Someone owes you money and will not pay? Debt collection in Saudi Arabia follows one of two routes: a fast one if you hold an enforceable instrument, and a longer one that starts with a lawsuit if you do not. Knowing your route from day one saves months.
First: do you hold an enforceable instrument?
An enforceable instrument has the force of a judgment, so you go straight to the Enforcement Court without a lawsuit.
| Document | Route |
|---|---|
| Promissory note, cheque or bill of exchange | Direct enforcement request |
| Final court judgment or competent committee decision | Direct enforcement request |
| Notarised contract, or an approved settlement record (including Taradi) | Direct enforcement request |
| Ordinary contract, invoices, transfers or messages | Lawsuit first, then enforce the judgment |
The full list is in the Enforcement Law. Check the current official text.
Steps in order
- Gather proof of the debt: contract, invoices, statements, transfers, and messages where the debtor acknowledges the amount.
- Send a written demand with the amount and a deadline, by a method that proves delivery. Use the legal notice template.
- Try settlement: a written payment agreement, ideally made through amicable settlement so it becomes enforceable if breached.
- With an enforceable instrument: file the enforcement request on Najiz.
- Without one: file a claim with the competent court: the commercial court between traders or companies, otherwise the general court. Start from the statement of claim template.
- After judgment: enforce it before the Enforcement Court like any instrument.
If the debtor still does not pay
The debtor is notified to pay; if he neither pays nor discloses his assets in time, the court takes escalating measures, including attaching assets and accounts and suspending services and travel. If the debtor claims insolvency, the court examines it under the law.
Mistakes that lose the debt
- Lending or selling on credit with no written record, or by a transfer that does not state its purpose.
- Waiting years: some claims cannot be heard after set periods if the debtor denies them. Read the Civil Transactions Law.
- Signing a clearance or partial settlement without stating it covers only part of the debt.
- Pressuring the debtor by defamation or threats, which can expose you to liability.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer to collect a debt?
Not for small amounts and clear instruments, but a lawyer shortens the route when the debtor is a company, documents are incomplete, or the debtor stalls with objections.
How long does it take?
An enforcement request on a clear instrument is much faster than a lawsuit; it takes longer when the debtor's assets are unknown or the instrument is challenged.
Owed money?
The team at Usus Law Firm handles commercial claims and enforcement from demand letter to enforcement, in Riyadh and Tabuk, and advises in English.
This article is general legal information and is not a substitute for advice on your specific case. Court proceedings in Saudi Arabia are in Arabic; the official Arabic text of each law prevails.
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