Article 4 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 4 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 إصلاحها.
ب - صنع الأسلحة النارية الفردية ومستلزماتها وقطع غيارها وذخائرها، أو إجراء أي تعديل عليها.
ج - استيراد الأسلحة النارية الفردية أو أسلحة الصيد وقطع غيارها وذخائرها، وكذلك بيعها أو شراؤها أو حملها أو اقتناؤها إلا بترخيص من الوزير.
د - صنع أسلحة التمرين والبنادق الهوائية وقطع غيارها وذخائرها ومستلزماتها، أو استيراد أي من ذلك إلا بترخيص من الوزير .
هـ - جلب أسلحة أو ذخائر أو قطع غيارها ومستلزماتها، وكذلك اصطحابها دون إذن من الوزير .
و - استيراد أسلحة من غير ما ورد ذكره في هذا النظام، وكذلك جلبها دون إذن من الوزير .
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 4 explained in plain English
This article sets out what is prohibited for anyone other than the competent government bodies, meaning individuals, companies, and others, in the field of weapons. The prohibition varies by type of weapon and by act:
- (a) Military weapons: it is prohibited to manufacture them, their ammunition, accessories, or spare parts, and to import, possess, trade in, acquire, or repair them. The paragraph mentions no exception by license.
- (b) Personal firearms: it is prohibited to manufacture them or their accessories, spare parts, or ammunition, or to make any modification to them. No exception is mentioned.
- (c) Personal firearms and hunting weapons: it is prohibited to import them or their spare parts and ammunition, and likewise to sell, buy, carry, or acquire them, except with a license from the Minister.
- (d) Training weapons and air rifles: it is prohibited to manufacture them or their spare parts, ammunition, and accessories, or to import any of these, except with a license from the Minister.
- (e) Bringing in and carrying along: it is prohibited to bring in weapons, ammunition, or their spare parts and accessories, and likewise to carry them along, without the Minister's permission.
- (f) Weapons not mentioned in the Law: it is prohibited to import them, and likewise to bring them in, without the Minister's permission.
Under Article 1, the Minister is the Minister of Interior, and the types of weapons are understood as defined there. This article complements Article 3, which limits the import, sale, and purchase of personal firearms, air rifles, and hunting weapons to licensed Saudis, and Article 5, which requires the Minister's license to import antique weapons and trade in them, and allows bringing them in or carrying them along for the purpose of collecting, as determined by the Regulations.
Anyone with a question about a weapon they hold, or who is considering bringing in a weapon from abroad, may consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal matters and weapons regulations.
Practical example
Fahd returned from a trip abroad with a hunting rifle he bought there, and he assumed he could bring it in and license it later. Under paragraph (e) of this article, bringing in weapons or carrying them along without the Minister's permission is prohibited, so permission is needed before they are brought in.
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 4 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
May individuals own a military weapon?
No. The article prohibits anyone other than the competent government bodies from manufacturing, importing, possessing, trading in, acquiring, or repairing military weapons.
May a pistol be modified or spare parts made for it?
Paragraph (b) prohibits anyone other than the competent government bodies from manufacturing personal firearms, their spare parts and ammunition, or making any modification to them.
Do I need a license to carry a hunting weapon?
Yes. Paragraph (c) prohibits carrying, acquiring, selling, or buying personal firearms and hunting weapons except with a license from the Minister.
May a weapon be brought in from abroad?
Weapons, ammunition, and their spare parts and accessories may not be brought in or carried along without the Minister's permission.
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 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
- Article 15
The article requires those licensed to import weapons of all types, or to buy and sell them, to keep special records of them according to the forms and procedures set by the Regulations.
يجب على المرخص له باستيراد الأسلحة بجميع أنواعها ومستلزماتها وذخائرها وقطع غيارها، وكذلك المرخص له بشرائها وبيعها، أن ينظم لها سجلات خاصة وفقا للنماذج والإجراءا
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.