The New Enforcement Law Takes Effect on 28 October 2026 and What Has Changed from the 1433H Law

The new Enforcement Law takes effect on 28 October 2026 and replaces the Enforcement Law issued by Royal Decree M/53 in 1433H. The new law was issued by Royal Decree M/237 and published in the Umm Al Qura Gazette on 1 May 2026. This change matters to every creditor pursuing a claim before the Enforcement Courts, to every debtor and to every company that deals in bills of exchange and promissory notes.

In Brief

The new law takes effect on 28 October 2026. It replaces the 1433H law and its regulations and repeals every provision that conflicts with it. Its main features are the electronic registration of enforcement instruments, a ten year limitation period for enforcement instruments and a separate chapter on tracing the debtor’s assets. Holders of unregistered bills of exchange or promissory notes issued before the effective date have a one year transitional period for direct enforcement.

When Does the New Enforcement Law Take Effect and What Does It Repeal?

The Council of Ministers approved the law at its session held on 14 April 2026 by Resolution No. 746. Royal Decree M/237 was then issued on 20 April 2026 and the law was published in the Official Gazette on 1 May 2026. The law provides that it enters into force one hundred and eighty days after publication, which makes its effective date 28 October 2026.

Some media outlets reported that the law came into force on 12 October and the report was later corrected to the end of the month. The approved date is 28 October 2026. Until that day the 1433H law and its regulations remain the applicable framework. On the effective date the new law replaces the previous law and its Implementing Regulations, subject to the transitional provisions.

Event	Date or Time Limit
Council of Ministers approval	14 April 2026
Issuance of Royal Decree M/237	20 April 2026
Publication in the Umm Al Qura Gazette	1 May 2026
Entry into force of the new law	28 October 2026
Direct enforcement of unregistered bills of exchange and promissory notes issued before the effective date	One year from the effective date
Competent authorities carrying out Enforcement Court orders	Three working days from notification
Third party response in asset tracing procedures	Three working days

What Are the Main Differences Between the New Law and the 1433H Law?

The 1433H law consists of five chapters and ninety eight articles according to the Ministry of Justice laws portal. Available sources indicate that the new law is shorter, but we have not yet verified its number of articles against the official text. The most important difference between the two laws is not their length but their approach to enforcement and its practical tools.

The new law focuses on separating the debtor’s financial liability from the debtor’s person, so that enforcement is directed at assets without affecting the person. It also requires enforcement instruments to be registered electronically and sets a limitation period of ten years for an enforcement instrument. It introduces the concept of reverse enforcement, which allows the debtor to compel the other party to perform its own obligations.

The law requires the competent authorities and the bodies that supervise or register assets to carry out Enforcement Court orders within three working days of notification unless a specific provision states otherwise. It allows the Minister of Justice to delegate certain enforcement procedures to government bodies or to the private sector. Detention orders, travel bans and the adjudication of disputes are excluded from this delegation and remain with the judiciary.

What Changes for Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes?

Under the previous law, bills of exchange and promissory notes were enforcement instruments whose enforcement could be requested directly before the Enforcement Court. With the new requirement for electronic registration, registering the instrument becomes essential to benefit from direct enforcement. This change affects companies that rely on promissory notes for deferred sales, financing and instalment arrangements.

The law addresses existing instruments through a clear transitional provision. Bills of exchange and promissory notes issued before 28 October 2026 remain directly enforceable for one year from the effective date even if they are not registered. Once that year has passed, the holder of an unregistered instrument may lose the benefit of direct enforcement and have to take the longer route of a substantive lawsuit.

How Does the New Law Deal with Tracing the Debtor’s Assets?

The law introduces a separate chapter on tracing the debtor’s assets, whereas the previous law relied more on the traditional disclosure request. At the creditor’s request, the court may order the tracing of the debtor’s assets if there is evidence that they are being concealed or dissipated. This includes questioning the debtor or third parties suspected of being connected to those assets.

Third parties must respond within three working days, failing which they may be compelled to appear. This tool is important for creditors facing debtors who move their assets to relatives or other companies. In practice, the success of the request depends on presenting serious evidence rather than general suspicion.

Is Detention of the Debtor Still Possible Under the New Law?

The new law has not abolished detention, but it makes detention a step that follows compulsory enforcement against assets rather than an alternative to it. Published reports indicate that the court orders detention at the request of the enforcement applicant if a specified period passes without payment. We have not verified the detention period or the waiting period against the official text in Umm Al Qura, so we do not state them here as final figures.

The reports also mention categories of persons who may not be detained. These include persons under eighteen and patients who cannot endure detention according to an approved medical report. They also include pregnant women, women with a child under two years of age and the ascendants or descendants of the enforcement applicant. The right is not extinguished when the detention period ends. The debt remains owed by the debtor.

Royal Decree M/158 remains in effect. It exempts military personnel actually taking part in a war or military operations from travel bans and detention. The law also confirms the compulsory enforcement of custody and visitation judgments, with the court taking the best interests of the child into account in visitation judgments.

What Happens to Judgments and Enforcement Requests Pending Before the Effective Date?

Judgments, orders and decisions issued before 28 October 2026 remain valid and do not lapse because of the new law. Procedures taken after the effective date in pending requests are governed by the transitional provisions of the law and its regulations. Anyone with a pending enforcement request should therefore review their position with their lawyer before and after the effective date.

Have the Implementing Regulations of the New Law Been Issued?

The law provides that its Implementing Regulations are to be issued within one hundred and eighty days of its issuance and are to apply from its effective date. As of the date of writing, we have not found an official announcement that the regulations have been issued. Many details, such as the maximum amount of certain fines and the mechanisms for electronic registration, will become clear once they are issued.

What Should You Do Now

Start by making an inventory of the bills of exchange and promissory notes your company holds that were issued before 28 October 2026. Then rank them by maturity date, amount of the debt and the debtor’s solvency. Defaulted instruments are best submitted for enforcement early in the transitional year rather than left until its end.

Review the contract and note templates you use for deferred sales and financing so that they comply with the electronic registration requirement. Make the registration of every new instrument a standard step in your collection cycle from the first day the law takes effect.

If you have a debtor you fear may conceal assets, start gathering now the evidence that supports an asset tracing request. This includes sudden money transfers or the transfer of real estate or shares to relatives or affiliated companies.

Debtors should understand that the new law gives creditors broader tools to reach assets. Early settlement with the creditor is usually less costly than waiting for attachment and tracing procedures. Keep track of the issuance of the Implementing Regulations, as they will set out many of the practical procedures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the new law apply to an enforcement request I filed before 28 October 2026?

Judgments, orders and decisions issued before the effective date remain valid and will be enforced. Subsequent procedures in the request are subject to the transitional provisions, and each file should be reviewed individually.

Can I enforce an unregistered promissory note after the effective date?

If the note was issued before 28 October 2026, it remains directly enforceable for one year from the effective date even if it is not registered. Notes issued after the effective date should be registered electronically as required by the law and its regulations.

What is meant by reverse enforcement?

It is a concept introduced by the new law that allows the debtor to compel the other party to perform its corresponding obligations. The details of its application will become clearer by referring to the official text and to the Implementing Regulations once they are issued.

Is the debt extinguished when the debtor’s detention period ends?

The debt is not extinguished when the detention period ends. It remains owed by the debtor. The creditor can continue enforcement against the debtor’s assets using the other means the law provides.

If you hold a portfolio of promissory notes, have pending enforcement requests or face a debtor who is delaying payment, the Collection and Enforcement team at Perfect Solution Lawyers and Consultants will be pleased to review your position before and after the effective date. You can request a meeting with one of our lawyers to discuss your file and your options.

This article is based on the Enforcement Law issued by Royal Decree M/237 published in the Umm Al Qura Gazette, the Enforcement Law issued by Royal Decree M/53 published on the Ministry of Justice laws portal and Royal Decree M/158.

This article is for general awareness and does not constitute legal advice.