What Is SABER?
A Saudi Importer Guide to Product and Shipment Certificates
Introduction
SABER is a
critical part of the route many products take into the Saudi market. For
importers, misunderstanding the required certificate or product requirements
can delay an application or shipment. Compliance should therefore be addressed
before the goods arrive, not after a clearance issue appears.
What is SABER?
SABER is
an electronic platform used to register products and manage conformity and
shipment certification procedures for products entering the Saudi market.
Requirements differ depending on the product, the applicable technical
regulation and whether the case requires self-declaration or a conformity
certificate.
Product
Conformity Certificate
SABER
states that the Product Conformity Certificate service enables importers and
local factories to register conformity certificates for commercial products to
demonstrate compliance with Saudi standards and applicable technical
regulations. Requirements include product registration, model numbers and the
relevant technical file.
Validity, time
and fee
According
to the official SABER service page, a Product Conformity Certificate is valid
for one year. The published processing time is 5–6 working days and the service
fee is SAR 500 before VAT. Additional assessment or testing costs may apply
depending on the product and conformity body.
Shipment
Certificate
The
shipment certificate is linked to the imported shipment. SABER indicates that
commercial imported products require product registration and either a Product
Conformity Certificate or self-declaration as applicable. The published
validity is 90 days, processing time 1–2 working days, and service fee SAR 350
before VAT.
Product
certificate vs shipment certificate
In simple
terms, the product certificate relates to the conformity status of the product,
while the shipment certificate relates to the specific shipment entering Saudi
Arabia. Having a product certificate does not remove shipment-related
procedures for future consignments.
When should the
process start?
Start
before shipping, especially where testing, a technical file or a conformity
assessment body is involved. Waiting until the goods arrive can turn a small
document issue into storage costs and clearance delays.
Golden Phase
SABER service
Golden
Phase Commercial supports importers with SABER requirements, including review
of product, manufacturer, model and document data, conformity applications and
shipment certificate procedures according to the product case.
Official source
SABER
official platform and help center: https://saber.sa/
