"Service suspension" is one of the most repeated phrases in debt disputes — and one of the most misunderstood. This page sets out, for both sides — creditor and debtor — what the published controls say about when a suspension may issue, the limits on its effect, and the Ministry of Justice position on suspending government services in the enforcement context, as part of the enforcement and debt section on Hala Law.

The baseline rule: suspension is not an open collection tool

Service suspension is no longer a general, open-ended collection tool. The published controls permit a suspension only on one of the following bases, implemented through an electronic platform:

| Basis on which a suspension may issue | Note | | --- | --- | | A statutory basis | A legal provision prescribing suspension | | A judicial decision | Issued by the competent judicial authority | | An order from the Public Prosecution | Within its competence | | A Council of Ministers decision | Within the prescribed cases | | A royal order | Within the prescribed cases |

The controls also require taking into account that the harm must not extend beyond the person concerned by the suspension. Any marketing promise along the lines of "we will suspend the debtor's services immediately" does not square with these controls.

Government-service suspension in judicial enforcement

The Ministry of Justice previously announced that enforcement courts do not suspend government services permanently, and that the 2020 amendments repealed the regulatory provision that had allowed suspending government services in the enforcement context. This matters to both sides: a creditor should not build expectations on a tool no longer applied in its old form, and a debtor should not assume that every enforcement file means a permanent, blanket suspension of government services.

What is the scope of a suspension?

The scope established by the published sources is bounded in two ways:

  • A closed list of decision sources: no suspension except on a statutory basis, a judicial decision, a Public Prosecution order, a Council of Ministers decision, or a royal order — through an electronic platform.
  • A limit on harm: taking into account that the harm must not extend beyond the person concerned.

Anything beyond those two bounds — such as a permanent suspension of government services ordered by an enforcement court — is what the Ministry of Justice has clarified is not applied following the 2020 amendments.

How is a suspension lifted?

The sources cited on this page define when a suspension may issue and its limits; they do not set out a single published lifting procedure. Because a suspension can only issue on one of the bases listed above, the practical starting point for a person under suspension is identifying the basis of the suspension and the authority that issued it, then pursuing review through that authority or the relevant electronic platform. Where the suspension is tied to an active enforcement file, the tracks for dealing with the file itself — proving payment, requesting a grace period, or objecting — are set out on the objecting to an execution order page.

The enforcement tools a file actually runs on

Per the source material, debt pages should center on the stronger enforcement tools, not on service suspension:

| Tool | Substance | | --- | --- | | Asset disclosure | Uncovering the debtor's assets within enforcement procedures | | Seizure of bank accounts | Within the statutory enforcement procedures | | Seizure of movables and real estate | Within the statutory enforcement procedures | | Travel ban | Where its conditions are met | | Fines or judicial measures | In cases of refusal or manipulation |

For a creditor opening a new file with an executive instrument, the filing steps are on the execution request on Najiz page.

Statutory transition status

A new Enforcement Law was issued in 2026. According to professional sources published after its issuance, it enters into force 180 days after its publication, with important transitional rules — particularly around the electronic registration of certain commercial papers through national platforms such as Nafith, with special rules for pre-existing notes. This page is based on the current sources cited and will be reviewed when the new law and its implementing regulations take effect.

When do you need a licensed lawyer?

The information here is a neutral general framework for both sides, not an assessment of any specific case. The matter becomes case-specific — warranting a licensed lawyer or accredited advisor — when:

  • A suspension is in force and its basis and issuing authority need to be identified before any step.
  • The suspension's practical effect reaches beyond the person concerned and needs a documented presentation to the competent authority.
  • The suspension is entangled with an active enforcement file where the instrument or the payment is disputed.
  • A creditor needs a realistic assessment of the enforcement tools actually available in their file, without expectations built on tools no longer applied.

In those situations, each party's position rests on the basis of the suspension and the file's documents before the competent authority — not on any single general rule.