In brief
Protects literary, artistic and scientific works, including software, and sets out authors' moral and economic rights, their transfer, the term of protection, exceptions and penalties.
Summary of the law
Key points
- The term of protection depends on the type of work (Article 19), e.g. fifty years for works by a legal person or an anonymous author, and twenty-five years for applied art and photographs.
- Copyright bars copying, publishing and exploiting a work without the owner's permission, except for the exceptions in the law.
Penalties
- One or more of: a warning, a fine of up to SAR 250,000, closure of the infringing business for up to two months, confiscation of copies and materials, and up to six months' imprisonment (Article 22).
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
- Protected works
- Authors' rights and transfer
- Term of protection
- Penalties
Timeline
- Issued: Royal Decree M/41 · 2/7/1424H
Full record of amendments and regulations at the official source
Official text at the Bureau of Experts
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 Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers. 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: .