Is a SABER Certificate Required for PPE?
Yes. Personal protective equipment falls under the Saudi Technical Regulation for Personal Protective Equipment and is treated as a regulated product on the SABER platform. A Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) must be obtained for the product before a Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) can be issued for each consignment and the goods cleared through customs.
PPE is assessed by risk category. Simple PPE against minor risks sits in the lowest category, while PPE against serious or fatal risks — respiratory protection, fall arrest, high-visibility for road use — sits in the highest category and requires the most rigorous evidence, including type examination by a notified/recognised body.
Applicable Technical Regulations & Standards
PPE is certified through SABER registration and assessed against the PPE Technical Regulation together with the product-specific safety standard. The exact standard and risk category are confirmed at assessment from the product type and HS code.
- Technical Regulation for Personal Protective Equipment — sets the risk-category framework and conformity routes
- Safety footwear — EN ISO 20345 (and related EN ISO 20346 / 20347) for toe protection, slip resistance and other properties
- Protective gloves — EN 388 (mechanical risks), EN 407 (heat) and related hazard-specific standards
- Head, eye and face protection — EN 397 (industrial helmets), EN 166 (eye protection)
- High-visibility, respiratory protection and fall-arrest equipment — the applicable EN standards for higher-risk-category PPE
Testing Requirements
Testing is specific to the type of PPE and the hazards it protects against. Typical testing includes:
- Mechanical performance — for example impact and compression for toe caps, abrasion and cut resistance for gloves
- Hazard-specific performance — slip resistance, heat/flame, chemical penetration or optical clarity as relevant
- Ergonomic and innocuousness checks — the PPE must not itself harm the wearer
- Marking and information — correct pictograms, performance levels and user instructions
- Type examination by a recognised body for higher-category PPE
Existing EU type-examination certificates and EN test reports are often reusable if they cover the correct model and current standard editions. We assess your existing certification first and arrange product testing only for what is genuinely missing.
SABER Certificate Requirements for Safety & PPE Products
The typical document set for a PPE SABER application is below; our full documents required guide explains each item in more detail.
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Product photographs showing markings, pictograms and performance levels
- Test reports to the applicable EN standard
- Type-examination certificate for higher-category PPE
- Declaration of Conformity and user information / instructions
- HS code and Saudi importer registration details
How We Help
- Classify the PPE and confirm its risk category
We identify the correct risk category and the applicable EN standard, which determines the conformity route.
- Review existing certificates and reports
We check whether your EU type-examination and EN reports can be reused and flag only the gaps.
- Coordinate testing and marking review
We arrange any required testing and confirm the markings, pictograms and user information are correct.
- Obtain the PCoC and process each SCoC
We secure the Product Certificate and process the Shipment Certificate for every consignment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my CE / EU type-examination certificate accepted for Saudi Arabia?
The CE certificate itself is not Saudi conformity, but the EU type-examination certificate and the EN test reports behind it are usually reusable if they cover the correct model and current standard editions. This often shortens the route to a SABER PCoC considerably.
How do I know which risk category my PPE falls into?
It depends on the hazard the PPE protects against. Protection against minor risks is the lowest category; protection against serious or irreversible harm (respiratory, fall-arrest, high-visibility for road use) is the highest and needs type-examination evidence. We confirm the category at assessment before you commit to testing.
What is the difference between the product certificate and the shipment certificate?
The PCoC confirms the product meets the applicable regulation and is typically valid for one year. The SCoC is issued per consignment and is required for each individual shipment. Both are needed to clear customs.
How much does SABER certification for PPE cost and how long does it take?
It depends mainly on the risk category and whether valid test evidence already exists. Lower-category PPE with acceptable EN reports can be arranged quickly; Category III items (respiratory, fall-arrest, high-visibility) need type-examination evidence, which takes longer if it is not already in place. Send your product details and any certificates and we will give you a specific quote and timeline at no cost. See our SABER certificate cost guide.
Which PPE products and HS codes does this cover?
The same route applies across safety footwear (HS 6401–6403), protective gloves (HS 6116 / 4203), helmets and head protection (HS 6506), eye and face protection, high-visibility clothing, respiratory protection and fall-arrest equipment. The precise HS code and hazard determine the applicable EN standard and risk category, which we confirm during assessment.
What extra applies to Category III (high-risk) PPE?
Category III PPE protects against serious or irreversible harm and cannot be cleared on a simple declaration — it requires type-examination evidence from a recognised body against the applicable EN standard. We confirm the category at the outset so the right conformity route and evidence are in place before you ship.