Article 17 of the Saudi Road Transport Law
المادة 17 من نظام النقل العام على الطرق
The article prohibits unloading or placing goods and equipment on public roads and their sidewalks, or on land that is unbuilt or not surrounded by outer walls.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز تفريغ البضائع والمهمات أو وضعها بالطرق العامة وأرصفتها أو في الأراضي غير المبنية أو غير المحاطة بأسوار خارجية.
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 17 explained in plain English
This article sets a clear prohibition that matters to truck owners, merchants and those who receive goods: goods and equipment may not be unloaded or placed in the following places:
- Public roads.
- The sidewalks of public roads.
- Unbuilt land.
- Land not surrounded by outer walls.
The prohibition covers two acts: unloading and placing. It is therefore not limited to the act of offloading but also covers leaving goods in these places.
The evident aim of the provision is to protect roads and sidewalks from being occupied and to keep traffic safe.
The article itself does not set a penalty for violation, but Article 23 provides that anyone who violates the provisions of the Law is punished with the penalty set for the violation in the Traffic Law, and if there is none, with a fine of not less than SAR 500 and not more than SAR 5,000 for each occasion, and the truck, its driver or its owner may be barred from working in carrying goods or their licenses suspended for a period not exceeding one year, without prejudice to claims for compensation for damage to persons and property.
Anyone accused of this violation may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases and transport regulations.
Practical example
A truck driver carries building materials for a project in a Riyadh neighborhood and wants to unload them on the sidewalk in front of the site or on adjacent vacant land that has no wall. This is prohibited under the article, and he must unload the cargo in a place that is not among the prohibited places.
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 17 of the Saudi Road Transport Law
May goods be unloaded on the sidewalk?
No. The article prohibits unloading or placing goods and equipment on public roads and their sidewalks.
May goods be placed on vacant land?
They may not be unloaded or placed on land that is unbuilt or not surrounded by outer walls.
What is the penalty for unloading goods on the road?
This article does not set it. Article 23 governs the penalty for violating the provisions of the Law in general.
More articles on Freight Transport by Truck
- Article 12
The article allows the Minister of Transport to divide the Kingdom's public roads into transport zones by administrative division and transport needs, to regulate truck operations in them and to set traffic rules.
لوزير المواصلات أن يقسم الطرق العامة بالمملكة إلى مناطق نقل حسب التقسيم الإداري وطبقا لاحتياجات النقل بكل منطقة، وأن ينظم عمل الشاحنات فيها، وأن يحدد قواعد وشرو
- Article 13
The article allows the Minister of Transport, on the proposal of the competent committees, to set the number of trucks licensed to carry goods and equipment in the zones according to transport need.
يجوز لوزير المواصلات - بناء على اقتراح اللجان المختصة - أن يحدد عدد الشاحنات التي يرخص لها بنقل البضائع والمهمات في المناطق حسبما تقتضيه حاجة النقل.
- Article 14
Article 14 assigns to the Minister of Communications, by his decision, setting the rules governing licensing of the transport of goods and equipment for pay.
يحدد وزير المواصلات بقرار منه القواعد المنظمة للترخيص بنقل البضائع والمهمات بالأجر.
- Article 15
The article allows a concession to carry goods and equipment for a fee in one or more zones to be granted to a natural or legal person, following the procedures and rules in Chapter One of the Law.
يجوز منح التزام نقل البضائع والمهمات نظير أجر في المنطقة أو المناطق لأحد الأشخاص الطبيعيين أو الاعتباريين، وتتبع في هذه الحالة الإجراءات والقواعد المنصوص عليها
- Article 16
Article 16 assigns to the Ministry of Communications, in agreement with the Traffic Department, setting the routes allowed for transit transport in large cities where necessary, and prohibits violating those routes.
تحدد وزارة المواصلات بالاتفاق مع إدارة المرور المسارات المسموح بها في النقل العابر في المدن الكبرى متى كان ذلك ضروريا، ولا يجوز مخالفة ما يحدد من مسارات.
- Article 18
The article gives the Minister of Transport the power to set the various fares for carrying goods and equipment per measurement unit, a ton per kilometer.
يحدد وزير المواصلات الأجور المختلفة لنقل البضائع والمهمات لوحدة القياس (طن لمسافة كيلو متر).
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.