• The words, terms, and phrases mentioned below - wherever they appear in this Law - shall have the meanings specified next to each of them unless the context requires otherwise:

  • Law: Postal Law.

  • Regulation: Implementing Regulation of the Law.

  • Organization: Organization of the Transport General Authority.

  • Minister: Minister of Transport and Logistics Services.

  • Authority: Transport General Authority.

  • Council: Board of Directors of the Authority.

  • Sector: Postal Sector.

  • President: President of the Authority.

  • Postal Services: All services and activities related to postal services, including the following:

    • 1- Receiving postal materials, transporting them, distributing them, and delivering them, including express mail.

    • 2- Postal financial services.

    • 3- Post office box service.

    • 4- Advertising mail service.

    • 5- Service for providing prepaid cards or vouchers.

    • 6- Parcel stations.

    • 7- Official mail service.

    • 8- Any service or activity that the Authority deems to fall within the scope of postal services.

  • License: A document issued by the Authority to a person to provide postal services in accordance with the Law and Regulation.

  • Service Provider: A person who provides postal services based on a license, registration, or exemption.

  • Registration: Recording the information of the service provider and the type of service they provide with the Authority.

  • Exemption: A document issued by the Authority to the service provider to provide certain postal services without obtaining a license, or exempting them from one or more licensing conditions.

  • Beneficiary: A person who benefits from any of the postal services.

  • Universal Service: Providing a minimum level of postal services with appropriate quality and fees for all beneficiaries.

  • Right to Universal Access: Providing the opportunity for all beneficiaries in the Kingdom to benefit from the universal service.

  • National Operator: The service provider responsible for providing the universal service.

  • Messages: Any form of written information that has the nature of correspondence and is sent via postal services.

  • Postcards: Pieces of cardboard, with the right or upper part designated for writing the recipient's address, postal clearance procedures, and stamps, and the left or lower part designated for the phrases the sender wishes to write.

  • Publications: Newspapers, magazines, books, brochures, advertisements, photographs, and greeting or condolence cards or similar items.

  • Publications or Writings for the Blind: Any printed papers, or writings in braille, or audio recordings, or sensitive papers designated for use by the blind, sent uncovered.

  • Postal Packages: Small files that may contain items or papers or documents that have the nature of personal correspondence, packaged in a way that allows for viewing their contents.

  • Postal Items: Includes messages, postcards, publications, writings for the blind, and postal packages sent via mail.

  • Parcels: Any postal package, box, bag, or container, or any other wrapped material; containing goods or items that do not have the nature of messages, and are in accordance with the conditions and specifications set by the Authority.

  • Postal Materials: Parcels, postal items, and similar items.

  • Postal Money Orders: Transferring money via mail for a specified amount to a specific person.

  • Postal Financial Services: Any postal money order, postal order, postal check, or other financial services.

  • Advertising Mail: Providing advertising and promotional services via mail.

  • Official Mail: Transporting postal materials sent from any government entity.

  • Postal Item Deposit Box: A box designated for depositing postal items and similar items required to be sent to beneficiaries, whether inside or outside post offices.

  • Post Office: The place prepared by the service provider for the purpose of providing postal services.

  • Clearance: Collecting the due or prescribed fees on postal materials.

  • Postal Clearance Machines: Machines used to collect the due or prescribed fees on postal materials.

  • Private Mailbox: A box designated for depositing postal items and similar items received by the beneficiary, whether inside or outside the post office.

  • Fee: What the Authority adopts for providing postal services by service providers.

  • Financial Consideration: What the Authority charges for the services it provides or for issuing or renewing licenses.

  • Sender: A person who sends postal material through the service provider.

  • Recipient: A person to whom the postal material is sent.

This Law aims to:
1. develop and regulate the Sector in accordance with the latest methods and technologies to ensure the provision of high quality postal services at reasonable rates, meet the needs of the society, and keep pace with international standards in this field;
2. create an environment for fair and effective competition;
3. promote the effectiveness of public policies related to the Sector as well as the cooperation among public and private agencies in a manner that achieves fair and effective governance in the Sector;
4. promote the use of postal services by government agencies and individuals as well as for public services and commercial activities;
5. contribute to the growth of e-commerce;
6. enhance the market of postal services, create an environment conducive to investment in the Sector, attract leading international companies in prioritized areas of the Sector, and improve the performance of national institutions and companies;
7. protect public interest and the interests of users, and maintain the confidentiality, security, and safety of mail matter; and
8. build and develop local skills and capacities and enhance their participation in the Sector; encourage creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship, research and development in postal services; and establish new markets therefor.

Without prejudice to the jurisdiction of other government agencies, the CITC, in order to achieve the objectives of this Law, shall:
1. set rules and criteria for postal services fees in accordance with the condition of the postal market and level of competition;
2. determine the charges for the issuance and renewal of all types of licenses as well as their annual charges, as stipulated in the Regulations and without prejudice to the provision of Article 10 of this Law;
3. propose rules, principles, and conditions for the universal service and universal access, and monitor their implementation upon approval; and
4. issue the regulatory decisions, rules, and instructions for providing postal services in the Sector, subject to the Regulations.

Any person may provide any postal services based on a license, registration, or exemption from the Authority; in accordance with the procedures and requirements specified by the Regulation.

The CITC shall grant national operator licenses and determine the license scope and conditions; the Minister shall approve said licenses or assign such task to the CITC.

Without prejudice to any other law, a service provider may provide postal financial services upon obtaining a license from the Saudi Central Bank.

The Regulations shall specify the following:
1. Postal services that require licensing, registration, or exemption.
2. Licenses for the provision of all types of postal services and their scope, as well as the time frame for providing such services.
3. Conditions for all types of licenses and registrations.

A service provider may not transfer his license, assign it to another person, or transfer the ownership of a licensed facility, whether by sale, pledge, or any other means without obtaining the CITC’s written approval, subject to rules and procedures specified by the Regulations.