Article 23 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 23 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article allows granting a license to acquire more than one personal firearm, in accordance with what the Regulations determine.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز منح رخصة اقتناء لأكثر من سلاح ناري فردي، وفقا لما تحدده اللائحة .
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 23 explained in plain English
This article answers a common question: can a person be licensed to acquire more than one weapon? The answer in the text is that a license to acquire more than one personal firearm may be granted, but in accordance with what the Implementing Regulations determine.
To understand the article, two matters must be distinguished:
- Acquisition: which is what this article addresses, and in which it allows multiple weapons.
- Carrying: which Article 24 regulates; it does not allow granting a license to carry more than one personal firearm, and it allows the Minister in special cases to grant licenses to carry more than one weapon.
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 does not state the number of weapons that may be acquired or the conditions for that; these details are left to the Regulations. The wording "may" means that having more than one is possible, not that it is an automatic right of every applicant.
Anyone who wishes to be licensed to acquire more than one weapon may refer to the Regulations or consult a lawyer who specializes in administrative matters and weapons regulations.
Practical example
Adel owns a pistol he is licensed to acquire, and he also wishes to acquire a rifle. Under this article, a license to acquire more than one personal firearm may be granted in accordance with what the Regulations determine, while carrying the two weapons is regulated by Article 24.
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 23 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
May a person own more than one weapon in Saudi Arabia?
A license to acquire more than one personal firearm may be granted, in accordance with what the Regulations determine.
How many weapons may be acquired?
The article does not state a number and refers the details to the Regulations.
Does a license to acquire more than one weapon mean all of them may be carried?
No. Article 24 does not allow granting a license to carry more than one personal firearm, and the Minister may in special cases grant licenses to carry more than one weapon.
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 11
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.
للوزير -لاعتبارات خاصة يراها- الترخيص بشراء سلاح ناري فردي وحمله واقتنائه لشخص يقيم في المملكة.
- 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.