Overview
Refrigerant is one of the few products where counterfeiting is a safety problem rather than a commercial one. Cylinders sold as R-134a have been found contaminated with R-40 (methyl chloride), which reacts with aluminium components inside a system and has caused fatal explosions. That history is why Saudi assessment does not accept a producer's blanket specification sheet: it expects gas chromatography analysis to AHRI 700 performed on the batch in the cylinders being shipped, reporting the purity of the principal component, the blend composition against its nominal ratio, and the limits for moisture, high-boiling residue, non-condensable gases, acidity, particulates and chloride.
The other two gates are easy to overlook because they are not about the chemical at all. The cylinder is a transportable pressure receptacle needing its own design approval, proof testing, permanent stamping, an approved valve and the correct colour code for the refrigerant it holds. And the substance itself is environmentally controlled: HCFCs such as R-22 sit under the Montreal Protocol phase-out and HFCs under the Kigali Amendment, so import is governed by quota and permit from the national ozone authority — a control that runs alongside the SABER certificate and is not satisfied by it. Add the GHS hazard label in Arabic and the transport classification, and the file is complete. Certification runs through SABER registration with a PCoC and an SCoC per consignment. The equipment the gas goes into is covered on our HVAC and air conditioners page, and the receptacle route on our gas cylinders page.
Product Types
The purity, receptacle and environmental-control requirements apply across:
- HFC single-component refrigerants — R-134a, R-32, R-125, R-143a, R-152a
- HFC blends — R-410A, R-404A, R-407C, R-507A, R-417A and similar zeotropic and azeotropic mixtures
- Lower-GWP HFO refrigerants and HFO blends — R-1234yf, R-1234ze, R-448A, R-449A, R-513A
- HCFC refrigerants still permitted under phase-out arrangements — R-22, R-123, R-141b
- Hydrocarbon refrigerants — R-290 propane, R-600a isobutane (flammability class A3)
- Natural refrigerants — R-717 ammonia, R-744 carbon dioxide
- Refrigerants supplied in disposable cylinders, returnable cylinders, drums and ISO tanks
- Retail and service-pack refrigerant cans for automotive and small-appliance servicing
- Refrigerant oils, dyes and system additives supplied alongside the gas
The scope of the certificate is defined from the refrigerant designation, the blend composition, the safety classification, the pack format and size and the HS code, so the range you export is covered. Appliances and air-conditioning equipment pre-charged with refrigerant are certified as appliances — the refrigerant charge is declared but the product follows the equipment route. We confirm which route applies at the start.
HS Codes
Refrigerants are classified by chemistry, and the 2022 nomenclature introduced dedicated headings for mixtures. These are examples only — the correct code depends on the exact product.
- 2903.39 — Fluorinated, brominated or iodinated derivatives of acyclic hydrocarbons (including single-component HFCs such as R-134a and R-32)
- 2903.71 to 2903.79 — Halogenated derivatives containing chlorine and fluorine, including HCFCs such as R-22
- 3827.11 to 3827.19 — Mixtures containing chlorofluorocarbons or hydrochlorofluorocarbons
- 3827.31 to 3827.39 — Mixtures containing hydrofluorocarbons, such as R-410A and R-404A
- 3827.90 — Other mixtures containing halogenated derivatives
- 2711.12 / 2711.13 — Propane and butane supplied as hydrocarbon refrigerant
- 2814.10 / 2811.21 — Anhydrous ammonia and carbon dioxide
- 7311.00 / 7613.00 — The cylinders themselves (see our gas cylinders page)
Applicable Saudi Requirements
Refrigerants are certified through SABER registration as chemical products in pressure receptacles, alongside the national ozone and HFC import controls. The main requirements are:
- A valid PCoC covering the refrigerant designation, blend composition, pack formats and cylinder types
- An SCoC for each shipment before customs clearance
- A purity and composition analysis to AHRI 700 on the batch being shipped — principal component purity, blend ratio, moisture, high-boiling residue, non-condensable gases, acidity, particulates and chloride
- Batch traceability from the analysis certificate to the cylinder serial numbers on the consignment
- Cylinder approval as a transportable pressure receptacle — design standard, proof test, permanent stamping and requalification date
- An approved cylinder valve with the correct outlet connection for the refrigerant and, where required, a pressure-relief device
- Correct cylinder colour coding and refrigerant identification for the designation being shipped
- Safety classification declared under the ASHRAE 34 and ISO 817 system (A1, A2L, A3, B1 and so on), with flammable refrigerants handled accordingly
- An import permit or quota allocation from the national ozone authority for controlled substances under the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment
- A GHS hazard label in Arabic with the correct pictograms, signal word and hazard and precautionary statements
- A safety data sheet in the 16-section GHS format, in Arabic
- Transport classification and marking as dangerous goods (Class 2), with the correct UN number and packing arrangements
- Anti-counterfeit measures where used — tamper-evident seals, batch coding and holographic labelling
- A registered Saudi importer on the SABER platform
Technical Regulation
Refrigerants are assessed under the SABER conformity scheme against the Saudi requirements for chemical products and transportable pressure receptacles, together with the national implementation of the Montreal Protocol and its Kigali Amendment. Purity and composition are established to AHRI 700 (specifications for refrigerants) with the analytical methods of AHRI 700-C, using gas chromatography for composition and non-condensables, Karl Fischer for moisture, and gravimetric and titrimetric methods for residue and acidity. Refrigerant designation, blend numbering and safety classification follow ISO 817 and ASHRAE 34, and system safety requirements follow ISO 5149 and EN 378. Cylinder and material compatibility follow ISO 11114-1 and 11114-2, cylinder design the ISO 9809 and ISO 4706 families, valves ISO 10297, outlet connections ISO 5145, and filling ratios and filling practice ISO 13338 and ISO 10692. Hazard classification and labelling follow the GHS as adopted in the Gulf standards, and transport follows the IMDG and ADR provisions for Class 2 gases. 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 refrigerant and the pack format. Typical work includes:
- Gas chromatography analysis of the principal component purity and, for blends, the composition against the nominal ratio
- Moisture content by Karl Fischer titration
- High-boiling residue and particulate or solid content determination
- Non-condensable gas content in the vapour phase
- Acidity determination
- Chloride and other halide screening
- Batch sampling from the filled cylinders on the consignment, with traceability to cylinder serial numbers
- Cylinder review — design standard, proof-test record, stamping, requalification date and tare and gross weight verification
- Valve and outlet-connection verification, and pressure-relief device check where fitted
- Colour-code and refrigerant-identification marking check
- Leak-tightness of the filled and sealed cylinder
- GHS classification review and Arabic label and safety data sheet verification
An AHRI 700 certificate of analysis relates to a specific production batch, so it is the one document that generally cannot be reused across consignments. We review your data before arranging any new product testing, so you only test what is genuinely missing.
Documents Required
A typical refrigerant application uses the set below; our full documents required guide explains each item.
- Commercial invoice and packing list with the refrigerant designation, net weight per cylinder and quantity
- HS code of the product, distinguishing single components from mixtures
- Product specification — refrigerant designation, blend composition and nominal ratio, safety classification and pack formats
- AHRI 700 certificate of analysis for the batch being shipped, traceable to cylinder serial numbers
- Cylinder design approval, proof-test record and stamping layout
- Cylinder valve type approval and outlet-connection specification
- Filling record showing the filling ratio and the tare and gross weights
- Import permit or quota allocation from the national ozone authority for controlled substances
- Safety data sheet in the 16-section GHS format, in Arabic
- Cylinder label artwork showing the Arabic GHS elements, refrigerant designation, net weight and batch code
- Dangerous-goods declaration with the UN number and transport classification
- Manufacturer details and Saudi importer registration
PCoC Process
The Product Certificate of Conformity certifies the refrigerant against the applicable requirements. In outline:
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Scope and controls check
We confirm the refrigerant designation, the blend composition, the safety classification, the pack formats and the HS code, and establish immediately whether the substance is subject to ozone or HFC import controls, because that runs on its own timeline.
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Analysis review
We check the AHRI 700 certificate of analysis against the batch actually being shipped and confirm it is traceable to the cylinder serial numbers on the packing list, rather than a generic producer specification.
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Receptacle review
The cylinder design approval, proof-test record, stamping, valve, outlet connection and colour coding are verified as a pressure receptacle in their own right.
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Testing
An accredited laboratory carries out any purity, moisture, residue, non-condensable or acidity analysis the existing certificate does not cover.
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Label and safety data sheet review
The GHS classification, the Arabic cylinder label and the 16-section safety data sheet are reviewed, along with the dangerous-goods marking.
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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 refrigerant designation, net weights and cylinder serial numbers are checked against the certified range and the batch analysis, and the cylinder stamping, colour coding and Arabic label 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 not the certificate but the import permit, where the substance is controlled. Our SABER timeline guide covers this in detail.
- With a current batch AHRI 700 analysis, an approved cylinder and valve and finished Arabic artwork — a PCoC can typically be arranged within one to two weeks
- Batch purity analysis itself is fast, usually a few days at an accredited laboratory, but it has to be repeated for each production batch
- Import permits or quota allocations for HCFCs and HFCs run on the national ozone authority's own cycle and should be started well ahead of the shipment — this is the item that most often delays a consignment
- Cylinder approval, where the receptacle is not already certified, follows the gas-cylinder route and adds two to four weeks
- SCoC — normally issued quickly per shipment once a valid PCoC and, where applicable, a quota allocation are in place
Common Problems
- A producer's generic specification sheet supplied instead of a batch certificate of analysis
- An AHRI 700 analysis that cannot be traced to the cylinder serial numbers on the consignment
- A SABER certificate obtained but no ozone or HFC import quota secured for a controlled substance
- Blend composition outside the tolerance for the nominal ratio
- Moisture or non-condensable gas content above the AHRI 700 limit after filling
- Refilled or reconditioned cylinders with expired requalification dates
- Cylinder colour coding or refrigerant identification not matching the gas inside
- Flammable A2L or A3 refrigerant shipped without the correct hazard labelling and transport arrangements
- GHS label and safety data sheet in English only
- No tamper-evident seal or batch coding, in a category where counterfeiting is a known safety issue
We check these points up front — above all whether the batch analysis is traceable to the cylinders shipped and whether an import quota is needed — so consignments are not held at customs for avoidable reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does refrigerant need a batch purity analysis?
Because contamination in this category injures people. Cylinders sold as R-134a have been found adulterated with R-40 (methyl chloride), which attacks aluminium inside a system and has caused fatal explosions. A producer's generic specification sheet cannot show what is in the cylinders on your consignment, so Saudi assessment expects an AHRI 700 certificate of analysis for the actual batch, traceable to the cylinder serial numbers.
Does a SABER certificate let me import R-22 or R-410A?
Not on its own. HCFCs such as R-22 are subject to the Montreal Protocol phase-out and HFCs such as R-410A to the Kigali Amendment, so import is governed by quota and permit from the national ozone authority. That permission is separate from the SABER certificate and runs on its own cycle. Holding one and not the other is the most common reason a refrigerant consignment is stopped.
Is the cylinder certified separately from the gas?
Effectively yes — they are two products in one package. The gas is assessed on composition and purity; the cylinder is assessed as a transportable pressure receptacle, with its own design approval, proof test, permanent stamping, requalification date, approved valve and correct colour code. A clean analysis in an unapproved or out-of-date cylinder does not clear customs. See our gas cylinders page.
Do I need a new analysis for every shipment?
The certificate of analysis relates to a production batch, so a new batch needs new analysis. Where several consignments are drawn from the same filling batch, one analysis traceable to those cylinder serial numbers can cover them. This is the one document in the file that generally cannot be reused indefinitely, and it is worth building batch testing into your filling schedule rather than treating it as an export afterthought.
What about flammable refrigerants like R-32 and R-290?
They are certified through the same route but classified under ISO 817 and ASHRAE 34 as A2L (mildly flammable) or A3 (flammable), which changes the hazard labelling, the pressure-relief and valve arrangements, the permitted pack sizes and the transport provisions. The safety classification has to be declared accurately at the scoping stage, because it drives most of the rest of the file.
How much does SABER certification for refrigerants cost and how long does it take?
It depends mainly on whether a batch AHRI 700 analysis exists, whether the cylinder is already approved, and whether the substance needs an ozone or HFC import quota. With complete data a PCoC can often be arranged within one to two weeks and batch analysis takes only days; securing a quota allocation runs on the ozone authority's cycle and should be started well ahead. Send your refrigerant designation, pack format and existing analysis for a specific quote at no cost. See our SABER certificate cost guide.
Get Your Refrigerants Certified
Send us the refrigerant designation, the blend composition, the safety classification, the pack format and cylinder type, the HS code and any AHRI 700 analysis or cylinder approvals you hold. We will confirm whether an ozone or HFC import quota is required, check that your batch analysis is traceable to the cylinders you are shipping, review your testing and Arabic labelling, and coordinate the PCoC and each SCoC so your shipments clear Saudi customs without delay.