Overview
What makes an EV charger a distinct certification problem is the handshake. Before a charger energises the cable it must confirm, through the control-pilot signal, that a vehicle is properly connected, that the protective earth is continuous, and what current the cable and vehicle can accept — and it must de-energise within a defined time if any of that changes. Certification therefore tests a sequence of states and fault responses, not just insulation and creepage: connector detection, pilot duty-cycle current coding, earth-continuity monitoring, ventilation signalling, and the behaviour when the plug is pulled under load.
The second distinctive requirement is DC fault-current detection. An electric vehicle can inject smooth direct current into a fault, which blinds an ordinary AC residual-current device. So a charger must either be installed behind a type-B RCD or, far more commonly, contain a residual direct-current detecting device that trips at 6 mA — and the certificate has to show it. On top of that sit the ordinary but demanding requirements for outdoor equipment in the Kingdom: ingress protection against dust and washing, impact resistance, ultraviolet-stable enclosures and, critically, a declared current-derating curve for ambient temperatures above 50 °C, because a charger rated at its full current in a 25 °C laboratory will throttle or trip in a Riyadh car park in August. Chargers are certified through SABER registration with a PCoC and an SCoC per consignment. General power supplies are covered on our power adapters and chargers page and distribution equipment on our electrical panels page.
Product Types
The charging-system route and the DC fault-detection requirement apply across:
- AC wallbox chargers for homes, villas and residential parking (Mode 3, single and three phase)
- Commercial AC charging stations and dual-socket pedestals for car parks and workplaces
- DC fast chargers and ultra-fast charging stations (Mode 4, CCS Combo 2 and CHAdeMO)
- Portable and in-cable control box (IC-CPD) charging cables (Mode 2)
- Charging cable assemblies with Type 1, Type 2 and CCS connectors
- Charging sockets, inlets, connectors and couplers supplied as components
- Fleet and depot charging systems with load management and power sharing
- Solar-integrated and battery-buffered charging stations
- Payment terminals, RFID readers and back-end communication modules built into the charger
The scope of the certificate is defined from the charging mode, the AC or DC output, the rated current and power, the coupler type, the enclosure rating and the HS code, so the range you export is covered. The installation — the supply circuit, the upstream protective device, the earthing arrangement and the grid connection — is governed by Saudi electricity regulations and the distribution company's requirements, which sit alongside the product certificate rather than being covered by it.
HS Codes
EV chargers classify differently depending on whether they convert to DC or simply switch and control AC. These are examples only — the correct code depends on the exact product.
- 8504.40 — Static converters (DC fast chargers, and AC units containing a converter stage)
- 8537.10 — Boards, panels and consoles for electric control or distribution for a voltage not exceeding 1,000 V (typical AC wallbox and pedestal)
- 8536.69 — Plugs and sockets, including Type 2 and CCS couplers and vehicle inlets
- 8536.30 / 8536.20 — Protective devices and circuit breakers built into the charger
- 8544.42 — Charging cables and cable assemblies fitted with connectors
- 8504.90 — Parts of static converters
- 8471.60 / 8517.62 — Payment, RFID and communication modules where imported separately
Applicable Saudi Requirements
EV chargers are certified through SABER registration under the low-voltage electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility regulations, assessed as charging systems. The main requirements are:
- A valid PCoC covering the charger models, charging mode, rated current and power, and coupler type
- An SCoC for each shipment before customs clearance
- General charging-system safety to IEC 61851-1 — construction, insulation, creepage and clearance, temperature rise, mechanical strength and protection against electric shock
- Control-pilot function verification — connection detection, current coding by pilot duty cycle, state transitions and the required de-energising times on fault
- Protective-earth continuity monitoring, with the output de-energised when continuity is lost
- Residual-current protection including detection of smooth DC fault current at 6 mA, by an integral RDC-DD or a declared requirement for an upstream type-B device
- Coupler and connector conformity — Type 2 or CCS to IEC 62196, with contact temperature rise, insertion and withdrawal endurance and locking-actuator function
- Cable assembly rating, flexing and cold-bend performance, and strain relief at both ends
- Electromagnetic compatibility — emissions and immunity appropriate to a charging system, including conducted disturbance on the supply
- Enclosure ingress protection to the declared IP rating and impact resistance to the declared IK rating, verified for outdoor installation
- Ultraviolet and thermal ageing resistance of external polymer parts, and corrosion resistance of metal enclosures
- A declared current-derating characteristic for high ambient temperature, covering Saudi summer conditions above 50 °C
- Functional safety of the control electronics and firmware, with defined behaviour on power interruption and restoration
- Rating plate, warning markings and an Arabic installation and user manual, with the installation requirements stated for the electrician
- A registered Saudi importer on the SABER platform
Technical Regulation
EV chargers are assessed under the SABER conformity scheme against the Saudi low-voltage electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility regulations, using SASO and GSO standards that adopt the IEC system. The core standard is IEC 61851-1 (electric vehicle conductive charging system, general requirements), with IEC 61851-21-2 for EMC of off-board charging systems, IEC 61851-22 for AC charging stations and IEC 61851-23 for DC charging stations, and IEC 61851-24 for the digital communication between a DC station and the vehicle. Couplers follow IEC 62196-1, IEC 62196-2 (Type 2 AC) and IEC 62196-3 (DC CCS Combo). Residual direct-current detection follows IEC 62955, with IEC 62752 for in-cable control and protection devices used in Mode 2 cables. Enclosure protection follows IEC 60529 (IP) and IEC 62262 (IK), and low-voltage assembly requirements IEC 61439 where the product is built as an assembly. Communication and interoperability commonly reference ISO 15118 and OCPP. 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 charging mode and how much valid data already exists. Typical work includes:
- Construction and insulation review — creepage, clearance, insulation resistance and dielectric strength
- Control-pilot sequence testing across all states, including fault injection and de-energising time measurement
- Protective-earth continuity monitoring and loss-of-earth response
- Residual-current testing including smooth DC fault current at 6 mA, and verification of the RDC-DD where fitted
- Coupler testing — contact resistance and temperature rise at rated current, insertion and withdrawal endurance, and locking actuator operation
- Temperature-rise testing at rated current, repeated at elevated ambient to establish the derating curve
- Cable assembly testing — flexing, cold bend, tensile and strain relief
- Short-circuit and overload withstand of the protective devices in the charger
- Electromagnetic compatibility — conducted and radiated emissions, and immunity including surge, fast transient and electrostatic discharge
- Ingress protection to the declared IP code, including dust and water testing on the enclosure as installed
- Impact testing to the declared IK code
- Ultraviolet and thermal ageing of external polymer parts, and salt-spray corrosion where applicable
- Firmware behaviour on interruption, brown-out and restoration
- Rating plate, warning marking and Arabic manual review
Existing accredited test reports are accepted where they cover the exact model, rating and coupler configuration 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 EV charger application uses the set below; our full documents required guide explains each item.
- Commercial invoice and packing list with the models and ratings
- HS code of the product range
- Product specification — charging mode, AC or DC output, rated current and power, coupler type, IP and IK ratings and operating temperature range
- IEC 61851-1 test report, with the applicable part-22 or part-23 report for the station type
- Control-pilot functional test report covering state transitions and fault responses
- Residual-current and RDC-DD test report to IEC 62955, or a declared upstream type-B RCD requirement
- IEC 62196 coupler and connector test reports or component certificates
- Electromagnetic compatibility test report
- Ingress protection and impact test reports
- Temperature-rise report with the high-ambient derating characteristic
- Cable assembly test reports and component certificates
- Circuit diagram, bill of critical components and enclosure drawings
- Rating-plate artwork, warning markings and an Arabic installation and user manual
- Manufacturer details and Saudi importer registration
PCoC Process
The Product Certificate of Conformity certifies the charger against the applicable requirements. In outline:
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Scope and configuration
We confirm the charging mode, the AC or DC output, the rated current and power, the coupler type, the IP and IK ratings, the declared ambient range and the HS code, and define the model family the certificate should cover.
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Data review
We check the existing reports specifically for the two items most often missing — control-pilot functional testing and DC residual-current detection — as well as the coupler evidence and the high-ambient derating data.
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Testing
An accredited laboratory carries out the charging-system, pilot, residual-current, coupler, thermal, EMC and enclosure testing that the existing data does not cover.
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Technical review
An approved certification body reviews the test evidence, the critical components and the marking 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 models, ratings and coupler types are checked against the certified range, and the rating plate, warning markings and Arabic manual 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 whether charging-system and residual-current testing has been done, as opposed to generic electrical safety testing. Our SABER timeline guide covers this in detail.
- With a current IEC 61851 report, control-pilot and RDC-DD evidence, coupler certificates and EMC reports — a PCoC can typically be arranged within one to two weeks
- Where charging-system and residual-current testing has to be arranged, allow three to six weeks depending on laboratory availability for EV charging equipment
- High-ambient temperature-rise testing to establish the derating curve is quick to run but is often overlooked until late, and it needs a chamber capable of the declared maximum
- Adding a variant with a different rated current or coupler to an existing certified family is much faster than starting fresh
- SCoC — normally issued quickly per shipment once a valid PCoC is in place
Common Problems
- A generic electrical safety report used in place of IEC 61851 charging-system testing
- No evidence of smooth DC residual-current detection, and no declared requirement for an upstream type-B RCD
- Control-pilot behaviour untested, so de-energising times on fault are undocumented
- Coupler or vehicle inlet with no IEC 62196 evidence, or a connector type that does not match the declared standard
- Full rated current declared with no derating curve for ambient temperatures above 50 °C
- IP rating claimed on the enclosure alone rather than on the product as installed, with cable entries and the socket lid in place
- Charging cable assembly certified only as cable, with no flexing, cold-bend or strain-relief evidence
- EMC report covering the converter module rather than the complete charging station
- Firmware behaviour on power interruption undefined, so the unit restarts in an unsafe state
- English-only installation manual, leaving the Saudi electrician without the earthing and protective-device requirements in Arabic
We check these points up front — above all the control-pilot evidence, the DC residual-current detection and the high-ambient derating — so consignments are not held at customs for avoidable reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't an ordinary electrical safety certificate enough for an EV charger?
Because most of what an EV charger does happens before any power flows. Certification tests the control-pilot handshake with the vehicle — connection detection, current coding, state transitions and the time taken to de-energise on a fault — along with protective-earth monitoring and DC residual-current detection. A generic IEC 62368-1 or IEC 60335 report covers none of that, which is why files built around one are the most common rejection in this category.
What is the 6 mA DC detection requirement about?
An electric vehicle can inject smooth direct current into an earth fault, and that DC component saturates an ordinary type-A residual-current device so it no longer trips reliably on an AC fault. The charger must therefore either contain a residual direct-current detecting device that operates at 6 mA, tested to IEC 62955, or clearly require a type-B RCD upstream in its installation instructions. Saudi assessment expects one or the other to be documented.
Does the Saudi climate change the requirements?
It changes the ratings rather than the standards. A charger rated at its full current in a 25 °C laboratory will reach its thermal limits in an uncovered Riyadh car park, so a declared current-derating characteristic for ambient temperatures above 50 °C should be part of the file, together with ultraviolet-stable external polymer parts. Chargers sold without it tend to throttle or nuisance-trip through the summer and generate warranty claims.
Which connector type is used in Saudi Arabia?
Type 2 to IEC 62196-2 is the prevailing AC coupler and CCS Combo 2 to IEC 62196-3 the prevailing DC coupler, in line with the vehicles entering the market. CHAdeMO appears on some multi-standard stations. The coupler needs its own IEC 62196 evidence covering contact temperature rise at rated current, insertion and withdrawal endurance and locking-actuator operation — a mechanical fit alone is not conformity.
Does the certificate cover the installation as well?
No. The product certificate covers the charger as supplied. The supply circuit, the upstream protective device, the earthing arrangement and the grid connection are governed by Saudi electricity regulations and the distribution company's requirements, and are the installer's responsibility. What the certificate does require is that your Arabic installation manual states those requirements clearly enough for the electrician to meet them.
How much does SABER certification for EV chargers cost and how long does it take?
It depends mainly on whether IEC 61851 charging-system testing and DC residual-current evidence already exist, and how many models and ratings are in the family. With complete reports a PCoC can often be arranged within one to two weeks; arranging charging-system, coupler and EMC testing typically adds three to six weeks. Send your model list, ratings, coupler type and existing reports for a specific quote at no cost. See our SABER certificate cost guide.
Get Your EV Chargers Certified
Send us the model list, the charging mode, the AC or DC output, the rated current and power, the coupler type, the IP and IK ratings, the declared ambient range, the HS code and any IEC 61851, IEC 62196, IEC 62955 or EMC reports you hold. We will confirm the applicable standard set, check the control-pilot and DC residual-current evidence, review your testing and high-ambient derating, and coordinate the PCoC and each SCoC so your shipments clear Saudi customs without delay.