Regulation of Private Family Counselling Centres

Purpose and scope

• Regulates private family counselling centres that provide specialised guidance for family stability and social, psychological and educational care (Article 2); issued under Council of Ministers Decision No. 409 of 1433H.

Key rules, rights and obligations

• Private family counselling may not be offered or advertised without a ministry licence (Article 3), and a licence may be transferred only with ministry approval (Article 4).
• A centre may deal with social, behavioural, psychological, educational and marital problems, and run preparation programmes for those about to marry (Article 5).
• Each case has a confidential file that no one but the client may see, except at the request of the competent court or the ministry (Article 6).
• Services are offered to both sexes in line with Sharia and public decency (Article 7).

Violations, penalties and common problems

• Violations include unlicensed services, letting the licence expire without applying to renew, giving false information, obstructing inspectors, moving to another city without approval, and changing address without notice (Article 9).
• Penalties: first warning, final warning, suspension for up to a year, then cancellation of the licence (Article 10).
• Operating without a licence: a fine of up to SAR 50,000 and closure until licensed (Article 10).
• On suspension, the ministry may move clients to other centres at the suspended centre's expense (Article 11).

Procedures and key deadlines

• Penalties are imposed by ministerial decision and may be challenged before the Board of Grievances within 60 days of notification (Article 10).
• Violations are recorded by staff assigned by the minister, who may inspect the documents (Article 12).

An advisory summary prepared by Al-Bayan Al-Wadih Law Firm. It is not an official text and does not replace the law, its implementing regulations, or advice from a specialised lawyer. The official published text and its amendments prevail.