Article 28 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 28 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article prohibits practicing the profession of repairing firearms of all types except with a license from the Minister, and refers the license conditions and the licensee's duties to the Regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تحظر ممارسة مهنة إصلاح الأسلحة النارية بجميع أنواعها إلا بترخيص من الوزير . وتحدد اللائحة شروط منح الترخيص وواجبات المرخص له.
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 28 explained in plain English
This article regulates the profession of repairing firearms. It prohibits practicing it except with a license from the Minister, who under Article 1 is the Minister of Interior.
- Scope of the prohibition: repairing firearms of all types; the text does not exempt any type of firearm.
- Condition for practice: obtaining a license from the Minister.
- What the article refers to the Regulations: the conditions for granting the license and the duties of the licensee.
The text means that practicing firearm repair as a profession is not permitted before obtaining the license. Obtaining the license also does not end the obligations, as there are duties on the licensee that the Regulations determine.
This article is linked to Article 29, which prohibits repairing any weapon that is not licensed under the provisions of the Law and its Regulations; even a holder of a repair license is covered by that prohibition. Article 27 concerns the permissibility of 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.
Anyone who wishes to enter this profession may refer to the Regulations or consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial matters and weapons regulations.
Practical example
Yasser is skilled at maintaining hunting rifles and wants to open a workshop to repair them in Tabuk. Under this article, he may not practice firearm repair until he obtains a license from the Minister of Interior, and he must comply with the conditions and duties set by the Regulations.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 28 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
Do I need a license to repair weapons?
Yes. The article prohibits practicing the profession of repairing firearms of all types except with a license from the Minister.
What are the conditions for a weapons repair shop license?
The article refers the conditions for granting the license and the licensee's duties to the Implementing Regulations.
May a licensed repair shop repair an unlicensed weapon?
No. Article 29 prohibits repairing any weapon that is not licensed under the provisions of the Law and its Regulations.
More articles on Weapon Repair and Shooting Clubs
- Article 12Amended by M/71
The article allows the Minister to license the opening of shooting clubs, and refers the fees for the three classes of club license and the security registration fee to the schedule attached to the Law.
يجوز للوزير الترخيص بفتح نوادٍ للرماية، ويحدد الجدول الملحق بالنظام الرسوم التي يتعين دفعها،وهي: 1- رسم رخصة نادي رماية فئة (أ). 2- رسم رخصة نادي رماية فئة (ب).
- Article 29
The article prohibits repairing any weapon that is not licensed under the provisions of the Weapons and Ammunition Law and its Implementing Regulations.
يحظر إصلاح أي سلاح غير مرخص به وفق أحكام هذا النظام ولائحته.
- Article 30
The article prohibits making any modification to the mechanism of weapons or the ways of loading them that makes them more dangerous.
يحظر إجراء أي تعديل على آلية الأسلحة أو طرق تذخيرها بما يجعلها أشد خطورة.
- Article 41
The article punishes with imprisonment of up to one year and a fine of up to SAR 5,000, or either, thirteen offenses, including using a weapon for a purpose other than its licensed one, hunting with a firearm and lending a licensed weapon.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تتجاوز سنة وبغرامة لا تزيد على خمسة آلاف ريال، أو بإحدى هاتين العقوبتين، كل من ثبت قيامه بأي مما يأتي: أ - استعمال السلاح المرخص له بحمله وا
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.