What is a promissory note?
A promissory note is a signed, written promise to pay a set sum of money to a named person, either when asked or on a set date.
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
- سند لأمر
- Said as
- sanad li-amr (SA-nad li-AMR)
- Official channel
- Nafith (nafith.sa), the national electronic platform for promissory notes. It is linked to the Ministry of Justice’s enforcement system.
- Can you use it from abroad?
- Partly. Creditors abroad usually act on a note through a Saudi lawyer with a power of attorney.
Tell us whether you hold the note or signed it, and whether it is on Nafith or on paper. Please don’t send it yet.
What is a promissory note, in plain words?
A promissory note is a written promise to pay. The debtor signs it and promises to pay a set amount to the creditor named in it.
A note is a kind of commercial paper: a written document used in trade to pay or promise money. A cheque is another kind. Nafith, the platform that holds notes, describes a note as an enforcement document. That means the Enforcement Court can act on it without a new judgment.
Nafith and Nafath sound alike, but they are different. Nafith holds promissory notes. Nafath is the Saudi government’s login app.
Why does a promissory note matter if you are a foreigner?
It matters because the rules are changing. Under the new Enforcement Law, which applies from 28 October 2026, notes need to be on Nafith, the national electronic platform, to be enforced directly. Older paper notes are covered by a limited transition period; the official text sets it out.
If you sell to Saudi customers on credit, a note gives you a signed promise you can act on if a customer does not pay. If you have lived in Saudi Arabia, you may have signed one yourself. An unpaid note can lead to an enforcement file, and leaving the country does not close it. In some cases, that file can lead to a travel ban.
Where will you meet a promissory note?
You will usually meet one when you sell on credit or recover a debt in Saudi Arabia.
This page explains how to review the notes you hold.
Promissory notes, cheques and the Nafith platformThis guide shows which documents let you skip a full lawsuit.
Enforcement instruments explainedThis page explains what changes for creditors.
The new Enforcement Law
Can you use a promissory note from outside Saudi Arabia?
Partly. Without a Saudi digital identity, you usually cannot use Nafith yourself, but a Saudi lawyer can act for you. The lawyer needs your power of attorney, a signed document that lets someone act in your name. You can usually sign it in your own country, as our page on power of attorney for Saudi Arabia, signed abroad explains.
Nafith and Najiz, where enforcement requests are made, both use Nafath to confirm who you are. Nafath needs a Saudi digital identity, linked to an ID issued in Saudi Arabia. So a lawyer usually checks the note and follows any enforcement request.
If you hold a paper original, keep it safe. We tell you how to send it after we agree to act.
Frequently asked questions
Is a promissory note the same as a cheque?
No. A promissory note is a signed, written promise to pay. A cheque is a different document, and it is one of the enforcement instruments the Enforcement Court can act on. Nafith is the national electronic platform for promissory notes. See promissory notes, cheques and the Nafith platform.
Are paper promissory notes still valid in Saudi Arabia?
Check before you rely on one. The new Enforcement Law changes how promissory notes are enforced, including the role of the Nafith platform, and the official text has the current rules. We don’t summarise them here, because the exact wording matters. Review your paper notes early with a licensed lawyer, and keep the originals safe.
How do I check a promissory note in Saudi Arabia?
Start with Nafith, the national electronic platform for promissory notes. Most government portals sign you in through Nafath, the national digital login app, so from abroad a lawyer holding your power of attorney usually checks for you. See promissory notes, cheques and the Nafith platform.
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.
- Nafith (national electronic platform for promissory notes) · Nafith (in Arabic and English) · checked
- Ministry of Justice · Ministry of Justice legislation portal (in Arabic) · checked
- Ministry of Justice · Ministry of Justice (MOJ) (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.