SASO certification: what importers must know
SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization) writes the technical regulations every imported product must meet. Conformity is proven electronically through the SABER platform: a Product Certificate (PCoC, valid 12 months) plus a Shipment Certificate (SCoC) per consignment. Without them, regulated cargo does not clear Saudi customs.
SASO vs SABER — what is the difference?
SASO is the standards body; SABER is the online system where its requirements are enforced. Suppliers and importers register products in SABER, an accredited certification body verifies test reports against the relevant SASO technical regulation, and the resulting certificates are what ZATCA checks at clearance. "SASO certificate" in everyday speech almost always means the SABER PCoC/SCoC pair.
Which products need SASO/SABER certification?
Most regulated consumer and technical goods: electronics and appliances (with IECEE recognition), toys, vehicles and spare parts, building materials, textiles, cosmetics-adjacent devices and more. Some categories carry extra layers — energy-efficiency labels for air conditioners and appliances, Gulf conformity (G-mark) for low-voltage equipment, tire manufacture-date rules. Unregulated goods self-declare instead.
What is the SASO Quality Mark?
A separate, voluntary-to-mandatory mark for specific higher-risk products (e.g. some electrical items, water taps, building products) requiring factory audits, not just test reports. If your product line needs it, budget weeks rather than days. Sanad Global's certification desk confirms exactly which scheme applies to each HS code before you commit to production.
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Frequently asked questions
What is SASO in Saudi Arabia?
The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization — the national standards body whose technical regulations define what products may enter and be sold in the Kingdom.
How long does SASO/SABER certification take?
With valid test reports, a PCoC typically issues in about 1–2 weeks and each SCoC in 1–3 days. Testing from scratch adds several weeks.
How much does certification cost?
Indicatively $300–1,500 per product for the PCoC depending on category and certification body, plus a smaller per-shipment SCoC fee.
Does SASO apply to food and medicines?
No — food, drugs, medical devices and cosmetics fall under SFDA, a separate authority with its own registration process.
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Leave your number. A licensed broker replies within 30 minutes during working hours (Sun–Thu, 9:00–18:00 KSA).