Article 20 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 20 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article refers to the Regulations the procedures and conditions for changing the activity or assigning it to someone else, for those licensed to import personal firearms and their ammunition or to sell or buy them.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحدد اللائحة الإجراءات والشروط الواجب اتباعها إذا رغب المرخص له باستيراد الأسلحة النارية الفردية وذخائرها، أو رغب المرخص له ببيعها أو شرائها، في تغيير النشاط أو التنازل عنه لغيره.
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 20 explained in plain English
This article concerns holders of licenses to deal in personal firearms, specifically:
- Anyone licensed to import personal firearms and their ammunition.
- Anyone licensed to sell or buy them.
It addresses two situations in which a license holder may wish to act:
- Changing the activity.
- Assigning the activity to someone else.
The article itself sets no procedure or condition. It provides that the Implementing Regulations determine the procedures and conditions that must be followed in these two situations. Describing these procedures and conditions as ones that "must be followed" means that changing the activity or assigning it is done in accordance with what the Regulations determine.
This article is linked to Article 19, which sets out the two cases of cancelling a license to import personal firearms or licenses to sell, buy, or repair them: death or loss of capacity, and loss of one of the conditions for granting the license. Article 21 also provides that a person whose license has been cancelled may not be given any new license for any other weapon except in the cases determined by the Regulations.
Anyone thinking of assigning his activity or changing it may consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial and corporate matters before taking any step.
Practical example
Abdulrahman owns a shop licensed to sell pistols and their ammunition in Medina, and he wishes to assign the activity to his cousin. Under this article, he must follow the procedures and conditions set by the Implementing Regulations for the assignment.
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 20 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
May the weapons-selling activity be assigned to another person?
The article refers to a licensee's wish to assign the activity to someone else, and refers the procedures and conditions that must be followed to the Implementing Regulations.
How do I change the activity of a weapons shop?
According to the procedures and conditions set by the Implementing Regulations of the Law.
More articles on Importing and Selling Weapons
- Article 3
The article limits the import, sale, and purchase of personal firearms, air rifles, and hunting weapons, with their accessories and ammunition, to licensed Saudis in accordance with the Regulations.
يقصر استيراد الأسلحة النارية الفردية والبنادق الهوائية و أسلحة الصيد المعرفة في هذا النظام ولوازمها وقطع غيارها وذخائرها، وبيعها وشراؤها على السعوديين المرخص له
- 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 5
The article requires the Minister's license to import antique weapons and trade in them, allows bringing them in or carrying them along for collecting, and refers the conditions and procedures to the Regulations.
أ - لا يجوز استيراد الأسلحة الأثرية وتداولها بقصد الاتجار إلا بترخيص من الوزير . ب - يجوز جلب الأسلحة الأثرية أو اصطحابها بقصد الاقتناء. ج - تحدد اللائحة شروط و
- 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 13
The article allows the Minister to permit hunting weapons and personal protection weapons to transit Saudi territory, in line with international laws and customs, the laws of the destination country, and the Regulations' conditions.
يجوز للوزير السماح بعبور أسلحة الصيد وأسلحة الحماية الشخصية للأراضي السعودية، بما يتفق مع الأنظمة والأعراف الدولية المعمول بها وأنظمة الدولة المتجه إليها، وفي ض
- Article 14
The article requires those licensed to import personal firearms or hunting weapons, or to buy and sell them, to take all safety measures in transporting and storing them.
يجب على المرخص له باستيراد الأسلحة النارية الفردية أو أسلحة الصيد ومستلزماتها وقطع غيارها وذخائرها، وكذلك المرخص له بشرائها وبيعها - اتخاذ جميع وسائل السلامة لن
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.