Article 6 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
المادة 6 من نظام الأسلحة والذخائر
The article requires anyone who comes into possession of weapons, spare parts, or ammunition by inheritance, bequest, or any other means to notify the competent authorities within three months.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب على من تئول إليه أسلحة أو قطع غيار أو ذخائر - بالإرث أو الوصية أو أي طريقة أخرى - إبلاغ الجهات المختصة عنها خلال ثلاثة أشهر من تاريخ مآلها إليه.
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 6 explained in plain English
This article deals with a common situation: weapons pass to a person who did not buy them, for example by inheriting them or having them left to him in a will. In that case he must notify the competent authorities about them.
The key elements of the rule:
- Ways of passing: inheritance, bequest, or any other means. The rule is not limited to inheritance but covers every way these items pass to the person.
- What must be reported: weapons, spare parts, and ammunition.
- Deadline: three months, starting from the date they pass to him, meaning the date they are transferred to him.
- Authority: the competent authorities. Under Article 1, the competent authority is the Ministry of Interior.
The article requires notification. It does not state what follows from it in terms of keeping the weapon, licensing it, or disposing of it, and the text of the article alone does not answer these questions.
This rule resembles Article 7, which requires anyone whose weapon is lost or damaged to notify the competent authorities within one month of learning of the loss or damage. The deadlines differ: three months for passing to a person, and one month for loss or damage. Article 5 concerns antique weapons and their import and bringing in.
Anyone to whom weapons have passed and who has questions about the next steps may consult a lawyer who specializes in weapons regulations or estate matters.
Practical example
Abdullah's father died in Dammam and left a rifle and a box of ammunition in the house. Under this article, whoever the rifle and ammunition pass to must notify the competent authorities about them within three months of the date they passed to him.
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 6 of the Saudi Weapons and Ammunition Law
I inherited a weapon from my father. What should I do?
The article requires anyone to whom a weapon passes by inheritance to notify the competent authorities about it within three months of the date it passed to him.
Must inherited ammunition also be reported?
Yes. The notification covers weapons, spare parts, and ammunition.
What is the deadline for reporting an inherited weapon?
Three months from the date the weapon passes to the person.
Does the rule apply to a weapon received through a bequest?
Yes. The article names inheritance and bequest "or any other means," so the rule covers every way weapons pass to a person.
More articles on Inherited and Lost Weapons
- Article 7
The article requires anyone whose weapon is lost or damaged to notify the competent authorities within one month of learning of the loss or damage.
يجب على من فقد سلاحه أو تلف إبلاغ الجهات المختصة خلال شهر من تاريخ العلم بالفقد أو التلف.
- 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 43Amended (1437 AH)
The article sets a fine of up to SAR 2,000 for violations including late renewal of activity licenses, failing to dispose of a weapon after its license is cancelled, possessing an air rifle without a license, and failing to report its loss.
يعاقب بغرامة مالية لا تتجاوز ألفي ريال: أ - كل من انتهت مدة الرخصة الممنوحة له بالاستيراد أو البيع والشراء أو الإصلاح أو التدريب، واستمر في مزاولة العمل المرخص
- Article 45
The article punishes with a fine of up to SAR 1,000, and a two-year ban on any new weapon license, anyone proven to have lost his weapon by theft or loss as a result of his negligence.
يعاقب بغرامة مالية لا تتجاوز ألف ريال كل من يثبت فقدانه سلاحه بالسرقة أو الضياع نتيجة إهماله، مع حرمانه من الحصول على ترخيص جديد لأي سلاح مدة سنتين من تاريخ تنف
- Article 46
The article punishes with a fine of SAR 100 to 500 for each year of delay anyone who fails to renew an expired carrying or acquisition license, or to report an inherited weapon, within three months.
يعاقب بغرامة مالية لا تقل عن مائة ريال ولا تتجاوز خمسمائة ريال عن كل سنة تأخير: أ - كل من انتهت مدة رخصة حمله للسلاح أو اقتنائه ولم يتقدم بطلب تجديدها خلال ثلاث
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.