Selected year snapshot
For 1993, the active event in this file is نظام حماية حقوق المؤلف (Copyright Protection Law, Royal Decree No. M/11 of 19/5/1410H).
60%
Current rationale
The most permissive research-relevant exception is Article 9(1), which permits reproduction of a work for personal use ('الاستعمال الشخصي') only, provided it does not conflict with normal exploitation. This covers reproduction of full works, applies to all types of works, and is open to any user — but is restricted to 'personal use only' ('دون سواه'), which limits it to individual/private use and does not authorize sharing or institutional use. Article 9(2) is a quotation exception limited to passages (RED individually). Article 9(3) is an educational exception that could cover research in educational contexts but is limited by 'customary limits' and 'the extent justified by the purpose,' and does not clearly extend to general research reproduction of full works. The personal use exception in Article 9(1) is the most permissive for research purposes. It permits full-work reproduction but is restricted to personal/private use, yielding LIGHT BLUE. Non-commercial restriction and proportionality qualifiers are classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of a work for personal use only, provided it does not conflict with normal exploitation of the work
Quotation of passages from a work in another work for clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits
Use of a work for educational purposes by publication, broadcasting, or recordings, within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose
Law changes
نظام حماية حقوق المؤلف (Copyright Protection Law, Royal Decree No. M/11 of 19/5/1410H)
Baseline · Effective 1989-12-17
60%
Relevant section: المادة التاسعة (Article 9)
Dates: Effective 1989-12-17 · Enacted 1989-12-17
Why this score
The most permissive research-relevant exception is Article 9(1), which permits reproduction of a work for personal use ('الاستعمال الشخصي') only, provided it does not conflict with normal exploitation. This covers reproduction of full works, applies to all types of works, and is open to any user — but is restricted to 'personal use only' ('دون سواه'), which limits it to individual/private use and does not authorize sharing or institutional use. Article 9(2) is a quotation exception limited to passages (RED individually). Article 9(3) is an educational exception that could cover research in educational contexts but is limited by 'customary limits' and 'the extent justified by the purpose,' and does not clearly extend to general research reproduction of full works. The personal use exception in Article 9(1) is the most permissive for research purposes. It permits full-work reproduction but is restricted to personal/private use, yielding LIGHT BLUE. Non-commercial restriction and proportionality qualifiers are classification-neutral.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of a work for personal use only, provided it does not conflict with normal exploitation of the work
Quotation of passages from a work in another work for clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits
Use of a work for educational purposes by publication, broadcasting, or recordings, within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose
Original text
المادة التاسعة: يجوز بدون إذن المؤلف وبدون دفع أي مكافأة له القيام بما يلي: ١- استنساخ المصنف للاستعمال الشخصي دون سواه بشرط ألا يتعارض ذلك مع الاستغلال العادي للمصنف. ٢- الاستشهاد بفقرات من المصنف في مصنف آخر بهدف الإيضاح أو الشرح أو النقد وفي حدود العرف وبالقدر الذي يبرره هذا الهدف على أن يذكر المصنف واسم المؤلف إن وجد. ٣- الاستعانة بالمصنف للأغراض التعليمية سواء بالنشر أو بالإذاعة أو بالتسجيلات الصوتية أو المرئية بشرط أن يكون ذلك في حدود العرف وبالقدر الذي يبرره الهدف وأن يذكر المصنف واسم المؤلف إن وجد.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 9: It is permissible, without the author's permission and without payment of any remuneration, to do the following: 1- Reproduction of the work for personal use only, provided this does not conflict with the normal exploitation of the work. 2- Quotation of passages from the work in another work for the purpose of clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose, provided the work and the author's name are mentioned if known. 3- Use of the work for educational purposes, whether by publication, broadcasting, or audio or visual recordings, provided this is within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose, and the work and the author's name are mentioned if known.
Source links
نظام حماية حقوق المؤلف (Copyright Law, Royal Decree No. M/41 of 2/7/1424H)
Relevant update · Effective 2003-09-19
20%
Relevant section: المادة الخامسة عشرة، المادة السادسة عشرة (Articles 15, 16)
Dates: Effective 2003-09-19 · Enacted 2003-08-30
Why this score
The 2003 Copyright Law replaced the 1410H law. Article 15(a) permits reproduction of a single copy for purely personal use, but now explicitly excludes: (1) architectural works reproduced as buildings, (2) complete books or musical works, and (3) databases or computer programs. This means a researcher can reproduce full works of some types (e.g., articles, journal papers, visual art, photographs, audiovisual works) but NOT complete books, musical works, databases, or computer programs. The exclusion of specific categories of works from full-work reproduction, while still permitting full reproduction of other types, maps to ORANGE. Article 15(b) is a quotation exception limited to passages (RED individually). Article 15(c) is an educational use exception covering 'use' broadly but limited to educational purposes. Even if Article 15(c) could be read as GREEN for educational purposes, the personal use exception in 15(a) is the most clearly applicable to general research, and its explicit exclusion of complete books and musical works from reproduction makes it ORANGE. The restriction to 'personal use' would normally yield LIGHT BLUE, but the work-type exclusions are more restrictive, yielding ORANGE. Classification-neutral factors (single copy limit, non-commercial nature) were not factored into the color.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of a single copy for purely personal use, excluding: architectural works as buildings, complete books or musical works, databases or computer programs
Quotation of passages from a work in another work for clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits
Use of a work for educational purposes by publication, broadcasting, or recordings, within customary limits
Permits the lawful possessor of a computer program to make a single backup copy or adaptation necessary for use on a computer
Original text
المادة الخامسة عشرة: يجوز دون إذن المؤلف ودون دفع مقابل مادي له القيام بالأعمال التالية: أ- استنساخ نسخة وحيدة من المصنف للاستعمال الشخصي البحت للمستنسخ، على ألا يكون الاستنساخ من شأنه الإضرار بالاستغلال العادي للمصنف، ولا يسري هذا الاستثناء على الحالات التالية: ١- استنساخ مصنفات الفن المعماري على هيئة مبان أو إنشاءات أخرى مماثلة. ٢- استنساخ كامل كتاب أو مصنف موسيقي. ٣- استنساخ قواعد البيانات أو برامج الحاسب الآلي، فيما عدا ما نصت عليه المادة السادسة عشرة من هذا النظام. ب- الاستشهاد بفقرات من المصنف في مصنف آخر بهدف الإيضاح أو الشرح أو النقد وفي حدود العرف وبالقدر الذي يبرره هذا الهدف على أن يذكر المصنف واسم المؤلف إن وجد. ج- الاستعانة بالمصنف للأغراض التعليمية سواء بالنشر أو بالإذاعة أو بالتسجيلات الصوتية أو المرئية بشرط أن يكون ذلك في حدود العرف وبالقدر الذي يبرره الهدف وأن يذكر المصنف واسم المؤلف إن وجد.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 15: It is permissible, without the author's permission and without payment of financial compensation, to carry out the following: (a) Reproduction of a single copy of the work for the purely personal use of the person making the copy, provided the reproduction does not prejudice the normal exploitation of the work. This exception does not apply in the following cases: 1- Reproduction of works of architecture in the form of buildings or other similar constructions. 2- Reproduction of a complete book or musical work. 3- Reproduction of databases or computer programs, except as provided in Article 16 of this Law. (b) Quotation of passages from the work in another work for the purpose of clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose, provided the work and the author's name are mentioned if known. (c) Use of the work for educational purposes, whether by publication, broadcasting, or audio or visual recordings, provided this is within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose, and the work and the author's name are mentioned if known.
Source links
نظام حماية حقوق المؤلف (Copyright Law, Royal Decree No. M/41 of 2/7/1424H, as amended by Council of Ministers Decision No. 536 of 19/10/1439H)
Current law confirmation · Effective 2018-07-03
20%
Relevant section: المادة الخامسة عشرة، المادة السادسة عشرة (Articles 15, 16)
Dates: Effective 2018-07-03 · Enacted 2018-07-03
Why this score
As of 2025, the Copyright Law in force in Saudi Arabia is the 2003 law (Royal Decree No. M/41) as amended in 2018 by Council of Ministers Decision No. 536. The 2018 amendment did not alter Articles 15 or 16 — the amendments related to institutional administration (transfer of competence to the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property, SAIP) and penalties, not to the exceptions and limitations provisions. The analysis remains the same as the 2003 baseline: Article 15(a) permits reproduction of a single copy for purely personal use but explicitly excludes complete books, musical works, databases, and computer programs. This permits full-work reproduction for some types of works (articles, photographs, audiovisual works, etc.) but not all, yielding ORANGE. Article 15(b) is a quotation exception (RED). Article 15(c) is an educational use exception that could be read broadly but is limited to educational purposes. There is no TDM-specific exception. No fair use or fair dealing general clause exists. The most permissive exception applicable to research is Article 15(a), classified as ORANGE due to the work-type exclusions. Classification-neutral factors (single copy limit, non-commercial nature, proportionality qualifier) were not factored into the color decision.
Exceptions considered
Reproduction of a single copy for purely personal use, excluding: architectural works as buildings, complete books or musical works, databases or computer programs
Quotation of passages from a work in another work for clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits
Use of a work for educational purposes by publication, broadcasting, or recordings, within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose
Permits the lawful possessor of a computer program to make a single backup copy or adaptation necessary for use on a computer
Original text
المادة الخامسة عشرة: يجوز دون إذن المؤلف ودون دفع مقابل مادي له القيام بالأعمال التالية: أ- استنساخ نسخة وحيدة من المصنف للاستعمال الشخصي البحت للمستنسخ، على ألا يكون الاستنساخ من شأنه الإضرار بالاستغلال العادي للمصنف، ولا يسري هذا الاستثناء على الحالات التالية: ١- استنساخ مصنفات الفن المعماري على هيئة مبان أو إنشاءات أخرى مماثلة. ٢- استنساخ كامل كتاب أو مصنف موسيقى. ٣- استنساخ قواعد البيانات أو برامج الحاسب الآلي، فيما عدا ما نصت عليه المادة السادسة عشرة من هذا النظام. ب- الاستشهاد بفقرات من المصنف في مصنف آخر بهدف الإيضاح أو الشرح أو النقد وفي حدود العرف وبالقدر الذي يبرره هذا الهدف على أن يذكر المصنف واسم المؤلف إن وجد. ج- الاستعانة بالمصنف للأغراض التعليمية سواء بالنشر أو بالإذاعة أو بالتسجيلات الصوتية أو المرئية بشرط أن يكون ذلك في حدود العرف وبالقدر الذي يبرره الهدف وأن يذكر المصنف واسم المؤلف إن وجد.
English rendering
[Unofficial translation]: Article 15: It is permissible, without the author's permission and without payment of financial compensation, to carry out the following: (a) Reproduction of a single copy of the work for the purely personal use of the person making the copy, provided the reproduction does not prejudice the normal exploitation of the work. This exception does not apply in the following cases: 1- Reproduction of works of architecture in the form of buildings or other similar constructions. 2- Reproduction of a complete book or musical work. 3- Reproduction of databases or computer programs, except as provided in Article 16 of this Law. (b) Quotation of passages from the work in another work for the purpose of clarification, explanation, or criticism, within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose, provided the work and the author's name are mentioned if known. (c) Use of the work for educational purposes, whether by publication, broadcasting, or audio or visual recordings, provided this is within customary limits and to the extent justified by the purpose, and the work and the author's name are mentioned if known.