A SASO Certificate of Conformity, also a SABER certificate, is a mandatory document required to be accompanied by the products imported to Saudi Arabia.
Globalization is the biggest reason the import/export sector is experiencing exponential growth, especially in the last two decades. Borders have become blurry, and import/export phenomena have seen evolution, transformation, and change like never before. This has led to broader arrangements of rules and regulations and more strict quality and safety guidelines for different countries.
Talking particularly about Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation (SASO) is the organization that heads the quality and safety policies and protocols for products used within the country. SASO is responsible for underlining conformity assessment procedures for products imported to Saudi Arabia and stating the authority with third-party bodies to legally carry out those conformity assessment procedures.
SASO developed a Saudi Product Quality Program named “SALEEM,” under which policies and laws are formulated for distinct categories of products imported to Saudi Arabia. The program is meant to facilitate better trade and commerce with the rest of the world. The base of this program is categorizing the products and setting technical regulations. This program has helped SASO avoid non-compliant / low-quality and unsafe products from entering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Under program SALEEM, SASO has introduced a SASO Certificate of Conformity to prove the compliance of products against quality and safety standards set by SASO. This certificate of conformity is a mandatory document that needs to be accompanied by the products imported to Saudi Arabia.
Third-party SASO-notified Certification Bodies issue a SASO Certificate of Conformity for any product imported to Saudi Arabia. Any conformity assessment body can only issue the SASO certificate if SASO legally authorizes it.
A product is subjected to laboratory testing and factory audit before a SASO Certificate of Conformity is issued. Only after the test and audit reports are satisfactory can the products be given the SASO certificate for the product.
SASO Certificate of Conformity
Now that we know that A SASO Certificate of Conformity is mandatory for the products imported to Saudi Arabia let us understand the different certificates of conformity which are a part of the SASO Certificate of Conformity.
A SASO Certificate of Conformity combines two essential certificates- A Product certificate of Conformity and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity. These certificates are for product and shipment, respectively.
SASO Product Certificate of Conformity
Any product imported to Saudi Arabia must possess a Product Certificate of Conformity. A product sample is tested and factory audited by an authorized SASO-notified Certification Body. After the test reports are out and satisfactory, a Product Certificate of Conformity is issued for the product.
A Product Certificate of Conformity is valid for a year. This means a product with this certificate of conformity can be imported to Saudi Arabia n number of times in one year. After it expires, the importer must request the certificate again for the same product.
Let us look at some regulated products that need a PCoC-
- Shoes
- Cement Fibre Boards
- Wall Sink Mixer
- Bench Drill Press
- Pine Cutting Machine
- Welding Machine
- Bending Machine
- Magnetic Drill Machine
- Alternator
- Starter
The listed items are just a minuscule of the SASO-regulated products list.
SASO Shipment Certificate of Conformity
SASO Shipment Certificate of Conformity is associated with the shipments reaching the Saudi port for import. Every consignment is bound to be accompanied by a shipment certificate of conformity for seamless customs clearance.
A SASO shipment certificate focuses on individual consignment delivery and if the shipment obliges with the quality and safety specifications relevant to SASO.
A SASO Shipment Certificate of Conformity is valid per consignment.
SCoC and PCoC Requirements in Saudi Arabia
To ensure the products reaching the Saudi market to be used by the consumers in Saudi Arabia are par quality and comply with the safety standards and technical regulations set by SASO, a Shipment Certificate of Conformity and a Product Certificate of Conformity are two essential certificates mandatory for products imported to KSA.
SASO has categorized a set of items under terms and regulations.
- All the items listed as a negligible risk by SASO come under no technical regulations. Hence a declaration form by the importer does the job. While non-regulated products do not need a Product Certificate of Conformity, a Shipment Certificate of Conformity is still mandatory for all the items imported to Saudi Arabia for smooth customs clearance.
- Several medium-risk items fall under SASO technical regulations that need a Product Certificate of Conformity as a testimony to their compliance with SASO quality and safety standards.
- Products like showers, faucets, or a category of electrical and electronic items need an additional certificate like IECEE Recognition Certificate or Water Efficiency Label certificate, etc. which does the same job as a PCoC but is restricted to only specific items.
SASO IECEE Recognition Certificate
SASO mandated the IECEE Recognition Certificate on February 15, 2018, for a category of household electrical and electronic (EE) products imported to Saudi Arabia. The certificate testifies against the technical regulations and standards set by IEC. The IECEE Recognition Certificate can replace the Product Certificate of Conformity for specific electrical and electronic products under the SASO technical regulations.
A SASO IECEE Recognition Certificate is valid for one year.
There are multiple categories of EE products under technical regulations for SASO IECEE Recognition Certificate –
- Batteries
- Cables and Cords
- Capacitors as components
- Switches for appliances
- Automatic controls for electrical household appliances
- Electrical Energy Efficiency
- Electrical Vehicles
- Electromagnetic Compatibility
- Household and similar equipment
- Industrial Automation
- Hazardous Substances Testing Service
- Installation accessories and connection devices
- Luminaries
- Electrical equipment for medical use
- Measurement, control, and laboratory equipment
- IT and office equipment
SASO SABER Portal
SASO has developed an online portal called SABER, which acts as a medium for importers to reach third-party SASO-notified certification bodies to receive SASO Certificate of Conformity for their products imported to Saudi Arabia.
Now that we know about SASO and SASO Certificate of Conformity, the question is how to get one for your products before they are imported to Saudi Arabia. The answer is through the SABER platform.
SASO SABER platform is the portal where an importer can read all the information about technical regulations attached to their products. The portal also contains the official list of legally authorized SASO-notified certification bodies which are responsible for carrying out conformity assessment procedures and issuing SASO Certificate of Conformity for products imported to Saudi Arabia.
Conclusion
As an importer/exporter taking your products to Saudi Arabia, ensure your products have a SASO Certificate of Conformity. The government of Saudi Arabia is highly considerate and strict about the regulations and standards set by SASO for quality and safety assessment. In case of non-compliance with the norms of SASO, a shipment is sent back and needs to be re-exported.