SASO — the authority
- Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization
- Writes the technical regulations and the standards
- Sets the rules, but does not issue certificates
- Also runs the SALEEM conformity programme
SABER Certificate Saudi Arabia
SASO SABER certification, what it is and how it works
SABER is the platform. Two certificates come out of it: the PCoC certifies your product for a year, and the SCoC releases one shipment. This page explains both, and the five steps between them.
For a certificate quote we need:
- Product + model list
- HS code (or we confirm it)
- Saudi importer CR, if appointed
What It Is
What is SABER?
SABER is the online platform SASO uses to check product conformity. Every certificate for goods entering Saudi Arabia is applied for, paid for and issued on this platform.
People often say "the SABER certificate" as if it were one document. There are two, and each one does a different job. One certifies your product. The other releases your shipment.
The Difference
SASO vs SABER — what is the difference?
One writes the rules. The other applies them. People use the two names as if they were the same thing.
SABER — the platform
- The online system that applies the SASO rules
- Where certificates are applied for and issued
- Used by importers and approved certification bodies
- Where any certificate number can be verified
Full Forms
The short answer — every acronym explained
Eight terms you will meet on every file. Same meaning each time, wherever you read it.
- SABER: The conformity platform run by SASO. All Saudi product certificates pass through it.
- SASO: Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization. The authority that writes the rules.
- PCoC: Product Certificate of Conformity. Certifies one product family for twelve months.
- SCoC: Shipment Certificate of Conformity. Covers one consignment at customs.
- CoC: Certificate of Conformity. The older, general name for a conformity certificate.
- CAB: Conformity Assessment Body. A certification body approved by SASO to issue certificates.
- IECEE / CB: The global CB scheme. Its test reports are accepted for many SABER products.
- SALEEM: The Saudi programme that brings product safety rules under one mark.
More Initials
The other initials you will meet
- G-Mark / GCC — the Gulf conformity mark for covered product groups
- DoC — Declaration of Conformity, signed by the manufacturer or importer
- ISO/IEC 17065 — the standard certification bodies are accredited to
- Technical Regulation — the Saudi rulebook for one product group
- HS Code — the customs tariff number your product is classified under
- CR — Commercial Registration, the importer licence number on every certificate
- GIR — the international rules used to classify a product under the HS system
Words Matter
Certificate vs certification
A SABER certificate is a document. It has a number, an issue date and an expiry date.
SABER certification is the whole process behind that document: assessment, testing, registration and issue.
When someone says certification is slow or expensive, they usually mean the process, not the paper.
Regulated or Not
Regulated vs non-regulated products
If no technical regulation covers your HS code, there is nothing to certify against — but the shipment still needs a certificate.
Regulated products
- Fall under a published Saudi technical regulation
- Require a PCoC from a SASO-approved conformity body
- Need accredited test evidence and, often, a factory audit
- Then take an SCoC per shipment, raised against the live PCoC
Non-regulated products
- No technical regulation covers the HS code
- No product certificate is issued — there is nothing to certify
- A shipment certificate is still required, on self-declaration
- Status is confirmed from the code in writing, never assumed
Tip
Not sure which side your product falls on? Send us the HS code and the product name. We confirm the status in writing.
The Importer
The role of the Saudi importer
Every certificate is raised under the Saudi importer’s SABER account. That account is tied to their Commercial Registration (CR).
The exporter supplies the product file and the test evidence. The importer applies, pays and signs.
Without an appointed importer you cannot finish a certificate. Appoint one before you start.
The Rulebook
What is a technical regulation?
A technical regulation is the Saudi rulebook for one product group. It names the standards, the tests and the certificate route.
If a technical regulation covers your HS code, your product is regulated. If none covers it, no product certificate is issued.
Regulations change over time. The edition in force on the day of assessment is the one that applies to you.
The Two Certificates
PCoC and SCoC explained
Different scope, different lifespan, different failure mode.
PCoC — what it covers
- Covers one product family, not a shipment
- Valid twelve months from the issue date
- Issued by a SASO-approved conformity body
- Needs accredited test evidence for the product
- Names the importer’s CR and the full model list
SCoC — what it covers
- Covers one consignment only
- Raised against a live PCoC
- Matched to the commercial invoice
- Required at customs clearance
- Usually issued the same or next working day
Step by Step
How SABER certification works
Five steps, from the HS code to a container that clears.
Check the HS code
Confirm the code and whether a technical regulation covers it. This decides everything that follows.
Prepare the evidence
Gather test reports, datasheets and label artwork. Testing is added only where evidence is missing.
Register the product on SABER
The importer creates the product record with the model list and the regulation.
Get the PCoC issued
A SASO-approved body reviews the file and issues the product certificate.
Raise the SCoC per shipment
For each consignment, raise the shipment certificate against the live PCoC before customs.
Anatomy
What is on the certificate
Each of these lines is checked against your shipment documents at clearance. If one of them disagrees, the goods wait.
- Certificate number and issue date, verifiable on the SABER platform
- The conformity body that issued it, and its SASO approval scope
- The Saudi importer, identified by Commercial Registration number
- The technical regulation and standards the product was assessed against
- Product description, brand and the full model list covered
- Manufacturer name and country of origin
- The Saudi HS code the certificate was raised under
- Expiry date — one year from issue for a product certificate
Validity
What the twelve months really mean
A product certificate is narrower than most exporters expect — in time, in models and in who may use it.
Twelve months, from issue
A PCoC runs a year from its issue date, not from your first shipment. Certify too early and you spend validity before the product moves.
Renewal is not automatic
Nothing reminds you. We start renewal around 90 days out, so new testing does not collide with a booked sailing.
Tied to one importer
The certificate names one Commercial Registration. A second distributor needs their own certificate for the same goods.
Tied to one model list
A variant that is not on the list is not covered. Adding models mid-year is an amendment, and far cheaper than a rejected shipment.
A lapsed PCoC blocks shipments
Shipment certificates cannot be raised against an expired product certificate. The goods wait while the PCoC is rebuilt.
Market checks continue
SASO samples goods already on sale. A failure there reaches back to the certificate and to the importer named on it.
Cost
What actually drives the price
There is no flat fee, and a quote given before the HS code is a guess. These six variables set the number.
Which technical regulation
The regulation sets the assessment scheme, and the scheme sets the work. Two similar products can differ several times over in cost.
How much testing is missing
The largest variable. A valid CB report in scope removes most of it. No accredited evidence adds weeks and the bulk of the invoice.
How many model families
Certificates are raised per family. A broad catalogue grouped sensibly costs less than one certified line by line.
Whether a factory audit applies
Some schemes require an audit of the factory. Where it applies, plan for the cost and the lead time.
Label and artwork rework
Arabic text, energy cards and rating plates are cheap to fix before a print run and expensive to fix at the port.
Shipment frequency
The SCoC is a small fee per shipment, but it recurs. Frequent small shipments cost more than a few large ones.
Verification
Six checks before you ship
Run these on any certificate handed to you by a supplier or an agent. They take minutes.
01 · Check it on the platform
A genuine certificate shows on SABER against its number. A PDF that cannot be found there is not a certificate.
02 · Check the issuing body
Confirm the body holds SASO approval for that technical regulation. Approval is scope-bound.
03 · Check the HS code
The code on the certificate must match the code on the customs declaration. This is the most common mismatch.
04 · Check the model list
Every model in the container must appear on the certificate. Customs reads the list literally.
05 · Check the importer
The CR on the certificate must be the importer of record on the shipment. Certificates do not transfer.
06 · Check the dates
The PCoC must be live on the day the shipment certificate is raised, not only on the day of manufacture.
Labels & Artwork
The certificate does not fix the label
A live PCoC covering the right models is still not enough if the retail pack is wrong. Arabic declarations, origin statements, energy cards and the model number on the rating plate are all read at clearance and in the market.
We proof artwork against the certificate before the print run — matching model numbers, origin wording and Arabic text to what the certificate says.
Avoid These
How SABER certificates fail at the port
In almost every case the product was fine. The certificate simply did not describe it.
Certificate does not match the invoice
Model numbers, quantities or descriptions that disagree stop the clearance even when the goods are correct.
Raised under the wrong HS code
The certificate then covers the wrong rule. The assessment has to be redone, not just corrected.
PCoC expired mid-voyage
Certified in time, shipped in time, still stopped — because the shipment certificate was raised after the PCoC lapsed.
Out-of-scope issuing body
A body certifying outside its SASO approval produces a certificate that will not stand at review.
Unlisted model in the container
One extra variant added late to fill a container holds the whole consignment.
Certificate bought without a file
Certificates with no technical review behind them fail on verification, and the importer carries the cost.
Worked Example
From trial shipment to monthly rhythm
A cookware exporter with four product lines, moving from one trial shipment to regular monthly runs.
Grouping
Twenty-two products grouped into two families by construction and material, halving the certificates needed.
Evidence
Existing test reports were accepted in scope. One family needed current testing on the coating.
Product certificates
Two PCoCs issued under the importer’s SABER account, each naming its full model list.
Shipment rhythm
Monthly SCoCs raised against the invoice, with model lists checked against the packing list first.
Renewal
Both certificates diarised for renewal at 90 days, so the standards check happens before a sailing is booked.
Keep Going
Related pages
The certificate is the output. These cover the rule behind it, the application in front of it and the shipment around it.
FAQs
SABER certificate questions
Scope, validity, cost and verification. The application procedure is answered on the how-to-apply page.
What is a SABER certificate?
It is the conformity certificate issued through SABER, the Saudi platform run by SASO. There are two kinds: the Product Certificate (PCoC), valid one year for a product family, and the Shipment Certificate (SCoC), raised for each shipment.
What is the full form of SABER?
SABER is the name of the platform itself. It is not an acronym. SASO, PCoC and SCoC are the terms around it: the authority, the product certificate and the shipment certificate.
What is the difference between SASO and SABER?
SASO is the authority. It writes the regulations and standards. SABER is the online platform it runs, where certificates are applied for, issued and verified.
What is the difference between a PCoC and an SCoC?
The PCoC certifies the product against its regulation and lasts a year. The SCoC certifies one shipment and is what customs looks for at clearance. An SCoC can only be raised against a live PCoC.
How long is a SABER certificate valid?
A Product Certificate is valid twelve months from its issue date. A Shipment Certificate covers only the consignment it was raised for, so each shipment needs its own.
How much does a SABER certificate cost?
It depends on the regulation, the test evidence you already hold, how many model families need certifying and whether an audit applies. The shipment certificate is a small fee per consignment. We quote it all, itemised, before you commit.
Who applies for the SABER certificate — the exporter or the importer?
Requests are raised under the Saudi importer’s SABER account, which is tied to their Commercial Registration. The exporter supplies the technical file and test evidence. We coordinate both sides.
Can I transfer a SABER certificate to another importer?
No. A certificate names one importer’s Commercial Registration and does not transfer. A new distributor gets their own certificate, on the same evidence.
How do I verify a SABER certificate is genuine?
Check the certificate number on the SABER platform. Then confirm the issuing body is approved for that regulation, and that the HS code, model list and importer CR all match your shipment documents.
Does every product need a SABER certificate?
Regulated products need both a PCoC and an SCoC. Products with no applicable regulation get no product certificate, but still need a shipment certificate on self-declaration. Your HS code decides which side you are on.
How long does it take to get a SABER certificate?
With a complete and current file, the PCoC is usually issued in three to ten working days. New laboratory testing adds one to three weeks. A shipment certificate against a live PCoC is usually same or next working day.
What happens if the goods arrive without an SCoC?
The consignment is held. If a valid PCoC exists, the shipment certificate can often be raised while the goods wait, with storage accruing. With no product certificate behind it, the options are re-export or destruction.
Get your SABER certificate quoted properly
Send the product, the model list and the HS code. You get the regulation, the evidence gap, the timeline and an itemised cost — before you commit.