In force
Saudi Security Surveillance Cameras Law
نظام استخدام كاميرات المراقبة الأمنية
The Security Surveillance Cameras Law of Saudi Arabia. This page presents the official Arabic text of each article with plain-English explanations for residents and businesses.
- Articles
- 18
- In force
- 18
- Amended
- 0
- Issued
- 7/3/1444 AH
Issued by: مرسوم ملكي رقم (م/34) وتاريخ 1444/3/7هـ · قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم (164) وتاريخ 1444/3/1هـ
Each article shows the official Arabic text, which is the only legally binding version, followed by our plain-English explanation.
Browse Security Surveillance Cameras Law by topic
Entities Required to Install Cameras3 articlesOperating Cameras and Keeping Recordings3 articlesPlaces Where Cameras Are Prohibited1 articlePublishing Surveillance Recordings4 articlesLicensing Camera Sales and Installation2 articlesFines for Violating the Cameras Law6 articlesRegulations and Entry into Force3 articles
Articles of the Saudi Security Surveillance Cameras Law
- Article 1The article defines the Law's key terms, including security surveillance cameras, recordings, operations rooms and the conditions document, and excludes cameras individuals place inside their private housing units and complexes.
- Article 2The article lists the bodies and facilities to which the Security Surveillance Cameras Law applies, allows the Ministry to add others, and refers to the regulations the places where cameras are placed.
- Article 3The article prevents the competent government body from licensing those subject to the Law to carry on an activity, or renewing the license, until the camera installation requirements in the conditions document are met.
- Article 4The article requires installing, maintaining and running cameras around the clock, keeping recordings for the period in the conditions document, and classifies bodies by sensitivity to decide whether they link to the operations rooms.
- Article 5The article prohibits manufacturing, importing, selling, installing, operating or maintaining security surveillance cameras until the Ministry of Interior's approvals are obtained under the regulations' procedures.
- Article 6The article prohibits installing cameras in private places such as bathrooms, changing rooms and examination rooms, requires visible signs showing that cameras are in use, and prohibits transferring or publishing recordings except with a specified permission.
- Article 7The article gives the Ministry of Interior or the Presidency of State Security the power to watch the camera feed and recordings, keep a copy and analyze the data where necessary for security reasons, and to provide them to the court and investigation body if requested.
- Article 8The article assigns the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority to develop systems for processing and analyzing the camera feed and recordings, and to enable the Ministry of Interior and the Presidency of State Security to use them.
- Article 9The article provides that violations of the Law are detected and recorded in reports under the regulations' procedures, by employees the Minister of Interior names by decision.
- Article 10The article allows the Ministry of Interior to assign the task of detecting some violations of the Law to the private sector, except violations of a security nature, under the relevant legal procedures.
- Article 11The article provides for one or more committees in each region, formed by decision of the Minister of Interior, of three members one of whom holds a Sharia or legal qualification, to examine violations and decide the penalty under Article 12.
- Article 12The article sets fines for violating the cameras law from SAR 500 to SAR 20,000 depending on the type of violation, and allows the Minister to issue a table of violations the violator must remove within a set period.
- Article 13The article allows anyone against whom a penalty decision is issued under the cameras law to challenge it before the Administrative Court within 60 days of being notified of the decision.
- Article 14The article requires those subject to the Law to comply with the conditions document's security requirements and technical specifications, with the Supreme Authority for Industrial Security's specifications where applicable, and with the National Cybersecurity Authority's requirements.
- Article 15The article allows the Minister or his delegate to give anyone who helps detect a violation a financial incentive reward of up to 10% of the fine collected, provided they are not a Ministry employee or someone engaged to detect violations or carry out oversight or inspection.
- Article 16The article tasks the Ministry of Interior, together with specialized bodies, with preparing the conditions document and proposing amendments, to be issued by the Minister's decision within 180 days of the Law's publication and applied from the Law's effective date.
- Article 17The article requires the Minister of Interior to issue the Implementing Regulations within 180 days of the Law's publication in the Official Gazette, to apply from the date the Law takes effect.
- Article 18The article provides that the Security Surveillance Cameras Law takes effect 180 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.