After March 15, 2019, the certification body would no longer issue CoC certificates for products within the scope of GCC and exported to Saudi Arabia, and the products shall be registered on the SABER system. After April 1, 2019, products haven’t registered on SABER system will not be cleared.

SABER was formally implemented on April 1. The first batch of controlled products is low-voltage electrical appliances, children's toys and lubricants. Since April 1, the above products can be shipped only by applying for SC through SABER, and can only be cleared by Saudi Arabia Customs with conformity certificate issued by SABER, other uncontrolled products can still apply SASO at present.

1. What is SABER certification?

SABER certification is a conformity evaluation plan for non-Saudi native enterprises (i.e. enterprises have products exported to Saudi Arabia). Therefore, Chinese export enterprises shall pay attention to SABER certification plan. SABER is an upgrade version of the original SASO certification, and is also a new certification which will replace SASO certification then.

2. Key points of SABER certification

SABER certification is a new online application system launched by SASO. SABER actually is a network tool for product registration, issuance and acquisition of CoC conformity certificate. For SABER certification, products will be classified into three categories according to high, medium, low risk level. On the basis of the risk level, different conformity testing procedures will be adopted, and the certification will be implemented by different accreditation agencies.

3. SABER Certification Procedures:

Stage 1: PC Certificate (Product Certificate)

a.The importer register a SABER system account;

b. The importer enters the requested product information into the SABER system;

c. The importer selects a certification body in the SABER system;

d. Pay PCoC certificate fee;

e. The certification body receives the application and contacts the importer/exporter to ask for application documents;

h. The certification body checks and submits the approved documents to the SABER system;

i. A PCoC certificate is issued by SABER system. The certificate is valid for 1 year.

Stage 2: SC certificate (Shipment Certificate)

a. The importer submits an SC application to the SABER system;

b. The certification body verifies the controlled goods and confirms the validity of the PC certificate； 

c. Pay SC certification fee;

d. Issue SC certificate, the certificate is valid only for this batch of goods.

SABER system specifies product certification application consists of three steps:

1. Apply for product listing;

2. Apply for product certification;

3. Apply for shipment certification.

4. Notes:

a. Product Listing is voluntary.

b. Product Certification (PC) and Shipment Certification (SC) are mandatory;

c. The product shall apply for PC certificate firstly, and then apply for SC certificate for each shipment. These two certificates are necessary customs clearance documents for goods entering Saudi Arabia;

e. Certificate fees are charged online by SASO through the SABER system, and the SC certificates for each batch of goods will be charged fixedly, and is no longer charged according to the value of each batch as SASO CoC charges in the past.

BACL Service：

BACL can provide you with efficient and reliable Multi-national certification services, such as United States(NRTL, FCC, ENERGY STAR）, Canada(ISED、NRTL), EU(CE), Korea（KC）, Japan（MIC）, Singapore（IMDA）,Hong Kong（OFCA）, Taiwan （NCC, BSMI）, Egypt (NTRA), Vietnam （MIC）, Saudi Arabia (SASO, CITC), Philippines (NTC), Thailand (NBTC), Malaysia (SIRIM), India（BIS，WPC，TEC） and other services to assure your products still smoothly entering into the international trade market even when the international trade barriers are becoming increasingly fierce.