Overview
Detergents and cleaning products are assessed on what is inside the bottle. Two products that look identical on the shelf can have completely different surfactant systems, and Saudi assessment focuses on three things a generic certificate never addresses: whether the surfactants biodegrade (typically at least 60 % primary or ultimate degradation by an OECD 301 series method), whether the active matter found by laboratory analysis matches the concentration claimed on the label, and whether the formulation stays within the limits set for restricted substances — phosphates, formaldehyde and formaldehyde-releasing preservatives, methanol in liquid products, and heavy-metal traces.
On top of the chemistry, the pack itself is part of the certificate. Cleaning products are classified and labelled under the GHS system, so the retail pack needs the correct pictograms, signal word, hazard and precautionary statements in Arabic, along with the ingredient declaration, net content, batch code and manufacturer details — supported by a 16-section safety data sheet. Detergents are certified through SABER registration under the Technical Regulation covering chemical and detergent products. A Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) is required for the formulation, and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) is required for each consignment before it clears Saudi customs. Broader industrial chemicals are covered on our chemical products page, and solvent-based coatings on our paints and varnishes page.
Product Types
The formulation-based route and the GHS labelling requirements apply across:
- Laundry detergent powders, liquids, gels and unit-dose capsules
- Fabric softeners, laundry conditioners, bleaches and stain removers
- Hand dishwashing liquids and automatic dishwasher detergents, salts and rinse aids
- General-purpose surface cleaners, floor cleaners, glass cleaners and bathroom or toilet cleaners
- Degreasers, oven cleaners, drain openers and other acidic or highly alkaline specialist cleaners
- Toilet soap, medicated-claim-free bar soap, liquid hand wash and hand-cleaning pastes
- Polishes, waxes and scouring creams and powders for floors, furniture, metal and glass
- Car-care shampoos and vehicle cleaning preparations sold at retail
- Industrial and institutional cleaning concentrates supplied to Saudi facilities
The scope of the certificate is defined from the formulation family, the surfactant system, the declared active-matter range, the pack format and the HS code, so the range you export is covered. Products carrying a disinfectant, sanitiser, antibacterial or biocidal claim are regulated separately by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority rather than through the SABER detergent route — we confirm which route your product falls into before anything is filed, because getting this wrong is the single most expensive mistake in this category.
HS Codes
Cleaning products are classified in Chapter 34 by whether they are true soap or a synthetic surface-active preparation, and by whether they are put up for retail sale. These are examples only — the correct code depends on the exact product.
- 3401.11 — Soap and organic surface-active products in bars, for toilet use
- 3401.19 / 3401.20 / 3401.30 — Other soap in bars or other forms, and organic surface-active products for washing the skin as liquid or cream
- 3402.50 — Surface-active preparations, washing and cleaning preparations put up for retail sale
- 3402.90 — Washing and cleaning preparations not put up for retail sale (bulk, concentrates, institutional packs)
- 3402.31 / 3402.39 / 3402.41 / 3402.42 / 3402.49 — Anionic, cationic, non-ionic and other organic surface-active agents supplied as raw material
- 3405.10 / 3405.20 / 3405.30 / 3405.40 / 3405.90 — Polishes and creams for footwear, furniture, floors, coachwork and glass, and scouring pastes and powders
- 3808.94 — Disinfectants (a different regulatory route — see the note above)
Applicable Saudi Requirements
Detergents and cleaning products are certified through SABER registration under the Saudi technical regulation for detergent and chemical products. The main requirements are:
- A valid PCoC covering the formulation, the surfactant system, the declared active-matter range and the pack sizes
- An SCoC for each shipment before customs clearance
- Biodegradability evidence for the surfactant system — an OECD 301 series ready-biodegradability report (301 B, 301 D or 301 F) or an equivalent primary-degradation method, meeting the minimum degradation percentage
- Active-matter content determined by laboratory analysis and consistent with the concentration declared on the label
- Physicochemical characterisation appropriate to the product — pH, density or bulk density, viscosity, free alkalinity or free acidity, moisture and matter volatile, and foaming behaviour
- Phosphate content within the permitted limit, or a phosphate-free declaration where the product is marketed as such
- Restricted-substance limits observed — formaldehyde and formaldehyde donors, methanol in liquid products, restricted preservatives and dyes, and heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury
- Cleaning-performance or detergency data supporting any performance claim printed on the pack
- GHS classification with the correct pictograms, signal word and hazard and precautionary statements, reproduced in Arabic on the retail label
- A safety data sheet in the 16-section GHS format, in Arabic (English commonly accepted alongside it)
- Label content complete — product name, ingredient or constituent declaration, net content in metric units, directions for use, warnings, batch or lot code, production and expiry dates, country of origin and manufacturer and importer details
- A registered Saudi importer on the SABER platform
Technical Regulation
Detergents and cleaning products are assessed under the Saudi technical regulation covering detergents and chemical products, using SASO and GSO standards that adopt the international methods. Surfactant biodegradability is established by the OECD 301 series of ready-biodegradability tests (301 B carbon dioxide evolution, 301 D closed bottle, 301 F manometric respirometry), with ISO 11734 used for anaerobic conditions where required. Composition is verified by ISO 2271 (anionic active matter by direct two-phase titration), ISO 2268 and ISO 7875 for non-ionic and anionic surfactant determination, ISO 4316 (pH of an aqueous solution), ISO 4314 (free alkalinity and free acidity), ISO 4320 (foaming power by the modified Ross-Miles method), ISO 607 and ISO 456 for sampling and analysis of soaps, and ISO 6353 methods for phosphate. Heavy metals are determined by ICP-OES or AAS to the relevant ISO or EPA method. Hazard classification and labelling follow the GHS as adopted in the Gulf standards, and the safety data sheet follows the 16-section GHS format. The exact standard set is confirmed at assessment. Our Technical Regulations guide explains how regulations are matched to products.
Testing / Standards
What is required depends on the formulation family and how much valid data already exists. Typical work includes:
- Review of the full quantitative formulation and the surfactant system under confidentiality
- Ready-biodegradability testing of the surfactant system to an OECD 301 series method
- Active-matter determination — anionic by two-phase titration (ISO 2271), non-ionic by the applicable ISO method
- pH, density or bulk density, viscosity and appearance
- Free alkalinity or free acidity, moisture and volatile matter, and total solids
- Foaming power and foam stability where relevant to the product type
- Phosphate content, and total and free alkali for soaps
- Heavy-metal screening — lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury
- Restricted-substance screening — formaldehyde and donors, methanol, restricted preservatives and dyes
- Detergency or soil-removal performance testing where a cleaning-performance claim is made
- Stability and compatibility with the pack over the declared shelf life
- GHS classification review and Arabic label and safety data sheet verification
Existing accredited test reports and biodegradability studies are accepted where they cover the exact formulation and remain within validity. We review your data before arranging any new product testing, so you only test what is genuinely missing.
Documents Required
A typical detergent application uses the set below; our full documents required guide explains each item.
- Commercial invoice and packing list with the product names, pack sizes and net contents
- HS code of the product range
- Full quantitative formulation or composition breakdown, with CAS numbers, handled under confidentiality
- Surfactant biodegradability test report (OECD 301 series) for the surfactant system
- Active-matter and physicochemical analysis reports — active matter, pH, density, viscosity, free alkalinity or acidity
- Phosphate, heavy-metal and restricted-substance test reports
- Detergency or performance test report where a performance claim is made
- Safety data sheet in the 16-section GHS format, in Arabic
- Artwork for the retail label showing the Arabic GHS pictograms, signal word, hazard and precautionary statements, ingredient declaration and net content
- Shelf-life and stability data supporting the declared expiry period
- Manufacturer details and, where held, the manufacturer's quality-management certification
- Saudi importer registration details
PCoC Process
The Product Certificate of Conformity certifies the formulation against the applicable requirements. In outline:
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Scope and route
We confirm the formulation family, the surfactant system, the declared active-matter range, the pack formats, the HS code and — critically — whether any claim on the pack moves the product out of the SABER detergent route and into the SFDA biocide route.
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Data review
We check the composition breakdown, the biodegradability report, the active-matter analysis and the restricted-substance data against the formulation actually being exported.
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Testing
An accredited laboratory carries out the biodegradability, composition, physicochemical and restricted-substance testing that the existing data does not cover.
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Label and safety data sheet review
The GHS classification is checked against the formulation, and the Arabic label artwork and 16-section safety data sheet are reviewed against it before submission.
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Technical review
An approved certification body reviews the test evidence, the classification and the labelling against the regulation.
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PCoC issued
Once the review is satisfied, the PCoC is issued on the SABER platform. It is typically valid for one year.
SCoC Process
A Shipment Certificate of Conformity is issued per consignment and is what customs checks at the border. In outline:
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Shipment details submitted
The commercial invoice, the packing list and the linked PCoC are submitted on the SABER platform for that specific consignment.
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Verification
The shipment is verified against the valid PCoC, the product names and pack sizes are checked against the certified range, and the Arabic GHS label and batch coding on the packs are confirmed, and the SCoC fee is settled on the platform.
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SCoC issued
The SCoC is issued for that shipment, allowing it to clear Saudi customs. Each new shipment needs its own SCoC.
Certification Timeline
The main variable is the biodegradability study, which runs for a fixed period and cannot be compressed. Our SABER timeline guide covers this in detail.
- With a valid OECD 301 biodegradability report, current composition analysis and finished Arabic artwork — a PCoC can typically be arranged within one to two weeks
- Where ready-biodegradability testing has to be run from scratch, allow around four to six weeks for the test itself — the OECD 301 series runs for a fixed 28-day incubation and cannot be shortened, so start it first
- Arabic label and safety data sheet preparation typically adds a few days and is the item most often underestimated
- SCoC — normally issued quickly per shipment once a valid PCoC is in place
Common Problems
- A supplier declaration letter used in place of an accredited OECD 301 biodegradability test report
- Biodegradability data for one surfactant applied to a blended multi-surfactant formulation
- Measured active matter lower than the concentration printed on the label
- GHS pictograms, signal word and hazard statements in English only, with no Arabic on the retail pack
- Safety data sheet in a non-GHS format, or missing several of the sixteen sections
- A disinfectant, sanitiser or antibacterial claim on the label, which moves the product to the SFDA route entirely
- Phosphate content above the permitted limit, or a “phosphate-free” claim with no supporting analysis
- Formaldehyde-releasing preservatives present but not declared, and detected on screening
- Missing batch code, production date or expiry date on the pack
- A performance claim such as removal percentage with no detergency test behind it
We check these points up front — above all the biodegradability evidence, the active-matter figure against the label, and whether any claim on the pack pushes the product into the SFDA route — so consignments are not held at customs for avoidable reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a detergent need a biodegradability test?
Because the surfactants end up in the waste-water system. Saudi assessment requires evidence that the surfactant system breaks down, normally an accredited OECD 301 series ready-biodegradability report (301 B, 301 D or 301 F) showing at least the minimum degradation percentage. A declaration letter from the raw-material supplier is not accepted as a substitute, and a report covering one surfactant does not automatically cover a blended system.
Does my label have to be in Arabic?
Yes. The GHS pictograms, signal word, hazard statements and precautionary statements must appear in Arabic on the retail pack, along with the product name, ingredient declaration, net content in metric units, directions for use, batch code, production and expiry dates, country of origin and manufacturer and importer details. English may appear alongside Arabic, but not instead of it. The safety data sheet is also required in Arabic, in the 16-section GHS format.
My cleaner is labelled antibacterial — is that still a SABER detergent?
No. Once a product carries a disinfectant, sanitiser, antibacterial or other biocidal claim, it is regulated by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority rather than certified through the SABER detergent route, and it needs efficacy data against named organisms plus a separate registration. This is the most expensive mistake in the category, because the wrong route is usually discovered only after the goods have shipped. We confirm the correct route before anything is filed.
Do I have to disclose my full formulation?
A composition breakdown with CAS numbers is needed for GHS classification and for the certification body's technical review — the hazard classification cannot be derived without it. It is handled under confidentiality, and in many cases the detailed quantitative formulation can be provided directly to the certification body or laboratory rather than circulated more widely. The public label needs only the declared constituents, not the full recipe.
Can one certificate cover a whole product range?
Related formulations sharing the same surfactant system, hazard classification and product family can often be grouped on one certificate across pack sizes and fragrance or colour variants. Genuinely different chemistries cannot be grouped — an acidic toilet cleaner and a neutral dishwashing liquid have different hazard classifications, different labels and different test sets, so they need separate assessment. We define the grouping at the scoping stage.
How much does SABER certification for detergents cost and how long does it take?
It depends mainly on how many distinct formulations you are certifying, whether a valid biodegradability report already exists, and whether the Arabic label and safety data sheet are ready. With complete data a PCoC can often be arranged within one to two weeks; a fresh OECD 301 study runs a fixed 28-day incubation and pushes this out to roughly four to six weeks. Send your formulation summary and existing test reports for a specific quote and timeline at no cost. See our SABER certificate cost guide.
Get Your Detergents Certified
Send us the product range, the formulation summary, the surfactant system, the declared active matter, the pack sizes, the HS code and any biodegradability or composition reports you hold. We will confirm whether your products sit in the SABER detergent route or the SFDA biocide route, check the biodegradability and active-matter evidence, review your testing and Arabic labelling, and coordinate the PCoC and each SCoC so your shipments clear Saudi customs without delay.