Guides: importing into Saudi Arabia

Practical guides on customs clearance, SABER, FASAH and shipping to Saudi Arabia, written by the Sanad Global team.

• Customs & ZATCA
• ATA Carnet
  Saudi Arabia accepts ATA Carnets for temporary admission — exhibition goods, professional equipment, commercia
• Airport clearance
  Air cargo clears at King Khalid (Riyadh), King Abdulaziz (Jeddah) and King Fahd (Dammam) airports in hours to
• Customs broker
  A licensed Saudi customs broker files your FASAH declaration, resolves ZATCA queries and releases cargo in 1–3
• Customs clearance in Dammam
  How customs clearance works at King Abdulaziz Port: release times, FASAH filing, storage free period and deliv
• Customs clearance in Jeddah
  How customs clearance works at Jeddah Islamic Port: release times, FASAH filing, storage free period and deliv
• Customs clearance in Riyadh
  How customs clearance works at Riyadh Dry Port: release times, FASAH filing, storage free period and delivery
• Customs clearance in Saudi Arabia
  How customs clearance works in Saudi Arabia: FASAH filing, 5% average duty, 15% VAT, required documents and ty
• Customs disputes
  Disagree with a ZATCA customs decision? The ladder: objection to ZATCA within the deadline, then the tax/custo
• Customs duty & VAT
  Saudi import duty is mostly 5% of CIF; range 0–25% by HS code. VAT 15% applies on CIF + duty. Worked calculati
• Customs fines
  ZATCA customs penalties explained: undervaluation, wrong HS codes, late declarations, prohibited goods — what
• Delays & holds
  Why shipments get stuck: missing SABER certificates, document mismatches, red-lane inspection, SFDA holds, unp
• E-invoicing (FATOORA)
  ZATCA e-invoicing is mandatory for VAT-registered businesses: Phase 1 since Dec 2021, Phase 2 integration roll
• FASAH customs platform
  FASAH is the national single window for customs clearance in Saudi Arabia. What it does, who files in it, and
• HS codes
  Saudi Arabia uses 12-digit HS codes that set your duty rate (0–25%) and certificate requirements. How to look
• Riyadh customs
  Customs in Riyadh clears at two points: Riyadh Dry Port (rail containers from Dammam) and King Khalid airport
• ZATCA
  ZATCA is the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority of Saudi Arabia. Unified number 19993, portal zatca.gov.sa. What
• Certification & Compliance
• Certificate of conformity
  A Certificate of Conformity proves goods meet Saudi standards. Issued via SABER: product certificate (12 month
• Certificate of origin
  The certificate of origin states where goods were made, sets duty treatment (GCC = duty-free) and is checked b
• Halal certification
  Meat, poultry and gelatine-containing food must be halal-certified by bodies recognized by the Saudi Halal Cen
• Health certificate
  The health certificate certifies food is fit for consumption, issued by the origin country's authority. What i
• SABER certificate
  SABER is Saudi Arabia's mandatory product-conformity platform. Which products need it, how PCoC and SCoC certi
• SABER login
  SABER login is at saber.sa — importer accounts sign in with registered credentials linked to the CR. Login ste
• SASO
  SASO sets Saudi product standards; conformity is proven via SABER certificates (PCoC + SCoC). What SASO covers
• SFDA
  SFDA (Saudi Food & Drug Authority) clearance is mandatory for food, cosmetics, medical devices and drugs. Regi