Copyright Protection
The Copyright Law of Saudi Arabia is issued by Royal Decree No. M/41 dated 02/07/1424 H, corresponding to 30 August 2003.
Copyright protection is granted to authors whose works of art are expressed in writing, sound, drawing, photography or motion pictures and computer software. The rights of the author are protected for his lifetime and for a period of 50 years after his death.
The protection shall cover all intellectual works whether they are literary, scientific or artistic of any type as far as the distribution of the same in Saudi Arabia is allowed. Copyright protection in Saudi Arabia is not subject to any registration or renewal. In accordance with the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, registration in the home country shall extend to all member states. Saudi Arabia is a member of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, and the Universal Copyright Convention.
Any printed materials or computer programs are allowed to be distributed in Saudi Arabia only upon the approval of the Ministry of Information. In this regard, the participation of a local distributor is essential where it is tasked to obtain the necessary approval.
The Law gives the author financial and moral rights to print or publish the work, to make amendments or to delete his work, to withdraw it from circulation, and to assign it as he may wish.
The law incorporates stringent penalties to be imposed on Intellectual Property infringers. These penalties include financial fines reaching up to 250.000 Saudi Riyals, closing the violating establishment, confiscation of all copies of the work and imprisonment for a period not exceeding 6 months.
Our fees for filing an application for the registration of copyright, the documentation required and any other details, will be provided to you upon demand.