In brief
Protects everyone under eighteen from all forms of abuse and neglect, bans employing children under fifteen and exploiting them or selling them tobacco, and sets the duty to report and the penalties.
Summary of the law
What counts as abuse or neglect
- Article 3 lists, among others: not issuing or withholding a child's identity documents, missing required vaccinations, causing the child to drop out of school, mistreatment or degrading language, using the child to beg or in crime, discrimination, and letting the child drive under the legal age.
- No employing children under fifteen or giving them harmful work (Article 8); no selling tobacco to them or smoking in their presence (Article 11).
Penalties
- Up to two years in prison and/or a fine of up to SAR 100,000 for an act of abuse.
- Two to five years and SAR 100,000–500,000 where aggravated, e.g. use of a weapon; doubled for repeat offences; the same penalty for those who incite or help (Article 23 bis).
What to do
- Anyone aware of abuse or neglect must report it to the competent authorities at once, and reporting must be made easy, especially for the child (Article 21).
- In custody and visitation disputes this law is used alongside the Personal Status Law.
A plain-language summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm, focused on the violations and problems that come up most in daily life. It is not a substitute for the official text or for legal advice.
What it covers
- Forms of abuse and neglect
- Ban on child labour and exploitation
- Ban on tobacco and harmful material
- Reporting and penalties
Timeline
- Amendments: Royal Decree M/72 · 6/8/1443H. Amendments including the penalties article (noted in the official text)
- Issued: Published 3/4/1447H
Full record of amendments and regulations at the official source
Official text at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development
The authoritative text is in Arabic; the Bureau of Experts publishes English translations for some laws.
Full official text
The full official text is in Arabic and is reproduced on the Arabic version of this page, as published by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Read the full Arabic text
Library content is simplified general information for awareness only. It is not legal advice and does not replace the official text. Laws change: always check the official source and consult a lawyer before acting. Library data last reviewed: .