SABER DESKSaber Desk · Article library
The free article library
Everything here is free, sourced the same way as the paid guide — official figures first, observed practice labelled as such, and no claim kept that we could not verify. Start with the two pillars if SABER is new to you; the prerequisite articles matter the day you classify a new product.
Start here
- PCoC vs SCoC meaning: the two SABER certificates compared — the product certificate, the shipment certificate, how they chain, what each costs, and the renewal timing that keeps you able to ship.
- The 7 customs traps that stop electronics shipments — the recurring failure patterns at Saudi clearance, from invoice mismatches to dead standards, each with its prevention.
The prerequisite stack
- SASO 3114:2026 for ICT equipment — the standard that replaces GEN-002, its official six-category scope, and the three dates: grace period to 31 October 2026, new certificates only under the new standard from 1 November, GEN-002 certificates discontinued by 31 March 2027.
- Importing mobile phones and tablets: SASO 3114 + SABER — the enforced order for phones and tablets (CST type approval, IECEE via JEEM, IEC 62368-1, PCoC, SCoC), the two USB-C dates, and what SASO 3114:2026 changes on 1 November 2026.
- Routers, CPE, ONT/HAG and Wi-Fi gear under SASO 3114 — the three network-equipment categories of the official scope, verbatim, the same three dates, and the rest of the path for a wireless router or CPE.
- CST type approval for wireless devices — who needs it, the application path, realistic timelines, and the 2026 CST–SABER integration.
- IECEE recognition via JEEM — the SASO recognition certificate, the 20 product categories, the document list, and why CE marking is not a substitute.
- Saudi RoHS and the IEC 63000 file — the substance limits, the category phase-in table, and what your factory actually has to hand over.
- Energy-efficiency registration via SLS — which products carry the Saudi energy label, how the portal works, and the stale-standard trap that kills certificates by calendar.
Classification and the shipment gate
- HS-code waves 2025–2026 — the January code replacements, what happens to existing certificates, and the revalidation routine.
- The MIM product declaration — the appendix-listed HS codes that need a Ministry of Industry declaration before the SCoC, and who it actually affects.
Questions and the paid guide
- The importer FAQ — the 13 questions importers commonly ask, answered honestly, including whether you need a consultant at all.
- How the guide is maintained — the sourcing method behind every figure on this site.
Go deeper, in both languages
The free sample covers the prerequisite stack, PCoC basics and 3 of the 7 traps — one English PDF and one Arabic PDF. The full Compliance Guide has the whole enforced path, every fee and timeline, all 7 traps with fixes, the invoice-matching checklist and a first-year budget worksheet.
Saber Desk is an independent reference — not a certification body, and not affiliated with SASO. We do not issue certificates. Fees and processing times are the official figures published on saber.sa unless marked as observed practice; confirm HS codes and required standards for a specific shipment with your Certification Body. Edition: October 2026.