SABER platform is an online portal developed by SASO (Saudi Arabian Standards Organization) under the program SALEEM to facilitate faster, smoother, and more efficient import/export with a focus on efficiency and quality.
Exports to Saudi Arabia have risen significantly in the last decade. New sectors in trade and commerce are evolving, and there is serious traction for imports from various parts of the world in Saudi Arabia. This change has inspired many importers/exporters to invest more in trade and enhance their network across countries. This has boosted the overall economy of Saudi Arabia; thus, uplifting and updating Saudi customs and trade programs from time to time is the priority for the Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organisation (SASO).
Under the program SALEEM, SASO introduced the SABER portal through which importers/exporters can connect with third-party SASO-notified Certification bodies to issue SASO Certificate of Conformity for their products imported to Saudi Arabia. As an importer/exporter trying to understand the process to receive the SABER certificate for their products, you must keep reading ahead.
Understanding SABER Portal
Before one knows the SABER portal, learning about the SASO Certificate of Conformity is essential. A SASO Certificate of Conformity is required for customs clearance of products imported to Saudi Arabia. Every shipment arriving in Saudi Arabia must be accompanied by a Product Certificate of Conformity and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity.
Importers/Exporters must get the SASO Certificate of Conformity issued by SASO-notified certification bodies. This is where the SABER portal comes in.
The Saudi Standards, Metrology, and Quality Organisation introduced the Saudi Safety Program under the name SALEEM, intending to enhance the trade and commerce sector and bring traction of global suppliers and buyers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To facilitate better and more efficient mediums for import/export, SASO developed an online portal SABER. This platform is meant to bridge the gap between importers/exporters and the third-party certification bodies so that all the necessary information and documents are in one place, and there is no inconvenience in receiving the SASO certificate.
The SABER portal is an amalgamation of information on the technical regulations of distinct categories of products used in the Saudi market. It has a well-defined list of technical rules that entails all the information an importer needs to have for his product before importing it to Saudi Arabia. It is highly advised to read the technical regulations document relevant to your product before importing it to Saudi Arabia.
The SABER portal has a definitive guide on “how to use SABER.” A video helps us understand how a delegated account can be registered on the SABER online platform. Every core information that any importer/exporter would need, from how to register on the platform to all the third-party certification body names – the portal answers all questions.
SASO on the SABER portal has mentioned three critical features as to how it has enhanced the sector-
- Raising the level of safe products- which is to say that non-conforming items or shipments not following guidelines set by SASO are not allowed to be used in Saudi Arabia. The products must comply with the technical regulations described in the TR documents readily available on the SABER platform.
- Reduces the needed time to release consumer products by Saudi customs. Through SABER, all the necessary SASO certificates can be received on the platform itself, which diminishes timelines in acquiring and serving the certificate in time.
- Accelerate the required conformity certificates for products, locally manufactured or imported.
Every item is attached to a Harmonised System Code (HS code) unique to itself. This helps in the product identification process, which further helps in defining the technical regulations relevant to the item. The HS code creates a distinction that makes it easier to understand the corresponding TR and find the item on the SABER portal. The products imported to Saudi Arabia follow a 12-digit HS Code where the first 4-6 digits are international.
To get complete HS code details, an importer can mention their product’s category on the SABER platform.
Registration on the SABER Platform
Every importer/exporter planning to import products to Saudi Arabia must know about the SABER portal and register themselves on it for the best trade experience. SABER registration is an online process done on the portal by the importer/exporter requiring a SABER certificate for their products imported to Saudi Arabia.
SABER registration is all about registering your company on the portal to initiate the process of acquiring a SABER certificate for your products. Once registered on the portal, you can request a certification body from the third-party SASO-notified certification bodies to issue the SABER certificate for your items.
Once the importer has successfully registered on the SABER portal, he needs to add the product details like- country of origin, trademark, product photographs, etc. After the entry is completed, the registered importer can request any certification bodies listed on the portal for the SABER/ SASO certificate.
A certification body usually takes about a week to successfully issue the SASO certificate for the product. The product is subjected to lab testing and factory audit once the test and audit reports are out and seem satisfactory to the certification body. This implies the product complies with SASO technical regulations; the third-party CB issues a SASO Certificate of Conformity.
SABER Certificate Explained
Many need clarification when someone says or talks about the SABER certificate. While you might be aware of the SASO Certificate of Conformity, the word SABER certificate can still quickly bounce from your head. SABER Certificate or SASO Certificate of Conformity is the same. Many importers call the SASO certificate the SABER Certificate.
SABER Certificate is a SASO Certificate of Conformity that is available on the SABER portal once all the processes, from testing to factory auditing, are completed and the test reports are satisfactory.
Successfully issuing a SABER certificate for a product implies compliance with SASO technical regulations and quality standards. A SABER certificate is mandatory for all products imported to Saudi Arabia for smooth customs clearance.
Choose VERGER as your Certification Body
VERGER Group is an ISO-17065 accredited and SASO-notified certification body that has issued the SASO Certificate of Conformity for over 2000+ clients. We are authorized to conduct testing and factory audits for items and issue the SASO certificate for the product with timely test reports.
Please send us a request through the SABER portal, or you can also connect with us by submitting your information on our website to get the SASO Certificate of Conformity issued by us.