Saudi Arabia’s regulatory body, SASO (Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organization), has introduced new trade compliance regulations that have changed the importation process and will affect tech importers. PCoC and SCoC are now strictly mandatory for Saudi imports.
According to Tendata, in April 2025, 9.51% of Saudi Arabia’s imports are electrical and electronic equipment valued at approximately $19.67 billion. The 2025 regulation changes are poised to significantly affect Saudi tech importers.
The SABER Platform
Since the introduction of the online platform SABER in 2019, importing tech goods to Saudi Arabia has already become more complex. SABER works as a system of approvals and aims to improve product safety, accelerate customs clearance, and assist with required import certificates, registrations, and other documents.
Both foreign exporters and local importers are required to register with SABER. The platform uses a pre-shipment verification of conformity (PVoC) system, streamlining compliance reviews by facilitating them before the goods arrive in the country. It also simplifies the enforcement of Saudi Arabia’s national product safety program, SALEEM, which is managed by SASO.
Through SABER, tech hardware can obtain the necessary approvals for a seamless import. In 2025, new SALEEM requirements introduced a significant regulatory change for IT imports into Saudi Arabia: a two-part requirement for two mandatory certificates: PCoC and SCoC.
Two mandatory certificates, PCoC and SCoC, are required when importing tech to Saudi Arabia.
What is a PCoC? | Importing Tech to Saudi Arabia
A Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) confirms the conformity of imported goods to SASO’s Standards and Technical Regulations. It must be issued by an approved conformity assessment body (CAB) and is issued once per importer and per product. A PCoC is valid for one year for the specific importer and product type.
Here’s the catch – a PCoC can only be issued to a local entity in Saudi Arabia, meaning you’ll need an IOR like TecEx to assist if you are unable or unwilling to take on the associated risks.
A product’s HS code determines whether it requires a PCoC. This means that a shipment with five different tech products could require five different PCoCs.
What is a SCoC? | Importing Tech to Saudi Arabia
A Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) can only be issued once you have your PCoC, and is issued per consignment. The SCoC is a broader, shipment-level approval that confirms that valid PCoCs cover each product in a shipment. It’s usually issued by the same CAB that issued the PCoC.
Electronics and tech gear cannot be imported into Saudi Arabia without PCoC and SCoC certifications. If the certificates are not issued before a shipment arrives, importers will be liable to penalties and fines.
What Else Has Changed for Imports to Saudi Arabia? | Elimination of the Letter of Undertaking (LUT)
The Letter of Undertaking has been eliminated as an additional measure to improve compliance and safety. The document previously enabled compliance declarations for specific products without importers having to obtain full certification. Saudi Arabian customs authorities no longer accept LUTs.
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What Other Certifications Do Tech Imports to Saudi Arabia Need? | The Saudi Quality Mark (SQM)
Certain products, like electrical connections, plugs, and switches, require an SQM from a SASO-authorized body to certify that they meet Saudi standards. This is crucial not only for compliant imports but also for selling goods in Saudi Arabia. The SQM is valid for three years.
Manufacturers can voluntarily obtain a Saudi Quality mark for goods that don’t require it to boost their product’s reputation and competitiveness in the market.
“Shipping to Saudi Arabia has always been challenging for tech importers, but the recent regulatory updates have made it even more complex. The stricter enforcement of the PCoC and SCoC certificates under SASO and SABER requires importers to follow more stringent guidelines, submit more detailed paperwork, and ensure their products meet local safety and technical standards.
Delays are common when importers are unfamiliar with SABER or submit incomplete or inaccurate documents. Even a small mistake can hold up a shipment for days or weeks, which is not only inconvenient but also costly.
TecEx accelerates this process by managing your compliance requirements end-to-end, ensuring all documentation is submitted correctly and on schedule, so your goods clear customs seamlessly and without delay.“
– Megan Swart, Head of Trade Compliance at TecEx
Get Your Tech Gear Through Saudi Customs
SASO, SALEEM, and SABER requirements can be intimidating for tech businesses trying to import into Saudi. Don’t let PCoC and SCoC requirements hinder your tech exports to Saudi Arabia.
From understanding the new regulations to acquiring the mandatory certificates on time and clearing customs seamlessly, TecEx can support your imports to Saudi Arabia every step of the way.
