Article 19 of the Saudi Road Transport Law
المادة 19 من نظام النقل العام على الطرق
The article subjects goods and equipment transport in all its forms to the preceding provisions, including transport on owners' own trucks, fuel and containers and tipper trucks, and exempts government trucks assigned to their work.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يخضع نقل البضائع والمهمات في جميع صوره لأحكام المواد السابقة، بما في ذلك نقل البضائع والمهمات على شاحنات عائدة لنفس أصحابها، ونقل المحروقات وغيرها من المواد السائلة والحاويات على الشاحنات الخاصة، وكذلك نقل الرمل والحصى والحبوب الجافة بدون أكياس، أو غير ذلك على الشاحنات ذات القلاب. ويستثنى من ذلك الشاحنات العائدة للوزارات والمصالح ووحدات الإدارة المحلية والمخصصة لأعمالها.
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 19 explained in plain English
This article sets the scope of application of the preceding provisions on carrying goods and equipment, and makes it wide: "in all its forms". It states expressly that it includes:
- Carrying goods and equipment on trucks belonging to their own owners, so someone who carries their own goods on their own truck is not outside the provision merely because they take no payment from anyone else.
- Carrying fuel and other liquids and containers on private trucks.
- Carrying sand, gravel and dry grain without bags, or similar, on tipper trucks.
The exception: the provision does not include trucks belonging to ministries, agencies and local administration units and assigned to their work. The exception requires two things: the truck must belong to one of these bodies, and it must be assigned to its work.
This exception resembles what Article 10 provides for the buses of entities assigned to carry their personnel.
Note that some of the preceding provisions are themselves limited to carriage for a fee, such as Article 14, which concerns licensing for carrying goods and equipment for a fee, so how far each provision applies to a particular form of carriage requires reading it with the text of that article. Anyone in doubt about the status of their trucks may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases and transport regulations.
Practical example
A factory in Al-Kharj owns tipper trucks and uses them to carry sand and gravel to its projects without taking a fee from anyone. This carriage is subject to the preceding provisions under this article, and it does not benefit from the exception, which is limited to trucks of ministries, agencies and local administration units assigned to their work.
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 19 of the Saudi Road Transport Law
Is a truck its owner uses to carry their own goods subject to the Law?
Yes. The article states that it covers carrying goods and equipment on trucks belonging to their own owners.
Do the provisions cover tipper trucks?
Yes. They cover carrying sand, gravel, dry grain without bags and similar on tipper trucks.
Which trucks are exempted?
Trucks belonging to ministries, agencies and local administration units and assigned to their work.
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 17
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.
لا يجوز تفريغ البضائع والمهمات أو وضعها بالطرق العامة وأرصفتها أو في الأراضي غير المبنية أو غير المحاطة بأسوار خارجية.
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.