The Saudi Enforcement Law that took effect on Thursday 29 October 2026 changes how debts, court judgments, cheques and family rulings are enforced in the Kingdom, and it matters to expats as much as to Saudis. Travel bans for debt now have a fixed ceiling, imprisonment becomes a last resort, and hiding assets from a creditor can lead to jail terms of up to 15 years.
The new law replaces the 2012 enforcement system. The Minister of Justice, Dr Walid Al-Samaani, approved its implementing regulations (54 articles) in late October, and they started on the same day as the law. If you lend money, owe money, sign promissory notes for a car or a business, or have a family case running in a Saudi court, this guide explains what changed and what to do now.
What the Saudi Enforcement Law is and when it started
The Saudi Enforcement Law is the system enforcement courts use to turn a judgment, a registered promissory note or another enforceable document into actual payment. It decides how a creditor files, how the debtor is notified, what can be seized, and what happens if the debtor does not pay.
| Step | Date | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Council of Ministers approval | 14 April 2026 | Resolution No. 746 |
| Royal Decree | 20 April 2026 | Royal Decree No. M/237 |
| Published in the official gazette | 1 May 2026 | Umm Al-Qura |
| Implementing regulations approved | October 2026 | Minister of Justice, 54 articles |
| Law and regulations in force | 29 October 2026 | Ministry of Justice announcement |
The law itself has 65 articles. When it was approved in April, the Saudi Press Agency reported the Justice Minister saying it balances the rights of creditors and debtors, adds judicial safeguards and strengthens asset disclosure and tracing.
Follow Saudi Life Guide for Iqama, visa and job updates
New rules, fees and news as soon as we publish them. Join 83,500+ followers on Facebook.
Travel bans for debt: the new 3-year and 6-year limits
A travel ban for debt can now last a maximum of three years per order, and the total cannot go beyond six years even if it is renewed. Under the old system, many expats in Saudi Arabia lived with open-ended bans that stayed on Absher for as long as a case sat unresolved.
The main points, based on the law as summarised by the major law firms advising on it:
- Request only. A ban is ordered on the creditor’s request, not automatically.
- After asset steps. The court is expected to try asset-based measures (bank accounts, property, shares) before restricting travel.
- Automatic end. The ban lapses on its own once the enforcement request ends, for example when the debt is paid or the file is closed.
- Grounds to lift it. The court can lift a ban for medical treatment abroad backed by an approved medical report, when the debt is below a minor amount set in the regulations, when the debtor’s job requires travel, when the ban causes the debtor harm, or when the debtor discloses enough free assets to cover the debt.
For an expat, a travel ban is more than an inconvenience. In practice it stops you leaving the Kingdom, which means an exit re-entry visa or a final exit visa is of no use until the ban is lifted. The ceiling does not cancel the debt, so do not treat the three years as a waiting game.
Is debtor imprisonment abolished?
No. Imprisonment stays in the Saudi Enforcement Law, but only as a last resort after asset measures and a further period of non-compliance have failed. Several social media posts claim jail for debt has been “cancelled”, which is not what the law says.
The law also lists people who cannot be imprisoned in enforcement cases: debtors under 18, people who are medically unfit (with a medical report), pregnant women, mothers of children under two, and the creditor’s own parents, grandparents, children or grandchildren. Detention is served apart from criminal prisoners, and serving it does not wipe out the debt.
Promissory notes and cheques must now be registered
A promissory note (sanad lamr) or bill of exchange only counts as an enforcement document if it is registered on the approved national electronic platforms. Paper notes signed before the law started still work for one year after 29 October 2026, provided they meet the other legal conditions.
This is the change most likely to catch expats out. Car showrooms, furniture shops, landlords and small business partners often ask for a paper promissory note as security. From now on, a creditor holding an unregistered note signed after the start date may not be able to take it straight to enforcement.
- If you are the creditor, ask for an electronic note through the approved platform instead of paper.
- If you signed paper notes before 29 October 2026, keep copies and note the one-year window.
- Never sign a blank or undated note, paper or electronic.
What can and cannot be taken from a debtor
The new law protects a basic level of living while giving courts stronger tools to trace everything else. A debtor’s home, means of transport, professional tools, personal necessities and government subsidies are exempt from seizure.
| Income or asset | Maintenance debts (such as nafaqa) | Other debts |
|---|---|---|
| Salary or wages | Up to one half | Up to one third |
| Civil or military pension | Up to one half | Up to one quarter |
| Residence, car, work tools, necessities | Exempt | |
Bank accounts are a different story. If your salary account goes on hold, our guide on what to do when a Saudi bank account is frozen walks through the bank and court side of it.
Asset disclosure also goes further than before. When notified of an enforcement order, the debtor must declare all assets. Courts can order relatives, agents, employers, banks and people who owe the debtor money to disclose information, and asset registries must reply to a court order within three working days. The law also allows licensed private firms to provide asset tracing services.
Deadlines inside an enforcement case
The law sets short, fixed time limits so cases do not drift for years. Once you are notified, you have five working days to pay or comply before coercive steps start.
| Stage | Time limit |
|---|---|
| Debtor complies after notification | 5 working days |
| Extra time if a bank guarantee covers the debt | 10 working days |
| Creditor fixes gaps in an application | 10 working days |
| Authorities and registries answer court orders | 3 working days |
| Oldest document that can be enforced | 10 years from the due date |
One more point that surprises people: filing an objection does not freeze enforcement unless the court specifically orders a stay. Lawyers commenting on the regulations also say enforcement disputes must be decided within 15 working days of referral.
Penalties for hiding assets or blocking enforcement
The Saudi Enforcement Law turns several common tactics into criminal offences with much heavier penalties than before. The maximum fine for evading enforcement rises from SAR 100,000 under the old law to SAR 1 million.
| Offence | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|
| Hiding or moving assets, obstructing enforcement, giving false information | 3 years in prison and/or SAR 1,000,000 |
| Public official obstructing enforcement | 5 years in prison |
| Dissipating substantial assets | 15 years in prison |
| Creditor abusing the process or leaking a debtor’s asset information | 3 years and/or SAR 100,000 |
| Blocking a custody, guardianship or visitation ruling | 90 days and/or SAR 30,000 |
Repeat offences within three years of a final judgment can be punished with up to double the maximum. Transferring your car or flat to a friend’s name after a case is filed is exactly the kind of move the new law targets.
Family rulings: nafaqa, custody and visitation
The implementing regulations include specific procedures for enforcing nafaqa (maintenance), custody and visitation rulings, and the law says the child’s best interests must be considered. This matters to expat parents whose family cases are heard in Saudi personal status courts.
Maintenance debts also get the strongest salary protection for the person owed: up to half of a salary can be attached for nafaqa, compared with one third for ordinary debts.
What the Saudi Enforcement Law means for expats
The law applies to everyone in the Kingdom, so expats get the same protections and face the same penalties as citizens. Based on real expat experience in KSA, the typical cases are an unpaid personal or car loan, a credit card balance, rent arrears under an Ejar contract, a business partner dispute, or a cheque given as security.
A few points work differently for residents than for citizens:
- Your iqama status still matters. An active enforcement case does not stop your iqama from expiring. Keep an eye on your iqama expiry date so a debt case does not turn into a residency problem too.
- Leaving without settling is riskier. Courts can now trace assets through relatives, agents and employers, and a new ban can be requested while a case is open.
- Foreign judgments are narrower. A court ruling from your home country is enforced in Saudi Arabia only on reciprocity and treaty grounds, and only when strict conditions are met.
- Your credit file shows the debt. Unpaid finance with a Saudi bank also appears on your SIMAH report. Our guide to checking your credit score in Saudi Arabia shows how to see it.
How to check for a travel ban or enforcement case
You can check for travel restrictions and court cases online before you book a ticket. Do this well before any planned trip, not at the airport.
- Absher. Log in to Absher and look for the travel ban enquiry under the services for individuals. A ban linked to an enforcement case shows there.
- Najiz. Log in to Najiz, the Ministry of Justice portal, with Nafath. Enforcement requests filed against you, and the court handling them, appear under your cases.
- Read the notice carefully. The five-working-day clock starts from notification, so check SMS and Najiz notifications regularly.
- Act inside the deadline. Pay, agree a settlement with the creditor, or provide a bank guarantee. If you dispute the debt, get advice from a licensed Saudi lawyer straight away.
- Confirm the case is closed. After payment, ask the court to close the enforcement request so any ban lapses, then check Absher again.
Official information on the courts and enforcement services is on the Ministry of Justice website.
Cases that started under the old law
Judgments and orders issued before 29 October 2026 remain valid. Pending enforcement requests continue, but the new procedures apply to them from the start date, according to lawyers quoted by Ajel.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Believing jail for debt is gone. It is a last resort, not abolished. Ignoring a case can still end in detention.
- Waiting out the three-year ban. The ban has a ceiling, the debt does not. The creditor can keep enforcing against your salary and assets for up to 10 years from the due date.
- Moving assets to friends or family. This is now a criminal offence carrying up to three years in prison and a fine of up to SAR 1 million.
- Accepting a new paper promissory note. If you are the lender, an unregistered note signed after 29 October 2026 may not be enforceable directly.
- Assuming an objection stops everything. Enforcement continues unless the court orders a stay.
- Checking for a ban at the airport. Check Absher and Najiz before you book, especially before a final exit.
Frequently asked questions
Has Saudi Arabia cancelled jail for unpaid debts?
No, Saudi Arabia has not cancelled imprisonment for unpaid debts; the new Enforcement Law keeps it as a last resort. A court can only order it after asset-based measures and a further period of non-compliance have failed. Minors, pregnant women, mothers of children under two and medically unfit debtors cannot be imprisoned, and serving time does not cancel the debt.
How long can a travel ban for debt last in Saudi Arabia now?
A travel ban for debt can now last up to three years per order, with a total limit of six years if it is renewed. The ban is issued on the creditor’s request and ends automatically when the enforcement request ends, for example after the debt is paid. A court can also lift it for medical treatment abroad or if you disclose enough assets to cover the debt.
Can my whole salary be taken for a debt in Saudi Arabia?
No, your whole salary cannot be taken under the Saudi Enforcement Law. A court can attach up to one third of wages for ordinary debts and up to one half for maintenance debts such as nafaqa. For pensions the limits are one quarter for ordinary debts and one half for maintenance. Your home, car, work tools and basic necessities are exempt from seizure.
Is my old paper promissory note still valid after 29 October 2026?
Yes, a paper promissory note signed before 29 October 2026 can still be enforced for one year after that date, as long as it meets the other legal conditions. After the transition, a note or bill of exchange must be registered on the approved national electronic platforms to count as an enforcement document. Creditors holding old paper notes should act within that year.
How do I check if I have a travel ban in Saudi Arabia?
You can check for a travel ban on Absher using the travel ban enquiry service, and see any enforcement case against you on Najiz, the Ministry of Justice portal, by logging in with Nafath. Check both well before booking a flight or applying for a final exit, because an active ban will stop you at the border.
Key takeaways
- The Saudi Enforcement Law and its 54-article regulations took effect on 29 October 2026, replacing the 2012 system.
- Travel bans for debt are capped at three years per order and six years in total, and end automatically when the case closes.
- Imprisonment remains, but only as a last resort with clear exemptions.
- Promissory notes must be registered electronically; old paper notes have a one-year grace period.
- Salaries are protected: one third for ordinary debts, one half for nafaqa. Home, car and work tools are exempt.
- Hiding assets can mean up to three years and SAR 1 million; dissipating substantial assets up to 15 years.
- Check Absher and Najiz before you travel, and respond within five working days of any notice.
Last updated: 29 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. For a specific case, speak to a licensed Saudi lawyer and check the latest notices from the Ministry of Justice.