The term "access" refers to enabling researchers and scholars to read the required documents and archives without obtaining copies of them.

The term "circulation" refers to enabling researchers and scholars to obtain copies of documents and archives.

• 1- Official documents are public property of the state.

• 2- The publication, printing, translation, and distribution of official documents is a right of the state, and the National Center for Archives and Records represents the state in exercising this right.

• 3- No other entity may exercise this right, and the center and the entity concerned with protecting copyright and other intellectual rights must follow up on this matter in light of the laws issued in this regard.

• 4- Entities issuing regulatory documents must provide the center in a timely manner with a certified copy of any documents they issue that establish general rules and any amendments thereto.

• 5- Entities issuing regulatory documents must compile the regulatory rules issued by them in the laws and regulations, by adding the new rule in its appropriate place within the law or regulation to facilitate the compilation, monitoring, and control of these texts.

• 6 - The submitted document is considered valid if it is:

  • A - The original document.

  • B - A certified and stamped copy or image of the original document from the document center in the relevant authority or the National Center for Archives and Records or one of the Kingdom's embassies abroad, after reviewing the original document and indicating this in the certification statements.

  • C - An original copy of the official gazette of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, or a certified and stamped image of the gazette from the document center in the relevant authority or the National Center for Archives and Records or the relevant authority in the official gazette or one of the Kingdom's embassies abroad, after reviewing the original copy of the gazette and indicating this in the certification statements.

  • D - A new document issued by the National Center for Archives and Records.

• 7 - Documents and records are divided for the purposes of review and circulation into two categories:

  • The first category:

  • Documents that may be reviewed and circulated: These are documents related to general non-confidential subjects that have been published or communicated to entities and legal or natural persons, and these documents are made available to researchers, students, and scientific research centers for use in practical, scientific, and documentation fields, including laws, regulations, policies, plans, programs, budgets, statistics, research, studies, and statistical reports.

  • The second category:

  • Documents whose publication, review, or circulation is prohibited for anyone other than the specialized employees or by their order, due to their confidentiality or because they contain information pertaining to specific entities or individuals, and it is not in the interest to review or disclose the data or information contained therein, and the review of these documents and records is conducted in accordance with the conditions specified in this regulation.

• The classification of the confidentiality levels of documents and archives is as follows:

  • A- Extremely Confidential Documents and Archives: These are documents and archives whose disclosure of their data to others would harm the security of the state. Types of these documents include military plans, quantities of weapons, their types, and locations. Access to these documents is generally prohibited during the restriction period, except for senior officials concerned with such documents, or courts dealing with state security cases, and only to the extent necessary to resolve these cases. 

  • B- Very Confidential Documents and Archives: These are documents and archives whose disclosure of their data would harm public or private interests. Types of these documents include those related to administrative secrets, industrial secrets, and commercial secrets. Access to these documents is generally prohibited during the restriction period, except for specialists.

  • C- Confidential Documents and Archives: These are documents and archives related to individual subjects or cases, the disclosure or access to which would have adverse effects on the social life of groups or individuals. Types of these documents include investigation documents and rulings related to individual cases. Access to these documents is generally restricted to specialists.

• Access to the confidential documents and archives mentioned in Article (4) above is permitted for researchers and scholars in accordance with the following regulations:

• A - These documents or archives must contain data or information valid for research and studies on the topics to be investigated, which enriches scientific research and helps overcome the negative effects of the studied issues.

• B - The names of individuals mentioned in the images of the documents or archives provided to researchers and scholars must be removed before they are allowed to access them.

• C - The duration of the prohibition on the document - with temporary prohibition - must have expired.

• D - The researcher or scholar must be recognized for their academic standing in their field of research, or present an official letter from the supervising body of their research or the entity to which they belong.

• E - These documents and their location must be referenced in the research sources.

• F - The center must be provided with three copies of this research to be deposited in the center's library.

• Each government entity shall provide the National Center for Archives and Records with the names of the types of its confidential documents that belong to each category of confidentiality levels, and propose the type of confidentiality for each of them - permanent or non-permanent - and if it is non-permanent, it shall propose the duration after which it can be made available for review and circulation in accordance with the provisions set forth in Article (5) of this Regulation. This information shall be provided by filling out the Confidential Documents Form No. (1).

• The National Center for Archives and Records, based on the data received from government agencies and after coordinating with them, issues lists of confidentiality levels. Each list includes the names of the types of confidential documents related to that level, the subject of the document, the type of confidentiality, and the duration of confidentiality after which it may be available for review or obtaining a copy. The Center provides each government agency with a copy of these lists.

• The degree of confidentiality for confidential documents is established by the administrative unit that creates them, in accordance with the types of documents specified in the data issued by the center. This establishment shall be in the upper half of the document.

Confidentiality should not be applied to non-confidential documents so that the term "confidentiality" retains its meaning.

• The National Center for Archives and Records alone enables researchers and scholars to access confidential documents and records related to their research, and provides them with copies thereof in accordance with the provisions set forth in Article (5) of this Regulation.