Overview
General footwear — shoes, boots, trainers, sandals and slippers for everyday wear — is treated in Saudi Arabia as a regulated consumer product, not as protective equipment. The certificate turns on chemical safety and labelling: the absence of restricted substances such as hexavalent chromium (chromium VI) in chrome-tanned leather, banned azo dyes that release carcinogenic aromatic amines, free formaldehyde and regulated phthalates in plastic parts; and a correct material declaration for the upper, the lining and insock and the outsole. For sports footwear and children's footwear, physical performance is added — mainly the bond strength between the sole and the upper, outsole durability and, for children, small-parts and sharp-edge safety.
Footwear falls under the SABER conformity scheme within Saudi Arabia's Technical Regulation for Textile Products (which covers footwear alongside clothing and made-ups). A Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) is required for the footwear range, and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) is required for each consignment before it can clear Saudi customs. Safety footwear with a protective toe-cap tested to ISO 20345 is a different route — see our Safety Shoes page. Footwear is also covered in outline on our Textiles, Garments & Footwear page.
Product Types
The SABER route and consumer-footwear requirements apply across products including:
- Leather shoes and boots — formal, dress and casual
- Sports and athletic footwear — running, training, football and court shoes
- Casual and lifestyle sneakers and canvas shoes
- Sandals, slides and flip-flops (leather, textile, EVA and rubber)
- Indoor slippers and house footwear
- Children's and infants' footwear
- Rubber and all-plastic moulded footwear, including waterproof boots
- Work and occupational shoes without a protective toe-cap
The scope of your certificate is defined from the footwear type, the upper and outsole materials, whether it is intended for children, and the HS code, so the range you actually export is covered.
HS Codes
Footwear is classified in Chapter 64 according to the outer-sole and upper materials. These are examples only — the correct code depends on the exact construction.
- 6401 — Waterproof footwear with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics, assembled by moulding or similar
- 6402 — Other footwear with outer soles and uppers of rubber or plastics
- 6403 — Footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastics, leather and uppers of leather
- 6404 — Footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastics, leather and uppers of textile materials
- 6405 — Other footwear
- 6406 — Parts of footwear; removable insoles, heel cushions; gaiters and similar articles
Applicable Saudi Requirements
Footwear is certified through SABER registration on the Saudi platform. The main requirements are:
- A valid PCoC issued against the applicable footwear and restricted-substance requirements
- An SCoC for each individual shipment before customs clearance
- Hexavalent chromium (chromium VI) below the limit in any leather component (ISO 17075)
- Azo-dye screening — no listed carcinogenic aromatic amines released from dyed leather or textile parts (EN ISO 17234-1 / EN 14362-1)
- Free and released formaldehyde within the limit (ISO 14184-1 / ISO 17226 for leather)
- Pentachlorophenol (PCP) and other restricted preservatives within limits for leather
- Phthalates and, where relevant, PFAS / PFOA within limits for plastic and coated components
- Extractable / total heavy metals within limits, especially for children's footwear
- Material labelling identifying the upper, lining and insock, and outer sole (leather, coated leather, textile or other), plus country of origin, size and importer details in Arabic
- Physical performance for sports and children's footwear — sole-to-upper bond strength, outsole abrasion and flex, colourfastness to rubbing
- A registered Saudi importer on the SABER platform to link the shipment
Technical Regulation
Footwear is assessed principally under Saudi Arabia's Technical Regulation for Textile Products, which places footwear alongside clothing for restricted-substance and labelling control, together with the applicable footwear test standards. The restricted-substance limits follow the recognised leather and textile chemical methods — ISO 17075 (chromium VI in leather), EN ISO 17234-1 / EN 14362-1 (azo dyes and aromatic amines), ISO 17226 / ISO 14184-1 (formaldehyde), ISO 17070 (PCP) — and the physical requirements follow the ISO footwear series: ISO 17708 (upper–sole bond strength), ISO 20871 (outsole abrasion), ISO 17707 / ISO 5423 (outsole flex resistance), ISO 22650 / ISO 19956 (heel attachment and fatigue for heeled footwear) and ISO 11640 (colourfastness of leather to rubbing). Children's footwear additionally follows the small-parts, sharp-edge and element-migration principles applied to children's products. The exact regulation and standard set is confirmed at assessment from the footwear type and HS code. Our Technical Regulations guide explains how regulations are matched to products.
Testing / Standards
Footwear is typically evaluated for chemical safety on all relevant components and, for sports and children's ranges, for physical performance. Typical testing includes:
- Hexavalent chromium in leather (ISO 17075-1 / -2)
- Azo dyes / banned aromatic amines in leather and textile (EN ISO 17234-1, EN 14362-1)
- Free and released formaldehyde (ISO 17226-1, ISO 14184-1)
- Pentachlorophenol and related preservatives (ISO 17070)
- Phthalate content in plasticised parts (ISO 14389 / CPSC-CH-C1001)
- Extractable heavy metals from coatings and components
- Upper-to-sole bond / peel strength (ISO 17708)
- Outsole abrasion resistance (ISO 20871) and flex / cut-growth resistance (ISO 17707)
- Colourfastness to rubbing, water and perspiration (ISO 11640 / ISO 105 series)
- Heel attachment strength and heel fatigue for heeled footwear (ISO 22650 / ISO 19956)
- Children's footwear — small parts, sharp points and edges, strap and buckle pull-off
Existing accredited test reports may be accepted where they cover the exact materials and construction and are within validity. We review your reports before arranging any new product testing, so you only test what is genuinely missing.
Documents Required
A typical footwear application uses the set below; our full documents required guide explains each item.
- Commercial invoice and packing list, with style / article numbers
- HS code of the footwear range
- Product photographs showing the footwear and the material / origin label
- Material specification — upper, lining and insock, outer sole, and any coatings or adhesives
- Chemical test reports — chromium VI, azo dyes, formaldehyde, PCP, phthalates as applicable
- Physical test reports — bond strength, outsole abrasion / flex — for sports and children's footwear
- Children's footwear safety assessment where relevant
- Draft Arabic label for review
- Manufacturer details and Declaration of Conformity where relevant
- Saudi importer registration details
PCoC Process
The Product Certificate of Conformity certifies the footwear range against the applicable requirements. In outline:
-
Classification and scope
We confirm the footwear type, the upper and outsole materials, whether it is children's footwear, the HS code and applicable requirements, and define what the certificate should cover.
-
Report and label review
We check the chemical and physical reports against the materials supplied and review the draft material and Arabic label.
-
Testing
An accredited laboratory carries out the restricted-substance testing and, for sports and children's footwear, the physical testing where existing reports are not sufficient.
-
Technical review
An approved certification body reviews the documents, label and test evidence against the regulation.
-
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:
-
Shipment details submitted
The invoice, packing list with styles and quantities and the linked PCoC are submitted for the specific consignment.
-
Verification
The shipment is verified against the valid PCoC, the styles are checked against the declared materials and labelling, and the SCoC fee is settled on the platform.
-
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 current restricted-substance reports already exist for the exact leather and textile materials in your range. Our SABER timeline guide covers this in detail.
- With complete and current chemical reports and acceptable labelling — a PCoC can typically be arranged within a few working days
- When fresh testing is required — chromium VI, azo-dye and formaldehyde testing has a short laboratory turnaround; a full physical suite for sports footwear takes a little longer
- SCoC — normally issued quickly per shipment once a valid PCoC is in place
Common Problems
- Chromium VI in chrome-tanned leather above the limit, or a report on old stock that does not represent current production
- Azo dyes releasing banned aromatic amines from a dyed leather or textile component
- Material label missing, only in English, or naming the wrong upper / sole material
- Leather upper declared as textile (or the reverse), changing the HS code and the required tests
- Sports footwear with no sole-to-upper bond-strength report
- Children's footwear with detachable small parts, insecure straps or accessible sharp edges
- Phthalates over the limit in a plasticised strap, logo or sole
- Test report covering only some components, not every dyed or coated material in the shoe
We check these points up front — especially the chromium VI evidence and the material label — so consignments are not held at customs for avoidable reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same as the Safety Shoes certificate?
No. Safety footwear with a protective toe-cap and a defined safety class is certified as Personal Protective Equipment against ISO 20345 — that is covered on our Safety Shoes page. This page is for everyday footwear — leather, sports, casual, sandals and children's shoes — which is certified as a consumer product on chemical safety, labelling and, for some ranges, physical performance.
Why is chromium VI such a common problem for leather footwear?
Most shoe leather is chrome-tanned with chromium III, which is not restricted. Chromium VI can form later when chromium III oxidises — heat, humidity and poor tanning or finishing control all increase it. Because it develops over time, a test on aged samples can pass while fresh production fails, so the report has to represent the leather actually being shipped.
What does the footwear label have to show?
The label must identify the material of the three main parts — the upper, the lining and insock, and the outer sole — as leather, coated leather, textile or other, usually with the recognised pictograms, plus size, country of origin and the Saudi importer's details in Arabic. Missing or English-only labelling is a frequent reason footwear is rejected.
Does every pair of shoes need physical testing?
No. Chemical safety and labelling apply to all footwear. Physical testing — mainly the sole-to-upper bond strength, outsole abrasion and flex — is expected for sports and athletic footwear and for children's footwear, and is lighter for simple sandals and slippers. We confirm what applies to your range at assessment.
How much does SABER certification for footwear cost and how long does it take?
It depends mainly on whether current chemical reports exist for your exact leather and textile materials. When they do, a PCoC can often be arranged within a few working days; chromium VI, azo-dye and formaldehyde testing is quick, while a full physical suite for sports footwear takes a little longer. Send your styles, materials and any test reports for a specific quote and timeline at no cost. See our SABER certificate cost guide.
Which products and HS codes does this cover?
The same SABER route applies across leather, sports, casual, sandal, slipper and children's footwear — classified in HS Chapter 64: 6401 / 6402 for rubber and plastic footwear, 6403 for leather-upper footwear, 6404 for textile-upper footwear, 6405 for other footwear and 6406 for parts. We confirm the correct classification for your exact product during assessment.
Get Your Footwear Certified
Send us your footwear styles, the upper, lining and outsole materials, whether any range is for children, the HS code and any chemical or physical test reports you hold. We will confirm the applicable restricted-substance and labelling requirements, the physical testing for sports and children's ranges, review your testing, and coordinate the PCoC and each SCoC so your shipments clear Saudi customs without delay.