In these Regulations, the following terms and phrases shall have the meanings assigned thereto, unless the context requires otherwise:

• Regulations: The Regulations of Municipal Violations Penalties.

• Ministry: The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing. Minister: The Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing.

• Municipal Violation: A case of non-compliance with these Regulations, the implementing decisions issued pursuant to these Regulations, or the conditions, rules, and instructions the implementation of which is supervised by the municipality or sub-municipality in accordance with the law.

• Gross Municipal Violation: A municipal violation which would cause grave harm to human health or safety or to public health.

• Violation: A municipal violation or a gross municipal violation.

• Violator: A natural or legal person who commits a violation.

• Municipal License: A written approval, issued by the municipality or submunicipality in accordance with the Law of Municipal Licensing Procedures, for constructing a facility, opening a store for any activity on a specific site, or commencing a business at a facility, subject to the Law of Municipalities and Villages and its implementing regulations.

• Store: A site, other than a facility, for which a municipal license is issued for the practice of an activity falling under the jurisdiction of the municipality or submunicipality.

• Facility: An entity, with a municipal license, which is licensed to engage in one economic activity, or more, and which engages in production, packaging, or processing activities which involve materials, tools, or components falling under the jurisdiction of the municipality or sub-municipality.

• Property Lines: Lines indicating the boundaries of a property and separating it from neighboring property and public property, as identified in the approved plan.

Subject to these Regulations and without prejudice to any harsher penalty stipulated in any other law, a violator shall be subject to one or more of the following penalties:

• 1. Imposing a fine not exceeding five hundred thousand riyals for a municipal violation, or one million riyals for a gross municipal violation. The fine may be doubled if the violation is repeated, and in the case of multiple violators, the fine shall be imposed on each violator. The maximum fine stipulated in this paragraph may be increased pursuant to an order by the Prime Minister upon a recommendation by the Minister and the Minister of Finance.

• 2. Closing the store or facility for a period not exceeding two weeks; such period may be doubled if the violation is repeated.

• 3. Revoking the municipal license of the store or facility and barring it from engaging in the licensed activity for a period not exceeding two years in case of a gross municipal violation. The penalties stipulated in paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be imposed only on the store or facility where the violation occurred.

The implementing decisions issued under these Regulations shall determine the procedures following the imposition of such penalties.

1- A schedule shall be issued by a decision of the Minister specifying the violations occurring in commercial parking lots and public places and the penalties resulting therefrom, according to a clear governance mechanism, taking into account the principle of warning before imposing the fine—except for matters related to the towing of violating vehicles in accordance with paragraph (3) of this article—and the gradation in determining the amount of the fine and its proportionality to its type, frequency, and impact, as well as its proportionality to the economics of each location, provided that the value of any fine does not exceed (900) Riyals. This limit may be amended with the approval of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers.

2- The schedule shall include violations for which the violator is obligated—within a specified period—to remove the violation at his own expense, provided that if the specified period expires without compliance, a new violation shall be counted against him.

3- The schedule shall include violations for which the Secretariat or Municipality may—upon their occurrence—tow the violating vehicles, taking into account the following cases:

• A- Impact on public safety or the urban landscape of the city or governorate.
• B- Causing damage to public property.
• C- Impact on pedestrian traffic.
• D- Long time periods of not vacating the parking spot after receiving the violation, or repeated violations within a short time period, with these periods to be determined by a decision of the Minister.
• E- Violations related to parking in prohibited places or places designated for specific uses, parking in areas designated for emergency door service, or parking at entrances and exits of parking buildings.
• In the event that the vehicle owner does not review to retrieve the vehicle after the period specified by the executive decisions issued pursuant to the regulation, the Secretariat or Municipality shall take the necessary procedures in accordance with what is determined by those decisions.

4- Emergency vehicles and security vehicles shall be exempt from the penalties and procedures—referred to in the above paragraphs of this article—while performing their official duties in parking lots supervised by municipalities and secretariats.

1. The recording of violations shall be made in accordance with the procedures specified by the implementing decisions issued under these Regulations.

2. The recording of violations shall be made by the employees of the municipality or sub-municipality or relevant agencies or others nominated pursuant to a decision by the Minister or his designee.

1. The Minister, or his designee from among the officials of municipalities, submunicipalities, or relevant agencies, shall issue decisions relating to the penalties stipulated in these Regulations, with the exception of the decisions relating to fines stipulated in Article 2(1) of these Regulations if they exceed twenty-five thousand riyals for a municipal violation or fifty thousand riyals for a gross municipal violation. The penalty decision stipulated in Article 2(3) may not be enforced unless issued by the Minister or approved thereby if issued by his designee.

2. The Minister shall form one committee, or more, comprising at least three members, one of whom is a legal advisor, to issue decisions relating to the fines stipulated under Article 2(1), if the amount exceeds twenty-five thousand riyals for a municipal violation, or fifty thousand riyals for a gross municipal violation. The committee’s work procedures and the remuneration of its members shall be determined pursuant to a decision by the Minister.

Penalty decisions relating to repeated violations may, depending on the type and impact of the violation and subject to the approval of the Minister or his designee, be published at the expense of the violator in one or more newspapers issued in his area of residence, or through any other appropriate medium. The decision may be published only after the period for appeal lapses or the decision becomes final.

The fines stipulated under these Regulations shall not prejudice the right of the person aggrieved by the violation to file a claim for compensation. The violator shall have the right to appeal the penalty in accordance with the law.

Without prejudice to prescribed procedures and to penalties stipulated under Article 2 of these Regulations, the municipality or sub-municipality may undertake the following actions:

• 1. Seizing a vehicle or machinery abandoned in a public area, including parking lots and streets, for a period exceeding seven days. If the owner fails to reclaim his vehicle or machinery before the lapse of the period prescribed by the implementing decisions issued under these Regulations, the municipality or sub-municipality shall take the necessary action in accordance with the implementing decisions issued under these Regulations.

• 2. Seizing loose livestock within the development protection zones, including green areas owned by the municipality, sub-municipality, or by others, for a period not exceeding five days in a special impound. If the owner fails to reclaim his livestock before the lapse of the period prescribed by the implementing decisions issued under these Regulations, the municipality or sub-municipality shall take the necessary action in accordance with the implementing decisions issued under these Regulations.

• 3. In all cases, the violator shall be liable for any costs arising from the application of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Article. The implementing decisions issued under these Regulations shall determine the manner for calculating such costs.