Article 10 of the Saudi Private Laboratories Law
المادة 10 من نظام المختبرات الخاصة
The article regulates drawing and preparing samples, the owner's undertaking not to dispose of the goods, delivering samples to the laboratory, the periods for returning results, and the owner of the goods bearing costs.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يقوم الفنيون مِن الوزارة المُختصة بمهمة سحب العينات وتجهيزِها، طِبقًا لما تُحدده المواصفات القياسية المُعتمدة.
2 - أ - بالنِسبة للسِلع المُستوردة يؤخذ التعهُد اللازِم على صاحِب السِلعة بعدم التصرُّف بِها إلا بعد الفحص النهائي.
ب - بالنسبة للسلع المُنتجة محليًّا، يؤخذ التعهُد اللازِم على صاحِب السِلعة بعدم التصرُّف بِها إلا بعد أن تجيزها الجِهة المُختصة.
3 - تُسلَّم العينة- بعد أن يُجهزها الفنيون- إلى مكتب المُختبر الخاص، مع خِطاب يتضمن وصفًا دقيقًا للعينة، وتحديد الاختبارات المطلوب إجراؤها، وَفقًا للمواصفات القياسية المُعتمدة.
4 - يلتزم المُختبر بإعادة النتائج مع بقية العينات، أو ما يُفيد استِهلاكِها أثناء إجراء الاختبار إلى الجهة الوارِدةُ مِنها، خِلال خمسة عشر يومًا من تاريخ سحب العينة، على أن يتم إبلاغ الوزارة المُختصة بنتيجة الفحص خِلال مُدة لا تتجاوز خمسة وعشرين يومًا، من تاريخ سحب العينات.
5 - يتحمل صاحِب السلعة المطلوب إجراء الاختبار لها التكاليف اللازِمة.
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 10 explained in plain English
This article lays out the practical path for testing goods, from drawing the sample to the result appearing:
- Drawing samples: done by technicians from the competent Ministry, who prepare the samples in accordance with the approved standard specifications; the private laboratory is not the one that draws them.
- The undertaking:
- For imported goods, an undertaking is taken from the owner not to dispose of them until after the final test.
- For locally produced goods, an undertaking is taken from him not to dispose of them until the competent authority has cleared them.
- Delivery: the sample, after being prepared, is delivered to the private laboratory's office with a letter containing an accurate description of it and specifying the tests required under the approved standard specifications.
- The periods: the laboratory returns the results with the remaining samples, or what shows they were consumed during the test, to the body they came from within 15 days of the date the sample was drawn, and the competent Ministry is to be notified of the result within a period not exceeding 25 days of the date the samples were drawn.
- Costs: borne by the owner of the goods required to be tested.
Throughout, the laboratory is bound by Article 9, such as confidentiality when transferring samples and results. Violating the provisions of the Law may expose the violator to the penalties in Article 11, which are a warning, a fine of SAR 5,000 to 20,000, suspension of the licence for 30 to 60 days, or withdrawal of it in case of repetition.
Practical example
Khalid imports a shipment of car tires to Dammam. Technicians from the competent Ministry draw a sample from it, and Khalid signs an undertaking not to dispose of the shipment until the final test. The sample is delivered to a private laboratory with a letter specifying the required tests, and the laboratory must return the result within 15 days of drawing the sample, and Khalid bears the testing costs.
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 10 of the Saudi Private Laboratories Law
Who draws goods samples for testing at the private laboratory?
Technicians from the competent Ministry draw and prepare them in accordance with the approved standard specifications.
When must the laboratory return the test result?
Within 15 days of the date the sample was drawn, and the competent Ministry is to be notified of the result within a period not exceeding 25 days of the date of drawing.
May I sell imported goods before the test result appears?
An undertaking is taken from the owner of imported goods not to dispose of them until after the final test.
Who pays the cost of testing the goods?
The owner of the goods required to be tested bears the necessary costs.
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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.