Article 6 of the Saudi Shomoos Security Law
المادة 6 من نظام نقل معلومات المتعاملين مع المنشآت الخاصة إلكترونياً إلى مركز المعلومات الوطني في وزارة الداخلية نظام شموس الأمني
This article directs the Ministry of Interior, in coordination with government entities, to set a mechanism for checking that private establishments have joined Shomoos before a business license is issued or renewed.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تقوم الوزارة - بالتنسيق مع الجهات الحكومية - بوضع آلية للتأكد من اشتراك المنشآت الخاصة في نظام شموس قبل إصدار رخصة مزاولة النشاط أو تجديدها.
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 6 explained in plain English
This article links joining the Shomoos system to the business licensing procedures:
- Who sets the mechanism: the Ministry of Interior in coordination with government entities, which under Article 1 are the entities responsible for granting licenses to carry out the activities named in the law.
- What the mechanism is for: checking that the private establishment has joined Shomoos.
- When the check is made: before issuing the business license, and before renewing it.
In practice, joining Shomoos becomes part of the licensing process: for a new establishment, membership is checked before it obtains the license, and for an existing establishment, membership is checked at renewal. The details of this mechanism are not stated in the text; the Ministry sets them in coordination with the entities concerned.
Article 7 follows, requiring private establishments to join Shomoos and to record information fully, correctly and immediately from the start of dealing with the customer. Before it, Article 5 directs the Ministry to coordinate with government entities to ensure they are connected to Shomoos.
Anyone facing a delay in the issuing or renewal of their license for a reason related to Shomoos can consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative cases and commercial regulations.
Practical example
The owner of a car rental office in Dammam applies to renew the license for his business. Under the mechanism the Ministry sets in coordination with the licensing entity, it is checked that his office has joined the Shomoos system before the license is renewed.
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 6 of the Saudi Shomoos Security Law
Is joining Shomoos required to renew a business license?
The article directs the Ministry to set a mechanism, in coordination with government entities, to check that the establishment has joined Shomoos before a business license is issued or renewed with the competent entities.
Who checks that an establishment has joined Shomoos?
This is done under a mechanism set by the Ministry of Interior in coordination with the government entities responsible for licensing.
Does this apply to new establishments?
Yes. Membership is checked before the license is issued and before it is renewed.
More articles on Ministry of Interior's Role in the Shomoos System
- Article 4
This article makes the Ministry of Interior responsible for operating the Shomoos system, supervising and developing its application, and taking the necessary measures for that.
تتولى الوزارة مسؤولية تشغيل نظام شموس، والإشراف على تطبيقه، وتطويره، واتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة لتحقيق ذلك.
- Article 5
This article directs the Ministry of Interior to coordinate with government entities to connect them to Shomoos, determine the information to be entered, including reporting violations, and set how it is exchanged and used.
تتولى الوزارة التنسيق مع الجهات الحكومية لضمان ربطها بنظام شموس، وتحديد نوعية المعلومات التي يجب إدخالها في النظام، بما فيها الإبلاغ عن مخالفات أحكام هذا النظام
- Article 8
This article makes the Ministry of Interior responsible for checking that establishments apply the law, detecting violations and applying penalties, and for setting procedures through which government entities report violating establishments.
1- تتولى الوزارة التأكد من تطبيق المنشآت الخاصة لأحكام هذا النظام، وضبط المخالفات، وتطبيق العقوبات المقررة. 2- تتولى الوزارة - بالتنسيق مع الجهات الحكومية - وضع
- Article 11
This article requires the Ministry of Interior to take all technical measures that ensure establishments' privacy, the confidentiality of information, and that it is not used for purposes other than those intended.
تقوم الوزارة باتخاذ جميع الإجراءات الفنية والتقنية التي تضمن خصوصية المنشآت الخاصة، وسرية المعلومات، وضمان عدم استخدامها للأغراض غير المعدة لها.
- Article 12
This article provides that private establishments bear no financial costs for joining the Shomoos system.
لا تتحمل المنشآت الخاصة تكاليف مالية مقابل اشتراكها في نظام شموس.
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.

