In force Last amended 22/8/1444 AH
Saudi Public Utilities Protection Law
نظام حماية المرافق العامة
Protects public utilities in Saudi Arabia against damage and interference. It has 15 articles and concerns the public, utility operators and authorities.
- Articles
- 15
- In force
- 15
- Amended
- 5
- Issued
- 1/1/1405 AH
Issued by: مرسوم ملكي رقم م/62 بتاريخ 20 / 12 / 1405 · قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم 225 بتاريخ 26 / 11 / 1405
Each article shows the official Arabic text, which is the only legally binding version, followed by our plain-English explanation.
Browse Public Utilities Protection Law by topic
Articles of the Saudi Public Utilities Protection Law
- Article 1يطبق هذا النظام على المرافق العامة التالية: المياه والمجاري وتصريف السيول والكهرباء والهاتف والطرق العامة والسكك الحديدية والمرافق الأخرى…
- Article 2The article requires anyone doing work that may affect a public utility's networks to first obtain its plans and instructions, take precautions to protect it, and notify the concerned body if they damage it.
- Article 3The article requires public utility departments and companies to protect their utilities and educate others, to provide plans and instructions within 15 days of a request, and makes them responsible for their accuracy.
- Article 4The article requires public utility departments and companies to coordinate with each other to protect each utility and repair damage as quickly as possible, and to announce a contact person available at any time.
- Article 5The article punishes anyone who deliberately damages, cuts or disables public utility lines or facilities with up to two years' imprisonment and a fine of up to SAR 100,000, or either, with the possible publication of the penalty.Amended M/38
- Article 6The article punishes anyone who causes damage to, or the cutting or disabling of, public utility lines with a fine of up to SAR 100,000, and allows a contractor responsible to be barred from future contracting.
- Article 7The article punishes with a fine of up to SAR 50,000 anyone who encroaches on public utilities to use their services unlawfully, or who encroaches on public roads and railways or their protected zones.
- Article 8The article punishes with a fine of up to SAR 3,000 anyone who tampers with water or electricity meters or public telephones, or who floods, disables or endangers traffic on roads or railways.
- Article 9The article punishes with a fine of up to SAR 2,000 any beneficiary of public utility services who helps others use them unlawfully.
- Article 10The article allows, in case of repeat offense under the Law, a fine above the maximum limit, provided it does not exceed double that limit.
- Article 11The article requires the violator to compensate for all damage to the utility or others, and allows the competent body to require him to make repairs, or make them at his expense and recover the costs from him.Amended
- Article 12يتم ضبط مخالفات هذا النظام وإثباتها والتحقيق فيها وفق الإجراءات التي تضعها لجنة تشكل من وزارة الداخلية ، ووزارة الشؤون البلدية والقروية ،…
- Article 13The article makes the Board of Grievances competent to impose imprisonment, and has the competent Minister issue the fine and compensation decision, which may be challenged before the Board within 60 days of notification.Amended
- Article 14The article empowers the ministers concerned with implementing the Public Utilities Protection Law to issue the decisions needed to implement it, each within his area of competence.
- Article 15The article repeals specific articles of the Telephone Utility Law, the Water and Sewerage Authorities Law and its penalties regulation, and anything conflicting with the Law, and provides that it takes effect two months after publication.