
- Article 4
The article requires a license from the Ministry to carry out any activity in Article 2, without exempting anyone from other licenses, and refers its term and renewal to the Implementing Regulations.
1- لا يجوز مزاولة أي نشاط مما ذكر في المادة الثانية، إلا بترخيص من الوزارة، ولا يعفي هذا من الحصول على أي ترخيص توجبه الأنظمة الأخرى. 2- تحدد اللائحة التنفيذية
- Article 7
The article sets the license or renewal fee for the head office or a branch: SAR 2,000 for activities such as printing presses, publishing and advertising, and SAR 1,000 for activities such as libraries and photography.
يحدد مقدار رسم الترخيص أو تجديده، للمقر الرئيسي أو الفرع وفق الآتي : 1 - ألفا ريال (2.000) لكل من النشاطات الآتية: أ - المطابع. ب - خدمات الإعداد لما قبل الطباع
- Article 11
The article allows a license to be assigned to others, leased or shared with others, on condition of the Ministry's approval and consistency with the Law.
يجوز التنازل عن الترخيص للغير، أو تأجيره، أو إشراك آخرين فيه بعد موافقة الوزارة وبما يتفق مع أحكام هذا النظام.
- Article 47
The article requires everyone carrying on an activity governed by the Law to regularize their situation in accordance with its provisions within two years of its coming into force.
على من يمارس أي نشاط من النشاطات التي يحكمها هذا النظام أن يقوم بتصحيح أوضاعه طبقًا للأحكام الواردة فيه، وذلك خلال سنتين من تاريخ نفاذه.
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.