How to Get a SABER Certificate for Your Product in Saudi Arabia

If you export to Saudi Arabia, or plan to, you will run into one word sooner or later: SABER. Many shipments get stuck at port not because of any fault in the product, but because conformity procedures were not completed before shipping. This guide explains how the system actually works and the correct order of steps.

What is SABER and why does it matter?

SABER is an electronic platform operated by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO). It governs how products prove conformity with Saudi technical regulations, with the aim of protecting consumers and keeping non-conforming goods out of the market.

In practice: without SABER certificates you cannot clear your goods through Saudi customs. This applies to importers and local manufacturers alike, as long as the product falls under a technical regulation.

The two certificates — where most confusion starts

The system rests on two different certificates, and mixing them up is a very common cause of delay:

• Product Certificate of Conformity: issued for the product itself (the model) to prove it meets the applicable technical regulation. It is normally issued once and stays valid for a defined period, then renewed.
• Shipment Certificate of Conformity: issued per shipment, and this is what customs actually asks for at clearance. It cannot be issued before the product certificate exists.

In short: the product certificate comes first and covers the model; a shipment certificate is issued for every consignment entering the Kingdom.

The practical steps, in order

• Determine your product's status: is it covered by a technical regulation? This is decided by the HS code and the product description. It is the most important step, because any error here carries into everything that follows.
• Register the establishment on the platform: this requires a valid commercial registration for the Saudi importer and correct contact details.
• Enter the product data: trade name, brand, model, country of origin and manufacturer. Accuracy matters, because any mismatch with the shipping documents will stop clearance.
• Select an accredited conformity assessment body: it reviews the file and issues the certificate, and must be accredited for your specific product type.
• Submit the technical documents: test reports from recognised laboratories, quality certificates, product labelling, and anything else your category's regulation requires.
• Obtain the Product Certificate of Conformity once the file is accepted.
• Issue a Shipment Certificate of Conformity for each consignment, linked to the invoice and bill of lading.

How long does it take and what does it cost?

There is no single answer. Both time and cost depend on the product category and the regulation applied to it, the number of models being registered, the conformity assessment body, and how ready your test reports are.

The biggest source of delay is rarely the platform itself — it is missing technical documentation. A product with current test reports that match the standard moves quickly; one that needs re-testing can add weeks.

So the advice is always the same: start conformity work before shipping, not after the goods reach the port. Storage costs and penalties on a stuck shipment routinely exceed the cost of the procedure many times over.

Five recurring and expensive mistakes

• Shipping goods before the product certificate is issued, then trying to fix it with the container already at port.
• Classifying the product under the wrong HS code, which leads to the wrong technical regulation being applied.
• Product data that differs between the platform and the shipping documents, even in a small detail such as a model number.
• Relying on outdated test reports, or reports from a laboratory that is not recognised.
• Forgetting to renew the product certificate before it expires, which then blocks subsequent shipments.

When do you need a consultant?

If you have a single product with a clear classification and previous experience with the platform, you may well handle it yourself. Bringing in a specialist genuinely pays off in these cases: multiple models, an ambiguous customs classification, products under strict regulations such as electrical appliances, construction materials and children's goods, or a shipment that is already held.

At Arab Thinkers we handle the full process on your behalf: product classification, registering the establishment and products, coordinating with accredited conformity assessment bodies, and following the application through to issuance. Our team has over eight years of experience with the platform and with import and export operations between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

If you have a product you plan to bring into the Saudi market, message us on WhatsApp with the product type and its HS code, and we will tell you exactly what you need before you ship.