The new Enforcement Law was issued by Royal Decree No. M/237 dated 3/11/1447 AH, replacing the Enforcement Law issued in 1433 AH and its amendments. This update affects every business that sells on credit or holds judgments and instruments that have not yet been collected. It may also change how debts are documented from now on.
In this article, we explain when the law takes effect and its key provisions for creditors: the list of enforceable instruments, deadlines, travel bans, asset tracing and penalties. We then review the transitional provisions that determine what happens to existing proceedings and instruments.
When Does the New Enforcement Law Take Effect?
The law was published in the Umm Al-Qura Gazette on 14/11/1447 AH (May 1, 2026). Under Article 65, it takes effect 180 days after publication, which is approximately late October 2026 (around October 28, 2026 by calculation). The exact date is determined by what the official authorities announce.
Article 64 requires the Minister of Justice to issue the implementing regulations within 180 days of the law’s issuance, and they take effect on the same date as the law. The law leaves many details to the implementing regulations, so it remains essential to follow their issuance.
Enforceable Instruments Under the New Law
Article 7 provides that compulsory enforcement may only be carried out under an enforceable instrument for a specific right that is due and payable. Enforceable instruments include:
- Final judgments, orders and decisions issued by the courts of the Kingdom, and judgments subject to provisional enforcement.
- Arbitral awards in accordance with the relevant laws.
- Settlement agreements and conciliation instruments that are notarized or issued by entities legally authorized to do so.
- Bills of exchange and promissory notes, provided they are registered on the national electronic platforms.
- Checks.
- Contracts and acknowledgments notarized in accordance with the Notarization Law.
- Foreign judgments and instruments, subject to the conditions set out in Article 9.
- Contracts and instruments that a law or a Council of Ministers resolution treats as enforceable instruments.
The most significant change here concerns commercial papers. The previous law treated commercial papers as enforceable instruments, whereas the new law requires bills of exchange and promissory notes to be registered on the national electronic platforms, while checks remain enforceable instruments in their own right. The implementing regulations will set out the conditions and procedures for this registration.
Article 11 also sets a time limit: an enforcement request will not be accepted for an instrument that has been due for more than ten years, subject to the relevant statutory provisions.
Deadlines and Procedures After an Enforcement Request Is Filed
The law sets out a clear timeline that begins when the party against whom enforcement is sought (the debtor) is notified. The table below summarizes the key deadlines as stated in the text:
| Stage | Provision in the law |
|---|---|
| Completing missing items in the enforcement request | Ten business days from notification, failing which the request is deemed rejected, with the right to file a grievance within ten business days (Article 13) |
| Notification of the enforcement order | The debtor is notified as soon as the order is issued; if notification is not possible, a public announcement is made and its effects run from the date of the announcement (Article 14) |
| Start of compulsory enforcement | After five business days without compliance; an additional ten business days are granted if the debtor provides a sufficient bank guarantee (Article 18) |
| Response by entities supervising assets | Three business days to provide the court with information or carry out its orders (Articles 3 and 15) |
| Disclosure by third parties ordered to disclose | Ten business days from notification (Article 15) |
| Grievances against decisions on enforcement procedures | Ten business days, filed with the chief judge of the court or whoever the Supreme Judicial Council designates (Article 46) |
Once compulsory enforcement begins, the measures include notifying entities licensed to record credit information of the debtor’s non-compliance, and attaching the debtor’s assets as well as any assets they receive in the future. The court may also impose a fine of up to SAR 5,000 for each day of delay, within a cap set by the implementing regulations, with the proceeds paid to the State Treasury.
Travel Bans Under the New Enforcement Law
Article 19 regulates travel bans under the Enforcement Law in detail. Once the voluntary compliance period expires, the court orders a travel ban on the debtor at the request of the enforcement applicant, for a period not exceeding three years. The ban may be extended by a new request, provided the total does not exceed six years, and it ends when the enforcement request ends.
The same article requires the court to lift the ban in specific cases, including where:
- The debtor needs medical treatment outside the Kingdom, supported by an approved medical report.
- The debt is a small amount, as defined by the implementing regulations.
- The debtor’s profession or job requires travel.
- The ban would cause the debtor harm.
- The debtor discloses assets sufficient to settle the debt, and nothing prevents recovery from them.
The practical effect for creditors is that a travel ban is no longer an open-ended pressure tool. It is therefore advisable to focus from the outset on disclosure, attachment and asset tracing.
Asset Disclosure and Tracing the Debtor’s Assets
The law requires the debtor to disclose their assets from the date they are notified of the enforcement order. Where there are indications that assets are being concealed or smuggled away, the court may, at the enforcement applicant’s request, order other persons to make disclosures, including the debtor’s agents, those who deal with the debtor financially, the debtor’s own debtors, and anyone suspected of favoring the debtor.
Article 20 allows the court to order the tracing of the debtor’s assets at the enforcement applicant’s request whenever there are indications of concealment or smuggling, and the tracing costs are treated as enforcement expenses. The court may also allow the enforcement applicant to view data on the debtor’s assets to the extent required for that purpose. Article 21 adds the power to question the debtor, or anyone suspected of receiving smuggled assets, either directly or through the competent department or licensed private-sector asset-tracing providers. The person summoned for questioning must respond within three business days.
Voiding the Debtor’s Transactions
Article 24 gives the enforcement applicant the right to file a lawsuit to void the debtor’s transactions if the debtor disposed of assets after being notified or served and before attachment. This includes gifts and donations, paying a debt before it falls due, and contracts that are unusual for someone in the debtor’s position. Any disposal of assets after an attachment order is issued is void.
Assets Exempt from Attachment
Article 26 protects certain assets from attachment, including public property, the debtor’s home and means of transportation to the extent of reasonable need (unless they are pledged to the creditor), and government subsidies. Only one-third of wages and salaries may be attached for ordinary debts, and one-half for maintenance (nafaqa) debts. For retirement pensions, one-quarter may be attached for ordinary debts and one-half for maintenance, with rules for allocation when claims compete.
Direct Enforcement and Imprisonment
The law distinguishes between enforcement against assets and “direct enforcement,” which concerns performing or refraining from an act, such as handing over a specific item or vacating a property. In direct enforcement, the court calls on the competent enforcement authority and may impose a fine of up to SAR 10,000 per day. If thirty business days pass without compliance, the court may, at the enforcement applicant’s request, imprison the debtor for up to 180 days, which may be extended, subject to specific humanitarian exceptions (Article 37). The right itself is not extinguished when the imprisonment period ends.
Penalties and Enforcement Against Companies
The law criminalizes concealing or smuggling assets, deliberately obstructing enforcement, resisting it, and providing misleading information. The penalty is imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to SAR 1 million, or both (Article 50). A debtor who squanders substantial assets is also punishable by imprisonment of up to fifteen years, even if their insolvency is established (Article 52).
When enforcing against a private legal entity, the direct enforcement provisions apply to any of its personnel who cause enforcement to be obstructed, in accordance with the controls set by the implementing regulations (Article 41). This raises the level of accountability within companies subject to enforcement.
The Role of the Private Sector and Electronic Means
The law allows certain enforcement procedures to be assigned to the licensed private sector by decision of the Minister, except for imprisonment and travel ban orders, deciding disputes and grievances, and issuing judgments (Article 60). The Ministry licenses enforcement service providers, including judicial sale agents, judicial custodians and asset-tracing service providers (Article 61). As a general rule, decisions and procedures are carried out using approved electronic means (Article 62).
Transitional Provisions: What About Existing Proceedings and Instruments?
The accompanying Royal Decree includes important transitional provisions, most notably:
- Judgments, orders and decisions issued before the law takes effect remain valid under the provisions in force before then.
- The law does not apply to enforcement disputes in which final judgments were issued before it took effect.
- Bills of exchange and promissory notes issued before the law takes effect that meet the statutory requirements, except for electronic registration, are treated as enforceable instruments for one year after it takes effect.
- The precautionary attachment provisions of the previous law continue to apply until they are transferred to the Law of Sharia Procedure.
- The insolvency provisions of the previous law continue to apply until civil insolvency legislation is issued.
What Should Creditor Companies Do Now?
- Deal with existing paper promissory notes within the one-year transitional period, and adopt registered electronic promissory notes for new credit transactions.
- Review contract templates to include documentation methods that give them the status of an enforceable instrument where possible, such as notarization under the Notarization Law.
- Update internal collection policies to rely on disclosure, attachment and asset tracing, not on travel bans alone.
- Follow the issuance of the implementing regulations and the Ministry’s procedural guides.
If you would like to apply these provisions in practice to your debt portfolio, the debt collection and enforcement service at Alburhan Law Firm offers a review of existing instruments and a collection plan aligned with the new law. You can contact us to discuss your case, or explore our other legal services.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the new Enforcement Law cancel existing enforcement requests?
No. Judgments, orders and decisions issued before it takes effect remain valid under the previous provisions, and the law does not apply to enforcement disputes in which final judgments were issued before it took effect. Procedures taken after it takes effect are, as a general rule, governed by its provisions.
Is a check still an enforceable instrument?
Yes. Checks are expressly listed among the enforceable instruments in Article 7 and are not subject to the electronic registration requirement imposed on bills of exchange and promissory notes.
What is the maximum duration of a travel ban?
Three years, extendable by a new request, provided the total does not exceed six years. The ban ends when the enforcement request ends.
Where can I find the official text?
The text is published in the Umm Al-Qura Gazette: text of the Enforcement Law, and Royal Decree No. M/237 and its transitional provisions.
This article provides general information and is not a substitute for legal advice tailored to your situation.
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