Recently, we have a batch of products to ship to the Saudi Arabia. We are selling raised floor systems. At the beginning, our client thought they didn’t need to do the SABER certification. Finally they found they need. And also, we help them with SABER certification process. Maybe many people(including ourselves) doesn’t familar to the SARBER certification. So, we talk about the SABER certification this topic.
What is SABER certification?
SABER certificate is a conformity certification assessment plan launched in 2019 for non-Saudi local companies (that is, companies that need to export to Saudi Arabia) for product registration, issuance and acquisition of compliance CoC certificates. Products will be classified according to risk categories: High-medium-low different risk categories adopt different compliance inspection procedures, which will be carried out by accredited institutions (such as INTERTEK, NEMKO, CQC, TUV and SGS, etc.). Our certification this time is the TUV agency designated by the customer.
SABER certification process
SABER certification divides all products entering Saudi Arabia into: high, medium and low according to the risk category. According to the risk category, different certification methods are required. So, how to judge the category of the product? We can enter the Saudi SABER official website (https://saber.sa/), enter the product name or HS code to query. The query will have two results: Supplier Conformity Declaration and COC Certificate OR QM Certificate.
Query result: Supplier Conformity Declaration
If this result occurs, you can directly register and apply for the SCOC certificate, which is “Shipment Conformity certificate for imported products”. With it, it means that your products are allowed to enter the Saudi market. Regarding the Saudi account number and password, under the current Saber authentication system, Saudi customers need to open a transaction account on the Saudi Saber system to conduct import and export trade, and all subsequent product authentications are completed on this account. Therefore, the Saudi account and password should be provided by Saudi customers.Query result: COC CertificateOR QM Certificate (COC certificate or QM certificate)
The first stage of SABER certification process: PC certificate (product certificate certification)
- The importer registers the SABER system account;
- Register the product and select a certification agency in the SABER system;
- Submit product information such as packaging drawing, outer box drawing, label drawing, test report, etc. to the issuing agency for review.
- After the data is approved, pay the product registration fee and PC fee.
- Issue a PC certificate, which is valid for 1 year.
The second stage of SABER certification process: SCOC certificate (inspection certificate)
- Submit the SCOC application in the SABER system.
- Submit invoices, PC certificates, etc. to the issuing agency for review.
- After the data is approved, pay the inspection certificate fee.
- A SCOC certificate is issued, and the certificate is valid for one time.
Materials to be prepared before Saudi Arabia SABER certification:
- Importer’s business license (accurate business license number and validity period of the business license are required)
- Importer contact information
- English product name
- Exporting country
- Model
- Manufacturer’s name
- Product photos (no less than 2)
- Trademark Arabic + English + LOGO photo
- HS code
- Test reports (GSO IEC ISO EN and other standards), products within the control scope of GCC, energy efficiency, water efficiency, IECEE, etc., must provide relevant certificates.
The customer chose the TUV certification body, and they first asked us to provide the following information:
1.ISO 14001 certificate of manufacturer ISO14001 certification
2.package (pic.) package picture of raised floor systems
3.The supplier conformity approval form
4.Risk Assessment Document
5.Manufacturer’s CR manufacturer business license
6.Testing report
7.Factory inspection report
Among them, item 3 and item 4 have templates. We asked TUV to provide us with templates and fill in them ourselves. After providing so much information, it is the video factory audit. In SABER certification, the exporter is required to provide a factory inspection report. We chose to let the TUV agency audit the factory. TUV can choose a video factory inspection, or you can choose an on-site factory inspection. We chose the video factory audit. There are a lot of materials that need to be provided in the video factory audit, we need to provide them one by one, this process is rather cumbersome. Please refer to the following list of documents to be prepared:
After the materials are almost ready, the video audit will be done. The video inspection process is also very strict. The factory inspection process is almost the incoming material – production workshop – finished product warehouse, but each link needs to be demonstrated one by one, and corresponding certificates will also need to be provided. This is relatively cumbersome, but as long as the procedures are complete, these are not a problem, almost one Can be done in an hour.
Summarize
SABER certification process: importer Saber account opening – PC registration – test report – PC certification – delivery – SC certification
Special reminder: Unless it is extremely urgent, you must prepare the PC certificate first, and then ship the goods, so as to avoid the dilemma of the goods reaching the destination port and cause greater losses.
SABER certification is actually not difficult, but it is a relatively cumbersome process. But as long as you are willing to spend time on it, according to the requirements of the testing agency, slowly implement one by one, and cooperate with the various requirements of the testing agency, all the problems will be solved.
