Copyright Law (2026), copies of a computer program made by the owner of a lawful copy

Royal Decree No. M/169 (14/8/1447H) Art. 33 copies of a computer program by the owner of a lawful copy, Copyright Law (published 13 February 2026)

In force since 12 Aug 2026.

A copyright: the exclusive rights rule binding public and private bodies.

Instrument type: an act of a legislature

What it requires

You may make a new copy of a computer program you own a lawful copy of, without the author's permission or compensation, only for a purpose in Article 33, only to the extent that purpose needs, and you must destroy the new copy once the purpose ends or your ownership of the lawful copy ends (Article 33).
Make no more than one copy when the purpose is a backup (Article 33(1)).
Copy for maintenance only where the maintenance is necessary to use the software, whether on the authorized copy or for a person who owns a lawful copy (Article 33(2)).
You may copy to correct technical errors, or to study, analyze and monitor how the software performs or functions in order to identify the ideas and theories behind the program (Article 33(3)).
Copy and obtain the information needed for interoperability with a different system or program only if you are the licensed person (Article 33(4)).
You may copy to test data security and fix security vulnerabilities (Article 33(5)).
Keep any such use from conflicting with the normal exploitation of the work or unjustifiably prejudicing the legitimate interests of rights holders (Article 37(1)).

These lines are LexLint's reading of the law's text.

What this law does

Drafted with AI

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Research summary

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Article 33 allows the owner of a lawful copy of a computer program to make a new copy without the author's permission and without compensation for the purposes it lists, to the extent the purpose needs, and requires the new copy to be destroyed once the purpose ends or the ownership of the lawful copy ends. The first purpose is a backup copy, limited to making one copy.

The second purpose is maintaining the authorized copy, or providing maintenance to a person who owns a lawful copy, where the maintenance is necessary to use the software. The third purpose is correcting technical errors, or studying, analyzing and monitoring the performance or function of the software to identify the ideas and theories on which the program rests.

The fourth purpose is copying and obtaining the information needed for interoperability with a different computer system or program, where it is done by the licensed person. The fifth purpose is testing data security and fixing security vulnerabilities. Article 37(1) requires every use under Articles 26 to 36 not to conflict with the normal exploitation of the work or unjustifiably prejudice the legitimate interests of rights holders. Article 61 applies the Law 180 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.

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Page updated 5 November 2026.