Decision 34 Enforcement Order in Saudi Arabia: What to Do

You receive a message from Najiz (the Ministry of Justice e-services portal) saying an enforcement request was filed against you and a "Decision 34" was issued. Your first thought is that your bank account will be frozen tonight.

The short answer: this decision is the start of the process, not the end. It comes with a short period in which you can change the direction of the file if you use it well.

The new Enforcement Law comes into force 180 days after its publication in the Official Gazette on 14/11/1447H (1 May 2026), around the end of October 2026, and replaces the Enforcement Law of 1433H (Article 65). This guide is based on the law in force today. A separate section explains what changes.

What is "Decision 34"?

"Decision 34" (qarar 34) is the common name for the enforcement order the enforcement judge issues under Article 34 of the Enforcement Law of 1433H. The article sets three steps. The creditor files the enforcement request. The judge checks the instrument: for judgments he checks the enforcement formula, and on cheques, promissory notes and notarised contracts he places the stamp "instrument for enforcement". He then immediately issues an order to the debtor to pay, with a copy of the instrument.

This order does not create a new debt and does not decide the underlying right. It is a formal instruction to you to carry out what the instrument says. So open the decision itself and read the attached instrument: who the applicant is, what the amount is, and which document the request is based on.

When does the five-day period start?

Article 46 says that if the debtor does not pay or disclose sufficient assets within five days of being served with the enforcement order, or of its publication if service was not possible, he is treated as a defaulter, and the measures known as "Decision 46" are issued against him. So the clock starts from service, not from the day the creditor filed the request.

If the debtor cannot be served within twenty days of the order, Article 34 provides for publication, and the cost of publication is collected from the debtor. The regulations treat the debtor as served if he refuses to receive the notice (paragraph 34/11), and treat service as valid when delivered to him personally, even outside his place of residence (paragraph 34/19). Ignoring the notice does not stop the clock.

Can my money be seized before I am served?

As a rule, no. Article 16 makes the order for disclosure and seizure come after the debtor is served with the enforcement order. But there is an exception: if the enforcement judge sees from the debtor's credit record or the circumstances that he is a defaulter, he may order disclosure and seizure of his assets before service. The regulations also allow a travel ban before service where needed, and the court may require the creditor to provide a guarantor or security to compensate the debtor if it turns out the creditor was not entitled (paragraph 34/25).

What three things should you check before you respond?

• Capacity: are you really the party bound by the instrument, or is the obligation on a company you signed for?
• Amount: does it match the instrument, and is the whole debt due, or is part of it not yet due?
• What happened after the instrument: payments, a settlement or a release you can prove with a document.

An enforcement order for SAR 40,000. You have a transfer of SAR 10,000 made after the instrument's date, with the description "partial payment of the note".

Calling the creditor is not enough. Submit proof of the payment in the request file. The debtor's defence of payment after the instrument was issued falls within the enforcement judge's jurisdiction under the regulations (paragraph 3/3).

If the payment is proven, the request remains for SAR 30,000, not SAR 40,000. It does not fall away completely.

What are your options during the five days?

If the amount is correct and you can pay, pay in a way that shows in the request. Article 22 allows a person whose assets are seized to deposit an amount that covers the debt in the court's account, and the seizure then moves to the deposited amount. The regulations require the deposit to include seizure and enforcement costs (paragraph 22/2). If you paid the creditor directly, the Ministry of Justice offers a "proof of payment" service on Najiz, which sends your proof to the applicant to accept or reject.

If you need time, a written agreement with the creditor is more useful than promises. The regulations (paragraph 9/8) state that if the parties agree on something different from the instrument, the enforcement judge records their agreement and it becomes an executive instrument. If your objection is about the validity of the instrument or the conditions for enforcing it, the route is an enforcement dispute before the enforcement judge. A dispute does not stop the proceedings unless the court decides to stay enforcement (paragraph 6/6 of the regulations).

What changes under the new Enforcement Law?

The first change is the number itself. Under the new law, the enforcement order is issued under Article 14. Article 34 of the new law concerns distribution of enforcement proceeds, and Article 46 concerns grievances against enforcement decisions. So the names "Decision 34" and "Decision 46" are tied to the numbering of the 1433H law. Provisions of the new law relevant to this stage:

• Article 14: the debtor is served with the enforcement order as soon as it is issued. If service is not possible, the order is announced by a suitable means and takes effect from the date of the announcement.
• Article 15: the debtor must disclose his assets from the date of service or announcement.
• Article 18: the period is five working days. If the debtor provides a bank guarantee sufficient to pay, he gets ten more working days. After that, forced enforcement starts immediately: notice of non-payment to credit information companies such as SIMAH, and seizure of your assets and future income.
• Article 19: a travel ban after the period is not automatic. It is issued at the creditor's request, for up to three years.
• Articles 23 and 24: the debtor's assets secure his debts from the date of notice or service. The creditor may ask to cancel gifts, early payment of debts not yet due, and unusual transactions made after that date and before seizure, up to the amount of the instrument.

This is general information based on the official Arabic texts of Saudi laws, which prevail over any translation. It is not legal advice for your specific case.

Practical solutions for both sides

If you are the party enforcement is against:

• Record the exact date you were served, and treat the five days as your real deadline.
• Read the attached instrument and compare it with your transfers and receipts.
• If you paid the creditor directly, submit proof through the proof-of-payment service.
• If you need time, agree with the creditor in writing and ask for the agreement to be recorded in the file.
• If you have a genuine objection to the instrument, file a specific enforcement dispute with supporting documents.

If you are the party requesting enforcement:

• Follow the service status on Najiz. After service, the period that leads to Decision 46 starts.
• If the debtor's record or circumstances suggest he will not pay, ask for disclosure and seizure before service under Article 16.
• Take any proof of payment you receive seriously, and update the remaining amount if the payment is proven.
• If the debtor offers a settlement, put it in writing and ask for it to be recorded with the enforcement judge.

If you received a Decision 34 and do not know where to start, send a copy of the decision and the instrument on WhatsApp and we will go through them with you within the deadline, not after it.