Article 19 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 19 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article sets two cases in which a license to import personal firearms, or licenses to sell, buy, or repair them, is cancelled: death or loss of capacity, and loss of one of the license conditions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تلغى رخصة استيراد الأسلحة النارية الفردية أو رخص بيعها وشرائها أو إصلاحها في الحالات الآتية:
أ - وفاة صاحب الرخصة أو فقد أهليته.
ب - فقدان شرط من شروط منح الرخصة. وتحدد اللائحة الشروط والإجراءات التي يجب الأخذ بها.
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 19 explained in plain English
This article deals with licenses relating to dealing in personal firearms, which are:
- A license to import personal firearms.
- Licenses to sell and buy them.
- Licenses to repair them.
These licenses are cancelled in two cases:
- (a) The death of the license holder or loss of his legal capacity.
- (b) Loss of one of the conditions for granting the license.
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations to set the conditions and procedures that must be followed, so the details are not stated in the text of the article.
This article differs from Article 18, which deals with cancelling a license to carry or acquire a weapon in four cases: confiscation of the weapon and its ammunition, loss of one of the conditions for granting the license, death or loss of capacity, and a decision that a licensed resident will leave the Kingdom permanently. The two cases mentioned here correspond to two of the cases in Article 18, while this article does not mention confiscation or the departure of a resident.
It is also linked to Article 20, which refers to the Regulations the procedures and conditions to be followed if a licensee for importing personal firearms and their ammunition, or for selling or buying them, wishes to change the activity or assign it to someone else. That is a different matter from cancellation.
People who carry out these activities, or their heirs, may consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial matters and weapons regulations.
Practical example
The owner of a shop licensed to repair firearms in Abha has died. Under paragraph (a) of this article, the repair license is cancelled on his death, and the Regulations are consulted for the conditions and procedures that must be followed.
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 19 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
Is a weapons shop license cancelled on its owner's death?
Yes. A license to import personal firearms, or licenses to sell, buy, or repair them, are cancelled on the death of the license holder or loss of his legal capacity.
What are the cases for cancelling a license to sell personal firearms?
The death of the license holder or loss of his legal capacity, and loss of one of the conditions for granting the license.
Where do I find the procedures for cancelling a weapons-selling license?
The article refers the conditions and procedures to the Implementing Regulations.
More articles on Cancellation of a Weapon License
- Article 16
The article allows the Minister, based on the requirements of the public interest, to refuse a license application or to restrict or cancel an existing license.
للوزير -بناء على مقتضيات المصلحة العامة - عدم الموافقة على طلب الترخيص، أو تقييد الترخيص القائم، أو إلغاؤه.
- Article 17
The article provides that all licenses issued under the Weapons and Ammunition Law benefit only the licensee himself.
جميع الرخص الصادرة بموجب أحكام هذا النظام لا يستفيد منها إلا المرخص له نفسه.
- Article 18
The article sets out four cases in which a license to carry or acquire a weapon is cancelled, and states who disposes of the weapon and its ammunition after cancellation in three of them.
تلغى رخصة حمل السلاح أو اقتنائه في الأحوال الآتية: أ - إذا تقررت مصادرة السلاح وذخيرته. ب - إذا فقد المرخص له شرطا من شروط منح الرخصة. ج - إذا توفي المرخص له أو
- Article 21
The article bars giving a person whose license was cancelled any new license for any other weapon, except in the cases determined by the Regulations.
لا يجوز إعطاء الشخص الملغى ترخيصه أي ترخيص جديد على أي سلاح آخر إلا في الحالات التي تحددها اللائحة .
- Article 22
The article refers to the Regulations the procedures to be taken if a weapon license is lost or damaged.
تحدد اللائحة الإجراءات الواجب اتخاذها في حال فقدان الرخصة أو تلفها.
- Article 27
The article allows compensation equal to the value of a licensed weapon and its ammunition if it is decided to hand it over to the State in the cases that require this, as the Regulations determine.
يجوز التعويض بما يعادل قيمة السلاح المرخص وذخيرته إذا تقرر تسليمه للدولة في الحالات التي توجب ذلك طبقا لما تحدده اللائحة .
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.