Overview
Rubber products are a material and application product. What is certified is, first, the characterisation of the vulcanised rubber compound — its polymer type (NR, SBR, NBR, EPDM, neoprene, silicone, FKM or butyl), hardness, tensile and elongation, compression set, and how it holds those properties after heat ageing and ozone exposure — and second, the requirements of the standard that governs the end use. A seal for a water pipe joint, an industrial hydraulic hose, a rubber floor tile and a machinery mount are all "rubber products", but each is judged against its own application standard on top of the common compound tests.
Rubber products fall under the SABER conformity scheme. The Technical Regulation and requirements depend on the application — construction rubber (pipe seals, flooring, sealing profiles) is assessed under the Building Materials Technical Regulation, while consumer and general industrial rubber goods follow the applicable product and restricted-substance rules. A Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) is required for the product range, and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) is required for each consignment before it can clear Saudi customs. Tyres, brake friction material and rubber-soled footwear have their own pages — tyres, brake pads and footwear.
Product Types
The SABER route and compound-plus-application testing apply across rubber goods including:
- Seals, gaskets, O-rings and rubber pipe-joint rings
- Rubber sheet and rolls — commercial, insertion, oil-resistant and electrical-grade matting
- Rubber flooring tiles and rolls — gym, playground, industrial and anti-fatigue mats
- Industrial hoses — water, air, hydraulic, suction and delivery, and ducting
- Rubber profiles and extrusions — door and window sealing sections, edge trims, glazing gaskets
- Anti-vibration mounts, bushes, bobbins and machinery isolators
- Moulded rubber components — bellows, diaphragms, grommets, bump stops, rollers
- Conveyor and transmission belting
- Rubber road and safety products — speed bumps, wheel stops, corner guards, dock bumpers
- Household and general-purpose rubber articles (excluding protective gloves, which are PPE)
The scope of your certificate is defined from the product form, the rubber compound, the end-use application and the HS code, so the range you actually export is covered.
HS Codes
Rubber products are commonly classified under the headings below. These are examples only — the correct code depends on the exact product.
- 4008 — Plates, sheets, strip, rods and profile shapes of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber
- 4009 — Tubes, pipes and hoses of vulcanised rubber, with or without fittings
- 4010 — Conveyor or transmission belts and belting of vulcanised rubber
- 4016 — Other articles of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber — seals, gaskets, mats, mounts, rollers, mouldings
- 4017 — Hard rubber (for example ebonite) and articles thereof
Applicable Saudi Requirements
Rubber products are certified through SABER registration on the Saudi platform. The main requirements are:
- A valid PCoC issued against the applicable rubber-compound and end-use application standards
- An SCoC for each individual shipment before customs clearance
- Compound characterisation — polymer type, hardness, tensile strength, elongation and density
- Compression set and, for dynamic parts, stress relaxation or creep
- Accelerated heat-ageing results, with retained properties within the limit (important for the Saudi climate)
- Ozone-resistance test for products used outdoors or under strain (EPDM and neoprene grades in particular)
- Fluid / oil resistance where the product contacts fuels, oils or chemicals
- The application-standard tests — for example seal performance for pipe joints, pressure and burst for hose, fire and slip for flooring
- Restricted-substance evidence where relevant — PAH content, and for food or drinking-water contact the migration / toxicological approval
- Product marking and a registered Saudi importer on the SABER platform
Technical Regulation
Rubber products are assessed under the SABER scheme against the recognised rubber test methods and the standard for the end use. The common compound methods are ISO 48-2 / ISO 7619-1 (hardness), ISO 37 (tensile stress–strain), ISO 815 (compression set), ISO 34-1 (tear), ISO 2781 (density), ISO 4649 (abrasion), ISO 188 (accelerated heat ageing), ISO 1431-1 (ozone resistance), ISO 1817 (liquid resistance) and ISO 812 (low-temperature brittleness). The application standards then apply on top — for example EN 681-1 / ISO 4633 (elastomeric seals for water and drainage pipe joints), EN 853 / EN 856 / EN 857 (hydraulic hose), EN ISO 1403 (general-purpose water hose), EN 14041 + EN 13501-1 (resilient floor coverings, reaction to fire and slip), ISO 340 / ISO 283 (conveyor belting flammability and strength), or EN 1337-3 (structural elastomeric bearings). Construction rubber falls within the Building Materials Technical Regulation. The exact regulation and standard set is confirmed at assessment from the product and its use. Our Technical Regulations guide explains how regulations are matched to products.
Testing / Standards
Rubber products are typically evaluated for compound properties and for the end-use application. Typical testing includes:
- Hardness — IRHD or Shore A (ISO 48-2 / ISO 7619-1)
- Tensile strength, elongation at break and modulus (ISO 37)
- Compression set at ambient and elevated temperature (ISO 815-1 / -2)
- Tear strength (ISO 34-1) and abrasion resistance (ISO 4649)
- Accelerated heat ageing and retained properties (ISO 188)
- Ozone resistance, static and dynamic (ISO 1431-1)
- Resistance to liquids — oils, fuels, water (ISO 1817)
- Low-temperature brittleness and compression set (ISO 812 / ISO 815-2)
- Density (ISO 2781) and, where specified, rebound resilience
- Application tests — seal leak-tightness, hose proof / burst pressure, flooring fire and slip, belt strip strength
- Restricted substances — PAH content, and migration for food / water-contact rubber
Existing accredited test reports may be accepted where they cover the exact compound and product 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 rubber-product application uses the set below; our full documents required guide explains each item.
- Commercial invoice and packing list, with product references
- HS code of the product range
- Technical datasheet stating the rubber compound, hardness, product form and intended application
- Compound characterisation test report (hardness, tensile, compression set, density)
- Heat-ageing and ozone-resistance test reports
- Application-standard test report (seal, hose, flooring, belt, bearing as relevant)
- Fluid-resistance report where the product contacts oils, fuels or chemicals
- Restricted-substance declaration / PAH report, and food or drinking-water contact approval where applicable
- Manufacturer details and Declaration of Conformity where relevant
- Saudi importer registration details
PCoC Process
The Product Certificate of Conformity certifies the rubber-product range against the applicable standards. In outline:
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Classification and scope
We confirm the product form, the rubber compound, the end-use application, the HS code and applicable standards, and define what the certificate should cover.
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Report review
We check the compound characterisation, ageing and application test reports against the product actually supplied.
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Testing
An accredited laboratory carries out the compound, ageing and application-standard testing that the existing reports do not cover.
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Technical review
An approved certification body reviews the documents, marking and test evidence 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 invoice, packing list with product references and quantities and the linked PCoC are submitted for the specific consignment.
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Verification
The shipment is verified against the valid PCoC, the products are checked against the declared compound and application, 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 current compound and ageing reports already exist for the exact rubber grade in your product. Our SABER timeline guide covers this in detail.
- With complete compound characterisation, ageing and application reports — a PCoC can typically be arranged within a few working days
- When fresh testing is required — hardness, tensile and compression set are quick; heat ageing (typically several days at temperature) and ozone testing are the longer variables
- SCoC — normally issued quickly per shipment once a valid PCoC is in place
Common Problems
- Test report showing only initial properties, with no heat-ageing or ozone data
- Compound declared as EPDM or nitrile but the test data matching a cheaper SBR / reclaim blend
- Hardness outside the tolerance band for the application
- Compression set too high for a static seal, leading to leaks in service
- Water-pipe seal with no potable-water / toxicological approval
- Rubber flooring with no reaction-to-fire (EN 13501-1) or slip classification
- Hydraulic hose with no proof / burst-pressure report or missing layline marking
- Consumer rubber article over the PAH limit
We check these points up front — especially the ageing and ozone evidence and the compound identity — so consignments are not held at customs for avoidable reasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "compound characterisation" mean for a rubber product?
It is the set of laboratory tests that describe the vulcanised rubber itself — polymer type, hardness (IRHD / Shore A), tensile strength and elongation (ISO 37), compression set (ISO 815), tear strength and density — plus how those values hold up after accelerated heat ageing (ISO 188) and ozone exposure (ISO 1431-1). It is the common core of evidence before the application-specific standard is applied.
Why does ozone resistance matter so much for Saudi Arabia?
Rubber used outdoors — sealing profiles, mounts, hose, roofing components — is exposed to sunlight, heat and atmospheric ozone. Susceptible compounds develop surface cracks under strain, which is why EPDM or neoprene is usually specified for exposed parts and why the ozone test (ISO 1431-1) is expected in the report for those products.
Is this the same as the Plastic & Polymer Products certificate?
No. Thermoplastic and thermoset plastic goods, films and resins are covered on our Plastic & Polymer Products page, which deals with degradable-plastic rules and food-contact migration. This page is for vulcanised (cross-linked) rubber — natural and synthetic elastomers — where compression set, ageing and ozone behaviour are the defining tests.
Do rubber tyres, brake pads and rubber shoes fall under this page?
No. Tyres are certified against their own quality-mark and tyre standards on our Tyres page, brake friction material on the Brake Pads page, and rubber-soled footwear on the Footwear page. This page covers mechanical and general rubber goods — seals, hose, sheet, matting, mounts and mouldings.
How much does SABER certification for rubber products cost and how long does it take?
It depends mainly on whether current compound and ageing reports exist for your exact rubber grade. When they do, a PCoC can often be arranged within a few working days. Fresh testing is dominated by heat ageing and ozone exposure, which take some days at temperature. Send your compound, product form and any 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 rubber sheet and profiles (HS 4008), hose (HS 4009), conveyor and transmission belting (HS 4010), other vulcanised-rubber articles such as seals, gaskets, mats and mounts (HS 4016) and hard rubber (HS 4017). We confirm the correct classification and the applicable application standard for your exact product during assessment.
Get Your Rubber Products Certified
Send us your product forms, the rubber compounds, the end-use applications, the HS code and any compound characterisation, ageing or application test reports you hold. We will confirm the applicable rubber and application standards, the ageing and ozone requirements for the Saudi climate, review your testing, and coordinate the PCoC and each SCoC so your shipments clear Saudi customs without delay.