Article 11 of the Saudi Provinces Law
المادة 11 من نظام المناطق
The article requires provincial emirs, governors and heads of centers to reside at their place of work and not to leave their area of work except with permission from their direct superior.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
على أمراء المناطق، ومحافظي المحافظات، ورؤساء المراكز، الإقامة حيث مقر عملهم، وعدم مغادرة نطاق عملهم، إلا بإذن من الرئيس المباشر .
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 11 explained in plain English
This article imposes two obligations on specified categories of officials:
Who is bound:
- Emirs of provinces.
- Governors of governorates.
- Heads of centers.
The two obligations:
- Reside where the place of work is.
- Not leave the area of work except with permission from the direct superior.
The evident purpose of this provision is that the official should be close to the province, governorate or center he administers and available to handle its affairs. Leaving is not absolutely prohibited, but it is subject to the direct superior's permission. The article does not specify who the direct superior is for each category.
The phrase "and directors of districts" was deleted from this article by Royal Order No. (A/21) dated 30/3/1414 AH.
This article follows Article 10, which regulates the appointment of provincial deputies, governors, governorate deputies, district directors and heads of centers and their ranks, including that the head of a center is at a rank not lower than the fifth and is appointed by resolution of the emir of the province on the recommendation of the governor of the governorate. It is followed by Article 12, which provides that governors and heads of centers carry out their duties within the administrative area of their authorities and within the powers granted to them.
Anyone who needs to understand this obligation in a particular case can consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases.
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 11 of the Saudi Provinces Law
Must a governor reside in his governorate?
Yes. Governors must reside at their place of work and may not leave their area of work except with permission from the direct superior.
Can the head of a center leave his area of work?
Not except with permission from the direct superior.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. A/21 — 30/3/1414 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- حُذِفت عبارة (ومديري النواحي،)، وذلك بموجب الأمر الملكي رقم (أ / 21) وتاريخ 30 / 3 / 1414هـ.
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
على أمراء المناطق، ومحافظي المحافظات، ومديري النواحي، ورؤساء المراكز، الإقامة حيث مقر عملهم، وعدم مغادرة نطاق عملهم، إلا بإذن من الرئيس المباشر .
More articles on Governors and Heads of Centers
- Article 9Amended by A/21
The article requires a meeting chaired by the province's emir for the governors of governorates at least twice a year to discuss the province's affairs, with the emir submitting a report to the Minister of Interior.
يعقد اجتماع برئاسة أمير المنطقة مرتين في السنة على الأقل، لمحافظي المحافظات، لبحث شئون المنطقة. ويرفع الأمير تقريرا بذلك لوزير الداخلية .
- Article 12Amended by A/21
The article provides that governors and heads of centers carry out their duties within the administrative area of their authorities and within the powers granted to them.
يباشر محافظو المحافظات، ورؤساء المراكز، مهامهم في النطاق الإداري لجهاتهم، وفي حدود الصلاحيات الممنوحة لهم.
- Article 13Amended by A/21
The article sets the governors' competences: administering their governorates within Article 7's competences except items (f), (i) and (j), monitoring heads of centers, and submitting periodic reports to the emir.
على محافظي المحافظات، إدارة محافظاتهم في نطاق الاختصاصات المنصوص عليها في المادة السابعة، باستثناء ماورد في الفقرات "و" ، "ط" ، "ي" من تلك المادة، وعليهم مراقبة
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.