Article 26 of the Saudi Product Safety Law
المادة 26 من نظام سلامة المنتجات · الباب السادس: مراقبة الأسواق
Inspectors appointed by the Board detect and document violations of the Law and regulations. They may enter and inspect facilities, draw up reports, temporarily close premises, seize products, review documents and take samples.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يتولى مفتشون -يعينهم المجلس- مجتمعين أو منفردين ضبط مخالفات أحكام النظام واللوائح وإثباتها، ولهم في سبيل ذلك الآتي:
1- الدخول -في أي وقت- لمنشآت المشغل الاقتصادي وما يلحق بها من مستودعات وأماكن تخزين أو وسائل نقل أو غيرها، وتفتيشها.
2- تحرير محاضر الضبط لإثبات المخالفات.
3- استدعاء أطراف المخالفة، وسماع أقوالهم، وضبطها وإثباتها في محضر.
4- إغلاق مكان وقوع المخالفة -في الحالات الضرورية التي تستلزم ذلك بناءً على ما تحدده اللوائح- إلى حين استكمال إجراءات الضبط.
5- التحفظ على المنتجات المخالفة -أو المشتبه في مخالفتها- لأحكام النظام، وعلى الوثائق المتعلقة بها.
6- الاطلاع على جميع المستندات والسجلات والملفات والشكاوى والفواتير وغيرها من الوثائق، والحصول على نسخ منها. ولا يجوز -بأي حال من الأحوال- حجب أي من تلك الوثائق عنهم.
7- الاحتفاظ -عند الضرورة- بالوثائق وملف المعلومات التي جُمعت لإثبات المخالفة أو التحقيق مع المساهمين أو المشاركين في المخالفة نفسها.
8- سحب عينات من المنتجات من أجل اختبارها من قبل جهة تقويم المطابقة.
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 26 explained in plain English
This article sets the powers of the inspectors who are appointed by the Authority's board of directors and who work jointly or individually to detect and document violations of the Law and regulations. They may:
- Enter at any time the economic operator's facilities and their annexes, such as warehouses, storage places and means of transport, and inspect them.
- Draw up violation reports.
- Summon the parties to the violation, hear their statements and record them in a report.
- Close the place of the violation in necessary cases, as determined by the regulations, until the detection procedures are completed.
- Seize products that violate, or are suspected of violating, the Law, together with their documents.
- Review documents, records, files, complaints, invoices and other papers and obtain copies of them; they may not be denied access to these in any circumstances.
- Retain, where necessary, the documents and the information file collected to prove the violation or to investigate those who contributed to or took part in it.
- Take product samples to be tested by a conformity assessment body.
Note that the closure here is temporary and limited to the necessary cases set by the regulations, and it ends when the detection procedures are completed. Seizure also covers products "suspected of violating", so a violation need not be proven before it is taken.
It is preceded by Article 25, which sets the Authority's tasks, and followed by Article 27, which provides for financial rewards for these inspectors. A person whose facility has been closed or whose goods have been seized is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative and commercial matters.
Practical example
Two inspectors entered the warehouse of a household goods distributor in Riyadh and suspected that a shipment of frying pans violated the Law. They may seize the shipment and its documents, ask for and review the invoices, and take samples to be tested by a conformity assessment body. The company may not withhold documents from them.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentAdministrative Law lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Administrative Law (Board of Grievances) lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Al-Safwa Law Office and Legal Consultancy
Frequently asked questions about Article 26 of the Saudi Product Safety Law
Can a Standards Authority inspector enter a warehouse at any time?
Yes. Inspectors may enter at any time the economic operator's facilities and their annexes, including warehouses, storage places and means of transport, and inspect them.
Can an inspector close a shop?
They may close the place of the violation in necessary cases set by the regulations, until the detection procedures are completed.
Can I refuse to hand invoices to an inspector?
No. Documents, records, invoices and other papers may not be withheld from inspectors in any circumstances.
More articles on Market Surveillance and Inspection
- Article 20
The competent authorities may use the services of conformity assessment bodies accepted by the Authority to assess the conformity of a specific product under the Law and regulations.
يحق للجهات المختصة الاستعانة بخدمات جهات تقويم المطابقة على أن تكون مقبولة من الهيئة للقيام بإجراء تقويم المطابقة لمنتَج محدد وفقًا لأحكام النظام واللوائح.
- Article 24
The competent authorities carry out market surveillance in accordance with the rules, procedures and tasks set by the regulations.
تقوم الجهات المختصة بالمراقبة على الأسواق وفقاً للقواعد والإجراءات والمهمات التي تحددها اللوائح.
- Article 25
The Authority prepares a national strategy for product safety and market surveillance, ensures compliance with operators' requirements, and maintains the minimum conformity index.
تتولى الهيئة الآتي: 1- إعداد استراتيجية وطنية لسلامة المنتجات ومراقبة الأسواق، ومتابعة تنفيذها بعد اعتمادها، وتحديثها دوريًّا؛ وفقًا للإجراءات النظامية. 2- التأ
- Article 27
Financial rewards are granted to the inspectors referred to in Article 26 by decision of the Board on the Governor's proposal, as set by the regulations.
تمنح بقرار من المجلس بناء على اقتراح من المحافظ مكافآت مالية للمفتشين المنصوص عليهم في المادة (السادسة والعشرين) من النظام، وفقًا لما تحدده اللوائح.
- Article 28
It is prohibited to prevent an inspector from carrying out inspection and detection work, or to obstruct them in doing so.
يحظر منع المفتش أو إعاقته عن تأدية أعماله المتعلقة بالتفتيش والضبط.
- Article 29
The inspector must keep confidential the information obtained through their work, but confidentiality does not prevent the competent authorities from disclosing information needed for effective market surveillance or to prevent a safety risk.
1- يجب على المفتش المحافظة على سرية المعلومات التي يحصل عليها بحكم عمله. 2- لا تحول المحافظة على سرية المعلومات دون إفصاح الجهات المختصة عن المعلومات اللازمة لض
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.