Recovering money owed in Saudi Arabia
If a company or person in Saudi Arabia owes you money, a licensed Saudi lawyer can usually pursue it without you travelling. Most matters start with a written demand and negotiation, then a court claim if the debt stays unpaid. If you hold a judgment, a cheque or a similar document, you may go straight to enforcement.
Published by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations · Last updated
General information about Saudi law — not advice on your situation.
Tell us in a few lines who owes you, roughly how much, and what you hold — an invoice, a cheque, a judgment.
At a glance
- Who this is for
- Foreign companies, suppliers, credit insurers, foreign law firms and individuals owed money by a company or a person in Saudi Arabia.
- Can it be handled from outside Saudi Arabia?
- Yes. In most matters. A Saudi lawyer can act for you through a power of attorney, and most court work is electronic. We tell you early if any step needs someone in person.
- What usually decides the route
- Whether you hold a document the Enforcement Court accepts (such as a judgment, an arbitration award or a cheque), what your contract says about disputes, and where the debtor’s assets are.
- What you usually need first
- A short outline: who owes you, roughly how much, and what you hold. No documents yet.
- First step with us
- Send that outline by WhatsApp, phone or email.
- Working languages
- Arabic and English
Common situations we help with
We recover money owed by companies and individuals in Saudi Arabia, including enforcing foreign judgments and arbitration awards. Start with the page closest to your question.
What changes for creditors under Saudi Arabia’s new Enforcement Law?
From 28 October 2026, a new Enforcement Law sets the rules for making debtors pay. It puts more weight on finding and reaching the debtor’s assets. See what the new Enforcement Law changes for creditors.
How do you get a Saudi company to pay an unpaid invoice?
Usually you start with a clear written demand and try to settle. If that fails, a lawyer brings a claim, or goes straight to enforcement if you hold a document the court accepts. See recovering an unpaid invoice from a Saudi company.
Are our promissory notes and cheques still enforceable in Saudi Arabia?
A cheque is a document the Enforcement Court can act on without a new lawsuit. The new law changes how promissory notes are enforced, including the role of Nafith, the national electronic platform for promissory notes. See promissory notes, cheques and the Nafith platform.
Can a court judgment from another country be enforced in Saudi Arabia?
Often, yes, but not automatically. The Enforcement Court reviews it first, and still looks at reciprocity: whether that country’s courts enforce Saudi judgments. See enforcing a foreign court judgment in Saudi Arabia.
We are also writing pages on these questions:
Saudi Arabia is a party to the New York Convention on foreign arbitration awards.
Enforcing an arbitration award in Saudi ArabiaComing soonWhen a person owes you money, the routes are similar, but some steps differ.
Recovering money from an individual in Saudi ArabiaComing soonHow a debtor’s assets are found, and when they can be secured.
Finding assets and securing payment before judgmentComing soonHow creditors take part in a bankruptcy procedure.
Claims when a Saudi customer is in bankruptcy or restructuringComing soon
How does debt collection in Saudi Arabia work, step by step?
Debt collection in Saudi Arabia usually moves through six stages. You secure payment terms, send a written demand and negotiate, then claim in court or go straight to enforcement if you hold a judgment, an award or a cheque. Next, the debtor’s assets are found and secured, and the enforcement file is followed stage by stage. If the debtor cannot pay, you claim in insolvency. From 28 October 2026, the new Enforcement Law puts more weight on finding assets. Not every matter needs all six stages, and the order can change.
- Secure payment terms before you ship. Agree in writing how and when you will be paid before you deliver. Where a lawyer helps: checking your terms and the payment documents you take from the buyer.
- Send a documented demand and negotiate. Put the debt in writing, with the invoices and delivery records behind it. Talks or mediation may follow; Taradhi is one official option. Where a lawyer helps: a demand in Arabic that records the debt and sets out your position.
- Claim in court, or enforce directly. With only invoices and a contract, a claim usually comes first. With a judgment, an arbitration award or a cheque, you may start enforcement directly. Our guide to enforcement instruments explains which documents skip a full lawsuit.
- Find and secure the debtor’s assets. Enforcement works on what the debtor owns, such as bank accounts or property. From 28 October 2026, the new law puts more weight on finding those assets.
- Follow the enforcement file stage by stage. An enforcement file is a case at the Enforcement Court, and each stage needs follow-up. Where a lawyer helps: following the file on Najiz and acting at each stage.
- Claim in insolvency if the debtor cannot pay. If the debtor enters bankruptcy proceedings, creditors usually claim inside that procedure. Where a lawyer helps: watching the official notices and filing your claim.
Can you recover a debt in Saudi Arabia without travelling there?
Usually, yes. A Saudi lawyer can act for you under a power of attorney you sign in your own country. Saudi courts run most hearings electronically. If any step needs someone in person, we tell you early.
A power of attorney signed abroad usually has to be certified before Saudi authorities accept it. Depending on your country, that means an apostille or legalisation. See power of attorney for Saudi Arabia, signed abroad and documents for Saudi Arabia by country.
Najiz is the Ministry of Justice’s online platform for cases and powers of attorney. According to the Najiz platform itself, you sign in with Nafath, the Saudi government’s login app. Nafath needs a Saudi digital identity, linked to an ID issued in Saudi Arabia. So a creditor abroad usually acts through a lawyer, who files and follows the matter.
Court work in Saudi Arabia is done in Arabic. Documents in other languages may need a certified Arabic translation. Ask us before you pay for one.
What are the routes to getting paid in Saudi Arabia?
There are usually five: settlement, a court claim, direct enforcement, enforcing a foreign decision, and a claim in bankruptcy. Which one fits depends on the documents you hold and on the debtor’s position.
| Route | When it usually fits | What you usually need | More detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Settlement or mediation | The debtor does not deny the debt, or the dispute is about timing or amount. | The contract, the invoices and the messages about the debt. | Unpaid invoices |
| A claim in the commercial courts | You hold invoices or a contract, but no enforcement instrument. | Proof of the debt and of delivery. | Unpaid invoices |
| Direct enforcement at the Enforcement Court | You hold a Saudi judgment, an arbitration award, a cheque or another enforcement instrument. | The document itself and the debtor’s details. | Notes and cheques |
| Enforcing a foreign judgment or award | A court or tribunal abroad has decided in your favour, and the debtor has assets in Saudi Arabia. | An authenticated copy and a certified Arabic translation. | Foreign judgments |
| A claim in bankruptcy proceedings | The debtor has entered a bankruptcy or restructuring procedure. | Proof of the debt, and close attention to the official notices. | Page coming soon |
This is a general comparison, not a ranking. The right route depends on your documents and on the debtor.
Still deciding whether to sue at home or in Saudi Arabia? Start with where the debtor’s assets are. A judgment from your own courts is reviewed by the Saudi Enforcement Court before it can be enforced.
If a person, not a company, owes you money, the routes are similar, but some steps differ.
What should you do first if you are in Saudi Arabia, or outside it?
Wherever you are, keep everything in writing and gather your documents. What changes is how you use Saudi platforms and who signs for you.
If you are in Saudi Arabia
- Keep every message about the debt in writing, and save the delivery records.
- Do not sign new payment terms, a settlement or a release before a lawyer has read it.
- Keep original cheques, promissory notes and signed contracts safe.
- If you plan to leave Saudi Arabia, sign a power of attorney first, so the matter can continue.
- Act early. Older debts are harder to prove, and time limits may apply.
If you are outside Saudi Arabia
- You need a Saudi online account to use Najiz. From abroad, a lawyer usually acts for you under a power of attorney.
- Check what your contract says about disputes. A clause naming arbitration or another country’s courts changes the route.
- Keep the originals of cheques, notes and judgments safe. We tell you how to send them, after we agree to act.
- If the debt is insured, check your policy’s own steps before you agree anything with the debtor.
What should you prepare before contacting a Saudi lawyer?
A short outline is enough for a first message: who owes you, roughly how much, and what you hold. Have these ready:
- Who owes you, and their commercial registration (CR) number if you have it. A CR is a business’s entry in the official commercial register.
- The contract, purchase order or terms of sale.
- The invoices, and proof of delivery or of the work done.
- Emails or messages about the debt, especially any in which the debtor accepts it.
- Any cheque, promissory note, judgment or arbitration award.
- What you have tried so far, and any reply from the debtor.
Keep them ready — don’t send them yet. We tell you which ones to send after we agree to act.
What’s changed recently
- 28 October 2026. The new Enforcement Law takes effect. It changes what creditors (people and companies who are owed money) can do. See the dated entry on our what’s changed page.
How we help
We act for creditors in Saudi Arabia and abroad. We explain the routes in plain words, then act for you in Arabic, the language Saudi courts work in.
It starts with a short outline from you. We tell you whether we can help, what we need and how fees are agreed. Work starts only after an engagement letter, the written agreement between you and the firm, is signed. Under a power of attorney, we then send the demand, negotiate, and bring the claim or the enforcement request.
No one can promise how a recovery ends. Before you decide, we tell you plainly what can be done, what it takes and on what written terms. Payment is arranged directly with the firm, never on this site. Raed AlJuhani is a licensed Saudi lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a debt collection agency or a lawyer in Saudi Arabia?
For a court claim or an enforcement file, you need a licensed Saudi lawyer. A collection agency can contact the debtor and negotiate. Bringing a claim, or opening a file at the Enforcement Court, is legal work that a lawyer does under a power of attorney.
How long does debt recovery take in Saudi Arabia?
There is no standard timeline, and we don’t publish one. It depends on the route, on how the debtor responds and on whether their assets can be found. Once we know your documents, we explain the stages ahead.
How much does it cost to recover a debt in Saudi Arabia?
There is no single figure. A court or government fee may apply, and the official pages have the details. Our own fees are agreed in writing before any work starts. See how legal fees work in Saudi Arabia.
Is a small debt worth pursuing from abroad?
Sometimes. It turns on your documents, on whether the debtor has assets that can be reached, and on the cost of each step. We tell you plainly whether it makes sense before any work starts.
What if our Saudi customer is in bankruptcy proceedings?
Creditors usually claim inside the bankruptcy procedure. The Bankruptcy Commission, the body that oversees these procedures, publishes their notices. Act as soon as you hear of one.
What if the debtor is a Saudi government body?
A different route applies. Disputes with government bodies usually go to the Board of Grievances, the courts that hear cases against the state. We can explain how this works for your contract.
Can a debtor be stopped from leaving Saudi Arabia over a debt?
Sometimes. A travel ban, an order that stops a person leaving Saudi Arabia, can come from an enforcement file. The new Enforcement Law, which applies from 28 October 2026, makes a ban a later step, used within limits. See how travel bans end in Saudi Arabia.
Official sources
This page draws on 5 official sources. Each line shows who publishes it, its language and, where recorded, the date we last checked it.
- Ministry of Justice · Ministry of Justice (MOJ) (in Arabic) · checked
- Ministry of Justice · Najiz (Ministry of Justice e-services) (in Arabic) · checked
- Ministry of Justice · Ministry of Justice legislation portal (in Arabic) · checked
- Umm Al-Qura (Official Gazette) · Umm Al-Qura official gazette, where new laws are published (in Arabic) · checked
- Ministry of Justice · Taradhi (Ministry of Justice e-reconciliation) (in Arabic) · checked
General information about Saudi law, not advice on your situation. Contacting us does not create a lawyer–client relationship until an engagement letter is signed.