- The Saudi importer with a CR holds the SABER account and the certificates. The body reviews and approves; it doesn't own your file.
- SABER fees are fixed: SAR 500 per Product Certificate and SAR 350 per Shipment Certificate, plus 15% VAT. The body's fee is the part you compare.
- Shipment Certificates last 90 days, so you can issue them a little earlier and still cover a late vessel.
- Since 1 October 2026, products under ten SASO regulations must show the supplier's name and CR number. For imports, that's the importer.
- Check every body on SABER's list of conformity assessment bodies for your exact regulation before you pay.
Selling electricals, toys, textiles or home goods in Saudi Arabia? Then each product needs a SABER certificate before it clears customs.
The system is fully online and the government fees are fixed. What you choose is the certification body that reviews your file, and that choice decides how fast your first container moves.
Below you'll find who does what in a Saudi certification, what it costs in SAR, what changed in 2026 and 7 independently researched SASO-approved bodies. For the regional view, including UAE schemes and the G-Mark, see our main list of product certification consultants in the Middle East.
Who does what in a Saudi certification?
Four parties touch every SABER file. It helps to know who owns which part before anyone quotes:
- The Saudi importer. Holds the SABER account with its CR (commercial registration, the Saudi business licence). Pays the SABER fees and owns the certificates.
- The certification body. SASO calls it a conformity assessment body (CAB). It checks test reports, tests samples if needed and approves the PC.
- The factory. Supplies test reports, the technical file and label artwork. It can upload them straight to the importer's request.
- An agent or broker (optional). Runs the account for you, adds products and issues Shipment Certificates.
So a foreign brand without a CR can't hold certificates itself. It works through a Saudi distributor or an importer-of-record service, and the certificates sit under that CR.
What kind of provider do you need?
Most importers pick one of four routes. The right one depends on your range and how much of the work you want to hand over.
| Global certification body | Local Saudi CAB | Clearance agent or consultant | Do it yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examples | SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, TÜV SÜD | Saudi-owned bodies on the SABER list | Customs brokers and SABER agents | Your own SABER account |
| Issues the PC | Yes, for its approved regulations | Yes, for its approved regulations | No, works through a body | No, you pick a body |
| Testing | Own labs, many in China | Partner or local labs | Arranged through a body | Your factory's reports |
| Best for | Electronics and factories testing before shipping | Regular Saudi importers with simple ranges | Importers who want one firm for SABER and customs | Importers with clean reports and time |
| How it charges | Per product family, quoted | Per product family, quoted | Per file or per shipment | SABER fees only |
If you sell electronics or ship straight from a Chinese factory, a global body with labs at origin usually saves the most time. A broker earns its fee once you're shipping often and want SCs issued without thinking about it.
How long does a Saudi certification take?
The first product takes the longest. After that, each shipment is a quick request.
- Day 1Classify the product
Search the HS code on SABER to see the technical regulation, or ask a body to confirm it.
- Weeks 1–4Product Certificate
The body reviews your reports and fills any testing gaps. Once the file is complete, approval takes about 5–6 days.
- Before loadingLabels and invoice
Model numbers on the invoice must match SABER exactly. The importer's name and CR go on the label where required.
- 1–5 working daysShipment Certificate
Issue the SC against the valid PC before the goods arrive. It lasts 90 days.
- At the portCustoms check through FASAH
Customs reads the SC electronically. A green-lane release can take under two hours.
The full importer walkthrough, screen by screen, is in our SABER certificate guide.

What does product certification cost in Saudi Arabia?
SABER's fees are fixed and public. The body's fee and any new testing are quoted, so that's where prices differ.
| Cost line | Who you pay | 2026 amount |
|---|---|---|
| Product Certificate (PC) | SABER | SAR 500 per product, plus 15% VAT |
| Shipment Certificate (SC) | SABER | SAR 350 per shipment, plus 15% VAT |
| Certification body fee | The body | Quoted per product or model family |
| Lab testing | The body or its lab | Only for gaps in your existing reports |
| Agent or broker fee | The agent | Per file or per shipment |
Reusing your factory's IECEE CB reports keeps the body's fee and testing line low.
Worked example: three products, monthly or quarterly
Say a Riyadh home-goods store imports three regulated products: a kettle, an LED lamp and a toy. It pays for three PCs, one per product.
The SC works differently. It's charged per shipment, not per product, so one SC covers all three items in each container.
| SABER fees | 12 shipments a year | 4 shipments a year |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Product Certificates at SAR 500 | SAR 1,500 | SAR 1,500 |
| Shipment Certificates at SAR 350 each | SAR 4,200 | SAR 1,400 |
| VAT at 15% | SAR 855 | SAR 435 |
| Yearly SABER total | SAR 6,555 | SAR 3,335 |
Shipping quarterly instead of monthly saves SAR 3,220 in SABER fees alone. The body's fee sits on top of both columns, mostly in year one.
What changed for Saudi importers in 2025 and 2026?
The rules got stricter, and all of them reward planning ahead:
- No more letters of undertaking. Since January 2025, certificates must be in place before the goods arrive.
- Shipment Certificates last 90 days. Up from 60, which helps when a vessel runs late.
- Supplier name and CR on the label. Since 1 October 2026, products under ten technical regulations must show them.
That last change is the one to act on now. Brief your factory before the next production run, or the goods can be held at the port. The SASO and SABER explainer covers each rule in plain words.
How do you check a body is approved for your product?
SASO approves bodies regulation by regulation, not across the board. A body cleared for toys may not be cleared for electricals or textiles.
Here's how to check in a few minutes:
- Open SABER's list of conformity assessment bodies. It's public at saber.sa, under the CAB list.
- Filter by your technical regulation. Use the one SABER showed for your HS code.
- Match the body's name exactly. Global firms sometimes certify through a regional entity, such as a Singapore or Dubai arm.
- Ask for the scope in writing. It should name your regulation and product type.
Selling phones, laptops or other wireless devices? Check the body's scope for the Communications and IT Devices regulation, and plan for CST type approval on top.
Product certification bodies in Saudi Arabia
These seven bodies say they issue SABER certificates for Saudi importers, and SABER itself is listed as the official starting point. All were independently researched, in no particular order.
SABER (SASO platform, official)
Best for: Every seller importing regulated goods to Saudi Arabia - start here
- Official SASO platform; required before regulated products enter KSA
- Fees: SAR 500 per product conformity certificate, SAR 350 per shipment certificate (excl. VAT)
- Shipment certificate validity extended from 60 to 90 days
SGS
Best for: Chinese factories and brands needing testing + SABER certificates from one global body
- SGS says it is a SASO-accredited certification body issuing SABER Product Certificates and Shipment Certificates, and can register products in SABER
- July 2025: SASO approval for the Communication and IT Devices regulation (phones, modems, laptops)
- Dense lab and inspection network in China
Intertek
Best for: Electronics and consumer goods exporters wanting testing and certification in China before shipping
- Runs government product-conformity programmes for several countries (company materials)
- Large China testing footprint
Bureau Veritas
Best for: Sellers with mixed product ranges (toys, textiles, electricals) needing one body for KSA and UAE
- Designatable as conformity assessment body in SABER: checks documents, tests samples, inspects factories where required; SASO-accepted CAB under SALEEM (2019 flyer)
- Says it is an accredited Notified Body approved by UAE MoIAT for ECAS and EQM certification
TÜV SÜD
Best for: Electronics/appliance brands with existing CB reports wanting SABER conversion
- TÜV SÜD Middle East says SASO approved it to issue SABER certificates; listed scopes include leather, textiles, footwear, accessories, paper/cardboard, paints and packaging
- July 2025: SASO notified body for the Communications and IT Devices regulation (wireless/radio and telecom product and shipment certificates)
- TÜV SÜD PSB (Singapore) is SASO-approved for Asia/Australia-made goods incl. textiles, batteries, detergents, low-voltage electricals
TÜV Rheinland
Best for: Chinese manufacturers already using TÜV for EU marks
- Large China product-testing presence (company materials)
Applus+
Best for: Industrial and automotive parts sellers
- Runs product conformity schemes for Gulf regulators (company materials)
UL Solutions
Best for: US brands with UL-listed products expanding to the Gulf
- Global safety science company; GCC market-access services (company materials)
Selling in the Emirates too? Compare product certification consultants in the UAE.
What should you ask a Saudi certification body?
These questions are specific to SABER. Send them to every body you shortlist:
Once the SC is issued, your customs broker in Saudi Arabia files the declaration and clears the goods.
Notes on Saudi entry points
- Jeddah Islamic Port is a common first stop for sea freight from China. Time your SC to the vessel's arrival there.
- King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam is often used for stock heading to Riyadh and the Eastern Province.
- Air freight needs its own SC too, even for a small top-up shipment.
- Trucks from the UAE usually cross at Al Batha. Goods moving on from Dubai still need Saudi certificates.
Notes for brands without a Saudi CR
- Pick the importer first. No CR, no SABER account, so the distributor or IOR service comes before the body.
- Put certificate ownership in writing. If you switch partners, PCs under the old CR don't move with you.
- Let the factory pay for testing. The same reports help it sell to other Saudi buyers, so it's a fair ask.
- Planning your own company? Compare company formation consultants in Saudi Arabia.
Get certification quotes for Saudi Arabia
Share your products once. We'll match you with bodies approved for your regulation.
Frequently asked questions
An agent can run your SABER account, add products and issue Shipment Certificates under a delegation. The Product Certificate itself still has to come from a SASO-approved body. If an agent quotes a PC, ask which body will approve it and check that body's name on the certificate.
Sources & further reading
- SABER platform: fees, validity and announcements — Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO)
- Conformity assessment bodies accepted on SABER — SASO / SABER
- Registering a product certificate of conformity — SABER
- SASO technical regulations list — SASO
- Saudi Arabia SASO certificate of conformity — SGS
- SASO SABER product certification in Saudi Arabia — TÜV SÜD
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change — always confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor.

Maya is MiddleEastEcom's lead guide and editor. She researches GCC marketplaces, payments and regulations and turns them into practical playbooks for sellers.
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