Article 32 of the Saudi Traffic Law

المادة 32 من نظام المرور · الباب الرابع: رخص القيادة

The article bans anyone from driving any vehicle before obtaining the necessary driving license in accordance with the Traffic Law and its Regulations.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

يحظر على أي شخص قيادة أي مركبة قبل الحصول على رخصة القيادة اللازمة وفقا لأحكام هذا النظام ولائحته.

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 32 explained in plain English

This is the basic rule in the chapter on driving licenses: no person may drive any vehicle before obtaining the necessary driving license. The text is general in two respects:

As to persons: "any person", so it does not distinguish between citizens and residents or between one group and another.
As to vehicles: "any vehicle", so it covers everything that counts as a vehicle under the Law.

The text describes the license as "necessary", meaning the license required for the vehicle the person drives; it is not enough to hold any license, but the license must be the appropriate one in accordance with the Law and its Regulations. The ban also applies "before obtaining" the license, so driving is not permitted while waiting for it to be issued.

This article is linked to Article 33, which requires the driver to carry a valid driving license when driving a vehicle and gives a security officer the right to ask to see it without retaining it. Article 32 requires the license to be obtained, and Article 33 requires it to be valid and carried while driving.

In the same context Article 31 deals with fitting large vehicles, such as trucks, buses, public works vehicles and animal-drawn vehicles, with lights or reflective strips. Article 32 does not state a penalty for driving without a license. Anyone caught driving without a license, or involved in an accident while doing so, is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in traffic matters.

Practical example

Omar learned to drive from his father in Hail and wanted to drive the car to school before obtaining his driving license. Under this article he is banned from driving any vehicle before obtaining the necessary driving license.

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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