What is the SASO Certificate of Conformity
The Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Standards (SASO) started the Saudi Product Safety Program called “SALEEM” to mitigate any risks and ensure the safety and quality standards of the products imported to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A category of products is listed by SASO that fall under its technical regulations. The SASO Certificate of Conformity is necessary for importing regulated products to Saudi Arabia and for seamless custom clearance.
The SASO Certificate of Conformity has a category of certificates that come under it. Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC), Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC), and IECEE Recognition Certificate are some. The certificate is testimony to the product’s compliance with the technical standards set by SASO. The SABER platform is an online portal developed to facilitate and accelerate successful custom clearance of imports to Saudi Arabia. For importers to start the process of acquiring the SASO Certificate of Conformity, they are required to register on the SABER portal.
Indian Exports to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
In 2020, Indian exports to Saudi Arabia reached a peak of $6.37 billion. In January 2023, exports to Saudi Arabia had already reached INR76.70 billion. India has been in the export business and collaboration with Saudi Arabia for more than 25 years now. The main products that India exported to Saudi Arabia are rice ($1.1B), refined petroleum ($598M), and cars ($565M). While India is among the largest exporters to Saudi Arabia, many Indian traders find it difficult to understand the rules and regulations about imports to Saudi Arabia. Many face challenges finding a trusted organization to issue SASO Certificate of Conformity for their products. While the process of acquiring a SASO Certificate of Conformity is an easy and online process, one must keep a thorough understanding of it.
Getting a SASO Certificate of Conformity in India
A step-by-step guide to getting a SASO Certificate of Conformity in India-
Register yourself as an importer/exporter on the SABER platform
Raise a request to an organization mentioned in the SABER portal for the issuance of the certificate
Once the request is approved, send the required documents (hs-code of the product, product photos, etc.) to the approved SASO body to start the process
The organization then begins the testing and factory audit of the products
Once the test reports and audit reports are satisfactory, a SASO Certificate of Conformity and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity are issued
The organization links the certificates to the importer’s/exporter’s CR number on the SABER platform
The importer can then get a hard copy of the credentials from the SABER platform
For smooth customs clearance, an importer must show test reports, factory audit reports, Shipment Certificate of Conformity, and the SASO Certificate of Conformity.
Failure to deliver the SASO Certificate of Conformity upon arrival in Saudi Arabia shall result in the cancelation of the import, and the shipment will have to be re-exported
It is to be noted that the importer has to bear the prices for product testing, factory audit, Shipment Certificate of Conformity, and SASO Certificate of Conformity. The time to issue the certificates might vary from company to company.
How VERGER Group can help you
VERGER Group is an ISO-17065 accredited certification body specializing in testing and factory audits. It is also an official NABCB (National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies and a SASO notified certification body authorized to issue a SASO Certificate of Conformity. We have served 2000+ importers and made their import journeys to Saudi Arabia seamless. We are also an ISO-17020 accredited Inspection body and provide various inspection services to our customers.
Contact us to get first-hand information about the certificates and trusted services.