Is a SABER Certificate Required for Structural Steel Sections?
Yes. Hot-rolled and welded structural sections used in buildings, warehouses, infrastructure and steelwork are regulated on the SABER platform, primarily under the Technical Regulation for Building Materials (steel and metal group) and the applicable structural-steel grade standards. A Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) must be issued before a Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) can be obtained for each consignment and the goods cleared through Saudi customs.
Structural steel conformity leans heavily on the mill test certificate (MTC / EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2). The chemical composition, yield strength, tensile strength, elongation and — for many grades — the impact (Charpy) values on the MTC are checked against the declared grade such as S235, S275, S355 (EN 10025-2) or ASTM A36 / A572 / A992. The section profile and length tolerances are checked against the relevant dimensional standard.
Applicable Technical Regulations & Standards
Structural sections are certified through SABER registration, and the relevant standard depends on the section type and grade. The exact regulation and standards are confirmed at assessment from the product type and HS code.
- Technical Regulation for Building Materials — steel and metal group, the umbrella framework for construction steel
- Structural-steel grade standards — EN 10025-2 (S235 / S275 / S355 non-alloy), EN 10025-3/4 (fine-grain), or ASTM A36 / A572 / A992 for wide-flange sections
- Hollow sections — EN 10210 (hot-finished) and EN 10219 (cold-formed) RHS / SHS / CHS, or ASTM A500
- Dimensional and tolerance standards — EN 10034 (I and H sections), EN 10056 (angles), EN 10279 (channels), EN 10058/10059/10060 (flats and bars)
- Galvanized sections — coating thickness and adhesion to ISO 1461 where hot-dip galvanized
- Mill test certificate to EN 10204 (type 3.1 / 3.2) — the core supporting evidence of chemical and mechanical properties
Testing Requirements
Testing for structural sections centres on mechanical and chemical verification:
- Tensile testing — yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and elongation
- Impact (Charpy V-notch) testing at the specified temperature for the grade sub-class (JR / J0 / J2 / K2)
- Chemical composition analysis and carbon equivalent (CEV) for weldability
- Dimensional and mass-per-metre checks against the tolerance standard
- Coating (galvanizing) thickness and adhesion where the section is coated
- Weld-integrity and NDE checks for welded (built-up) sections
A valid mill test certificate from the producing mill, supported by testing from an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory where verification is required, forms the core of the evidence. We review your MTCs first and arrange only the verification product testing that is actually needed.
SABER Certificate Requirements for Structural Steel Sections
The typical document set for a structural-steel SABER application is below; our full documents required guide explains each item in more detail.
- Commercial invoice and packing list
- Mill test certificates (EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2) for each heat / batch
- Product technical datasheet stating section designation, grade and standard
- Dimensional / tolerance inspection report
- Independent laboratory test reports where required
- Photographs of section marking and bundle tags
- HS code and Saudi importer registration details
How We Help
- Confirm the section type, grade and standard
We classify the product and confirm exactly which grade standard and tolerance standard apply.
- Review your mill certificates
We check the MTC chemistry, mechanical and impact values against the standard and flag any gaps or marking mismatch.
- Coordinate verification testing
We arrange tensile, impact, chemical or dimensional verification where the certificate alone is not sufficient.
- Obtain the PCoC and process each SCoC
We secure the Product Certificate and process the Shipment Certificate for every consignment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do structural steel beams and sections need a SABER certificate?
Yes. I/H beams, columns, angles, channels, flats and hollow sections used in construction are regulated. A PCoC must be registered and a per-shipment SCoC obtained before the goods can clear Saudi customs.
Is my mill test certificate enough on its own?
For many structural sections the EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2 mill certificate forms the core of the evidence, but independent verification of tensile, impact or chemical properties from an accredited laboratory is required where the certificate is incomplete, the grade needs confirming, or the standard sub-class calls for impact data. We confirm which applies at assessment.
How is this different from the Fabricated Steel certificate?
This page covers mill-rolled and welded sections as supplied — beams, angles, channels, hollow sections. Cut, drilled, welded and coated steelwork assemblies are covered on our fabricated iron & steel page. Flat plate, sheet and coil have their own page.
Do galvanized sections have extra requirements?
Yes. Hot-dip galvanized sections are additionally checked for coating thickness and adhesion against ISO 1461, so the datasheet and any coating test data should be provided with the mill certificate.
How much does SABER certification for structural sections cost and how long does it take?
It depends mainly on whether complete mill certificates are available and whether independent verification testing is needed. When MTCs are in order and match the marking, a PCoC can often be arranged within a few working days; grades requiring impact testing or dimensional verification add laboratory turnaround. Send your mill certificates and specification for a specific quote and timeline at no cost. See our SABER certificate cost guide.
Which sections and HS codes does this cover?
The framework covers angles, shapes and sections of iron or non-alloy steel (HS heading 7216), other bars and rods and sections of alloy steel (HS heading 7228), and hollow sections / tubes for structural use (HS headings 7306 / 7304). The precise HS code and grade determine which standard applies and whether verification testing is required, so we confirm the classification during assessment.