Saudi 30-Day Card Dispute Rule (SAMA, Article 24)

The 30-day rule — Article 24

In Saudi Arabia, your deadline to challenge a credit card charge is written in the current, in-force rules: the Rules of Issuance and Operation of Credit Cards (SAMA, in force since 19 June 2025). If you find older advice quoting the superseded 2015 regulations online, ignore it — Article 24 of the 2025 Rules is the law in force now.

Article 24 requires the card issuer to let you object to your account statement within not less than 30 days from the date of notification of its issuance. Three details matter:

The clock starts at notification — the date you are notified the statement is issued, not the due date. Don't wait until payday to review your statement.
It is a minimum, not a ceiling — "not less than 30 days" means your issuer cannot give you a shorter window.
These rules cover credit cards (including monthly charge cards, per the Rules' own definitions) — a different, much faster track applies to unauthorized use, below.

How the objection works

Article 24 doesn't just set a deadline — it prescribes how your issuer must handle the objection:

Authenticated channels must be defined — the Rules define these as recorded, verifiable means of communication retrievable in written or electronic format. Use a channel that leaves a record.
A proper objection form with your name, the data you are objecting to, and your reasons.
Missing information: the issuer must contact you to complete any missing information or documents within 7 days of submission.
A reference number and a time limit: you receive a reference number to track the objection, and the resolution time must not exceed 90 days from the date the objection is deemed complete — extendable to 120 days only if the issuer notifies you.
A reasoned decision: you get the result through an authenticated channel, including the mechanism for objecting to the result and escalation.

Practical rule: submit through an authenticated channel, get the reference number, and diarise the 90-day limit. Miss the 30-day window and your right to object under this Article is gone.

You don't pay the disputed amount while it's investigated

Article 24(6) is the protection most cardholders never know they have: you are not required to pay any amounts related to the objection until the objection has been fully resolved. If your issuer pressures you to settle the disputed charge "for now," cite the Article — the obligation to pay is paused while the objection runs.

If the bank rejects your objection

Two further protections apply if the issuer says no:

Invalid objections must be explained. Under Article 26, if your objection is found invalid, the issuer must explain the reasons, with proof — not a one-line rejection.
The escalation route must be disclosed. The decision notice you receive must set out how to object to the result and escalate. The standard Saudi escalation ladder runs: your bank → SAMA → the Committee for the Settlement of Banking Disputes.

And if the objection is found valid (Article 25), the issuer must immediately correct the error — return any wrongly deducted amounts and fix your credit record.

Unauthorized use is faster — and separate

Someone spending on your card without your consent is not a statement objection — it runs on a faster track:

Your issuer must provide a 24-hour toll-free number (plus other authenticated channels) for loss, theft, and unauthorized-use reports (Article 41).
The card must be suspended immediately upon your report (Article 42).
Unauthorized-use reports must be processed within 7 business days of receipt, including reversing the transaction and crediting your account (Article 43).

For fraud, never wait for the statement — call immediately.

The 25 SAR wrong-dispute fee

Article 48 caps the fee schedule: the maximum charge for a wrong dispute on a transaction or the account statement is 25 SAR (excluding VAT) — a dispute filed on something that, after review, turns out to be correct. The rule doesn't make disputes risky — but it does make frivolous ones cost you. Only dispute charges you genuinely believe are wrong.

FAQ

Neither — Article 24 counts from the date of notification of the statement's issuance. In practice: the day your bank notifies you the statement is out, your 30 days (minimum) begin. Keep proof of when you were notified.

No. Under Article 24(6), you are not required to pay any amounts related to the objection until it has been fully resolved. The payment obligation is paused while the objection runs.

The bank must explain its reasons with proof (Article 26), and its decision notice must tell you the mechanism for objecting to the result and escalating (Article 24(5)). The standard escalation ladder is your bank, then SAMA, then the Committee for the Settlement of Banking Disputes.

No — unauthorized use has a faster track. Report it immediately via your issuer's 24-hour toll-free number or another authenticated channel (Article 41). The card must be suspended immediately (Article 42), and the report must be processed within 7 business days of receipt, including reversing the transaction and crediting your account (Article 43).

Saudi Arabia Gives You Only 30 Days to Dispute a Card Charge — Then SAMA or the Courts

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