What is the Enforcement Court?
The Enforcement Court is the Saudi court that carries out judgments and other enforceable documents, such as a cheque, so that money or rights owed are actually delivered.
Published by RAED ALI ALJOHANI COMPANY FOR Lawyership and Legal Consultations · Last updated
General information about Saudi law — not advice on your situation.
At a glance
- In Arabic
- محكمة التنفيذ
- Said as
- maḥkamat al-tanfīdh (MAH-ka-mat at-tan-FEEDH)
- Official channel
- Ministry of Justice. Enforcement files are opened and followed on Najiz.
- Can you use it from abroad?
- Usually, through a lawyer who holds your power of attorney.
Tell us whether you are owed money or facing an enforcement file, and what you hold.
What does the Enforcement Court do, in plain words?
It carries out a decision or a document that already exists, rather than hearing a new lawsuit. Most often, it makes a debtor, the person or company that owes money, pay the creditor, the one who is owed.
The court acts on an enforcement instrument. This is a document the court can act on without a new judgment. Examples are a Saudi court judgment, an arbitration award and a cheque. So a creditor who holds one can usually skip a full lawsuit. Our guide to enforcement instruments in Saudi Arabia explains which documents count.
Why does the Enforcement Court matter if you are a foreigner?
It matters on both sides of a debt. If a Saudi company or person owes you money and you hold an enforcement instrument, it is usually the direct route to payment. If you owe money in Saudi Arabia, a creditor can open a file against you there.
An enforcement file is a file at the Enforcement Court about making someone pay what they owe. If the debtor does not pay, the court can take steps to reach their assets. In some cases, a travel ban can follow. Under the new Enforcement Law, which applies from 28 October 2026, a ban is a later step, used within limits.
Where will you meet the Enforcement Court?
You will meet it whenever a debt in Saudi Arabia is being enforced, for you or against you:
which documents the court acts on directly.
Enforcement instruments in Saudi Arabia explainedwhen a court claim comes first.
Recovering an unpaid invoice from a Saudi companyhow notes and cheques reach the court.
Promissory notes, cheques and the Nafith platformfor debtors, when a file leads to a ban.
How travel bans end in Saudi Arabiafrom the request to the close.
How an Enforcement Court case moves, stage by stageComing soon
Can you deal with the Enforcement Court from outside Saudi Arabia?
Usually, yes, through a Saudi lawyer who holds your power of attorney. This is a signed document that lets a lawyer act in your name, and you can usually sign it in your own country.
Enforcement files are opened and followed on Najiz, the Ministry of Justice’s online platform. To sign in, Najiz uses Nafath, the Saudi login app, which needs an ID issued in Saudi Arabia. So creditors and debtors abroad usually act through a lawyer, who files requests and follows the file for them.
A document from abroad, such as a foreign judgment, usually needs official stamps and a certified Arabic translation first. See documents from abroad for your country’s route.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Enforcement Court the same as the “execution court”?
Yes. Some English translations call it the execution court, and both names translate the same Arabic term, maḥkamat al-tanfīdh. It is the court that enforces judgments and other enforceable documents, such as a cheque or an arbitral award. If a document from Saudi Arabia mentions either name, it means the same court.
Does opening a file at the Enforcement Court mean I will be paid?
No. A file lets the court act on an enforcement instrument, a document that can be enforced without a new judgment, such as a court judgment, an arbitral award or a cheque. It does not mean that money will be recovered, and no lawyer can promise the result. A licensed lawyer can tell you what to expect from your own file.
How do I check if there is an enforcement case against me in Saudi Arabia?
Check Najiz, the Ministry of Justice’s e-platform for cases and enforcement, if you can sign in with Nafath, the national digital login. If you cannot sign in, a lawyer holding your power of attorney can usually check for you. See how to check for a travel ban or an open case.
Official sources
This page draws on 3 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 · Ministry of Justice legal portal (in Arabic) · checked
- Ministry of Justice · Najiz (Ministry of Justice e-services) (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.