Article 11 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 11 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article allows the Minister of Interior, for special considerations he sees, to license a person residing in the Kingdom to buy, carry, and acquire a personal firearm.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للوزير -لاعتبارات خاصة يراها- الترخيص بشراء سلاح ناري فردي وحمله واقتنائه لشخص يقيم في المملكة.
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 11 explained in plain English
This article concerns residents of the Kingdom. It allows the Minister, who under Article 1 is the Minister of Interior, to license a person residing in the Kingdom to do the following:
- Buy a personal firearm.
- Carry it.
- Acquire it.
The main restriction in the text is that this be for special considerations the Minister sees. A license for a resident is subject to the Minister's discretion. The article does not specify what these considerations are, and it does not make the license a right of every resident who requests it.
Note that the text speaks of "a personal firearm" in the singular. Under Article 1, a personal firearm is one intended for use by one person, such as pistols and rifles, as determined by the Implementing Regulations. The article also mentions only buying, carrying, and acquiring; it does not mention import or sale.
This article is linked to Article 10, which allows the Minister to license certain Saudi institutions and companies to possess personal firearms and ammunition if the nature of their work requires arming some of their personnel. Both articles give the Minister the power to license a specific category.
A resident who wishes to apply for a license, or whose application has been rejected, may consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative matters and weapons regulations.
Practical example
A resident who has worked in Riyadh for years wants to buy and carry a pistol. Under this article, he has no automatic right to do so, but the Minister of Interior may license him to buy, carry, and acquire the pistol if he sees special considerations that call for it.
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 11 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
May a resident carry a weapon in Saudi Arabia?
The Minister may, for special considerations he sees, license a person residing in the Kingdom to buy, carry, and acquire a personal firearm.
Is a license for a resident a guaranteed right?
No. The text makes it a power of the Minister tied to special considerations he sees.
Does the article allow a resident to sell weapons?
The article mentions only buying, carrying, and acquiring. It does not mention selling or importing.
More articles on Licensing to Carry and Own Weapons
- Article 4
The article prohibits anyone other than the competent government bodies from manufacturing and trading in military weapons or manufacturing personal firearms, and bars importing, selling, carrying, or bringing in weapons except with the Minister's license or permission.
يحظر على غير الجهات الحكومية المختصة ما يأتي: أ - صنع الأسلحة الحربية وذخائرها ومستلزماتها أو قطع غيارها، و استيرادها، أو حيازتها، أو تداولها، أو اقتناؤها، أو إ
- Article 8
The article gives the Minister of Interior the power to determine the places and times in which carrying a weapon is prohibited, even if the weapon is licensed.
يحدد الوزير الأماكن والأوقات التي يحظر فيها حمل السلاح المرخص بحمله.
- Article 9
The article allows the Minister to license the import, sale, purchase, carrying, acquisition, and repair of personal firearms, hunting weapons, training weapons, and air rifles, with their accessories, in accordance with the Regulations' conditions.
للوزير أن يرخص باستيراد الأسلحة النارية الفردية و أسلحة الصيد و أسلحة التمرين والبنادق الهوائية وقطع غيارها ولوازمها وذخائرها، وكذلك بيعها أو شراؤها أو حملها أو
- Article 10
The article allows the Minister to license certain Saudi institutions and companies to possess personal firearms and ammunition where the nature of their work requires arming some of their personnel.
للوزير الترخيص بحيازة أسلحة وذخائر نارية فردية لبعض المؤسسات والشركات السعودية التي تتطلب طبيعة عملها تسليح بعض منسوبيها، وفق الضوابط والشروط التي تحددها اللائح
- Article 23
The article allows granting a license to acquire more than one personal firearm, in accordance with what the Regulations determine.
يجوز منح رخصة اقتناء لأكثر من سلاح ناري فردي، وفقا لما تحدده اللائحة .
- Article 24
The article bars granting a carrying license for more than one personal firearm, refers the type of that weapon to the Regulations, and allows the Minister in special cases to license carrying more than one weapon.
لا يجوز منح رخصة حمل لأكثر من سلاح ناري فردي واحد، وتحدد اللائحة نوع هذا السلاح. وللوزير في حالات خاصة منح تراخيص بحمل أكثر من سلاح.
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.