SaaS Subscription Agreement in Egypt: Template, Key Clauses and Local Law (2026)

A SaaS subscription agreement in Egypt is the contract under which a customer subscribes to software hosted and run by a provider, usually for a recurring fee, rather than buying or installing it. The customer gets access and a right to use the service, not ownership. In Egypt these contracts are governed by general contract law in the Civil Code (Law No. 131 of 1948) and, for commercial dealings, the Commercial Code (Law No. 17 of 1999), with data protection, IP and tax rules layered on top. This guide explains what an Egyptian SaaS subscription agreement should contain, the clauses that matter, and the local-law points to check. It is general information, not legal advice. For a specific deal, confirm the current position with an Egyptian lawyer. ## How a SaaS subscription works The provider hosts the software and the customer accesses it online for a subscription term. The customer does not get a copy of the code. The agreement sets the access rights, service levels, fees, data handling, and what happens at renewal or exit. Because the provider holds the customer's data, data protection and security clauses carry real weight in Egypt. ## What law governs a SaaS agreement in Egypt - The Civil Code (Law No. 131 of 1948) governs contract formation, performance and remedies, including the good-faith duty in Article 148.

• The Commercial Code (Law No. 17 of 1999) adds rules for commercial dealings between businesses.
• The Personal Data Protection Law (Law No. 151 of 2020) applies where the service processes personal data. It defines controllers and processors, is built around its Executive Regulations, and provides for duties such as appointing a data protection officer and, for certain activities, licensing. The provider and customer should agree who is controller and who is processor, and add data-processing terms.
• The Law on the Protection of Intellectual Property Rights (Law No. 82 of 2002) protects the software as copyright.
• Tax rules, including value added tax and withholding tax on cross-border payments, apply to subscription fees. Confirm current rates and treaty relief. ## Key clauses in an Egyptian SaaS agreement ### Access and subscription grant State what the customer may access, the number of users, and that this is a right to use a hosted service, not a licence to a copy or a transfer of ownership. ### Subscription term, renewal and fees Set the term, auto-renewal, the fee and how it changes, payment timing, and tax treatment. ### Service levels and support Set availability or uptime targets, support response times, and remedies such as service credits. ### Data protection and security Agree the controller and processor roles, the security standard, breach notification, and processing terms consistent with Law No. 151 of 2020. State where data is hosted and whether it leaves Egypt. ### Customer data and ownership Confirm the customer owns its data and the provider owns the platform. Set return or deletion of data on exit. ### Intellectual property Confirm the provider owns the software and all IP, with no transfer to the customer. ### Warranties, liability and indemnities Give a service warranty, disclaim others as far as the law allows, cap liability, and set IP and data indemnities. ### Suspension and termination Set when the provider may suspend access, termination rights, and the effect on data and fees. ### Governing law and disputes Choose the governing law and a forum or arbitration, and the contract language. ## A simple drafting checklist - Define the access right, users and subscription term.
• Set fees, renewal and the VAT and withholding-tax treatment.
• Agree controller and processor roles and data-protection terms under Law No. 151 of 2020.
• Confirm the customer owns its data and the provider owns the platform.
• Set service levels, warranties, liability caps and indemnities.
• Deal with suspension, termination and data return or deletion.
• Add governing law, dispute resolution and contract language. ## Keeping SaaS contracts under control SaaS subscriptions renew automatically and carry service levels, data-protection terms and price-change rights that are easy to miss once the contract is filed away. Keeping them in one workspace, where renewal dates, obligations and data terms are structured instead of buried in flat text, helps you avoid surprise renewals and stay on top of compliance. Tools such as Adira bring drafting, review and obligation tracking together in a single place. Adira's depth is strongest for India today, with other jurisdictions on its roadmap, so for Egyptian-law specifics confirm the position with local counsel.