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Saudi Arabia Importer of Record and IT Shipping 

IT Shipments into Saudi Arabia require a diligent importer of record that can assist with SABER verification and secure last-mile delivery.

Saudi Arabia Importer of Record at a Glance:

Importer of Record 

  • Saudi Arabia has strict import requirements and most clients will need to use FGX’s Importer of Record service in order to import IT equipment
  • All imports of electronic products will require approval by SABER, Saudi Arabia’s system for regulating imports

IT Shipping & Logistics

  • Due to the arid environment, equipment must be properly packed and stored throughout the transportation process

Importer of Record and Pre-Shipment Documentation 

Import Restrictions

In Saudi Arabia, all imports must be registered to a Saudi owned company. For our clients, this means they can rarely, if ever, act as their own Importer of Record. In many cases, our clients don’t even have an entity there and are simply trying to get their infrastructure into a data center or colocation facility.

Even for our clients who do have a business entity with Saudi stakeholders, acting as an importer of electronic and IT goods is not a simple application. For example, importing into Saudi Arabia requires understanding and managing the Certificate of Conformity process and SABER system.

Certificates of Conformity (CoC) 

When importing into Saudi Arabia you will need to obtain a number of “Certificates of Conformities” (CoC). Generally speaking, a CoC is a certificate issued by the manufacturer via an independent lab to certify that a piece of equipment meets certain requirements.

There are 3 main types of certificates of conformity you need to obtain: 

  1. Product Certificate of Conformity: Also known as a Type Approval Certificate. A Product CoC should be issued on a per importer basis and is good for a particular product for up to a year. This CoC certifies that a product meets all necessary standards of production and safety set by the Saudi government.
  2. Shipment Certificate of Conformity: A Shipment CoC is very similar to the Product CoC but instead of focusing on any one particular product, it looks at whether or not the entire shipment itself meets regulatory requirements. The Shipment CoC requires Product CoCs for all the products in the shipment as well as an invoice, packing list, or bill of materials. 
  3. Self Declaration of Conformity: A Self Declaration is only applicable if you manufactured the product that is being tested. If you are providing a Self Declaration of Conformity you should include this in the Shipment CoC, in place of the Product CoC. 

SABER 

SABER, part of the Saudi Product Safety Program, is an electronic platform that allows importers to obtain required documents and manage their imports. Among other functions, it allows importers and local manufacturers to electronically obtain the required product and shipment CoCs. The intent of the platform is to protect the Saudi state and its people against potential fraud as well as limit health and safety defects in products. 

Receiving SABER approval typically takes 10-14 days and no products can be shipped until it is obtained. It’s best practice to obtain the CoC’s in advance to avoid your products “sitting” in customs.

IT Shipping & Logistics

Saudi Arabia’s transportation infrastructure is fairly reliable. Once your shipment has cleared customs, last-mile delivery is fairly quick. 

However, Saudi Arabia has an arid climate and you will face the typical obstacles when shipping tech through dry, sandy climates. You should properly pack all equipment and all transport should be done in an enclosed vehicle. This avoids exposure to sand and ensures proper temperature control throughout transportation. 


FGX manages all of our client’s shipments door-to-door (or door-to-datacenter). This case study showcases how we navigated IT logistics and importation into Saudi Arabia at the time that it was written. Regulations and challenges are constantly changing and exact shipping requirements may have changed. To learn more about FGX and how our global shipping platform can help your company, reach out here.