Importing from India to the UAE and Saudi Arabia

Key takeaways

Saudi customs clears only goods logged in SABER. Regulated products need a product certificate before the shipment certificate can be issued.
Check your HS code in SABER and on MoIAT's list of regulated products: whether a technical regulation applies decides the certificate route.
Safety warnings and instructions should be in Arabic, or Arabic and English, and the country of origin must be marked.
CEPA covers the UAE only. Claim it with a preferential certificate of origin issued in India; Saudi Arabia is not a party.

Saudi Arabia: SABER certificates

The Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) runs conformity checks for consumer goods through SABER, an online platform. Whether your product is “regulated” depends on whether a SASO technical regulation covers its HS code, which SABER shows.

Sources: saber.sa and US International Trade Administration, reviewed 13 Oct 2026.
Certificate	Needed for	How it works
Product Certificate of Conformity (PC)	Regulated products	The importer registers the product in SABER; a SASO-approved conformity assessment body assesses it against the technical regulation. Valid for one year.
Shipment Certificate (SC)	Every shipment, regulated or not	Issued per consignment. For regulated goods, SABER checks a valid PC exists for each product. For non-regulated goods, the importer submits a self-declaration.

SABER lists a fee of SAR 500 to register a product certificate and SAR 350 to issue a shipment certificate, excluding VAT, and says shipment certificate validity was extended from 60 to 90 days. It also announced that, from 1 October 2026, the supplier's name and commercial registration number must appear on products covered by ten technical regulations. Check whether yours is one. See SASO and SABER.

UAE: MoIAT conformity (ECAS and EQM)

The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) runs product conformity. Its service “Issue Conformity Certificates for Regulated Products (ECAS)” grants a UAE Certificate of Conformity for products subject to technical regulations. The applicant needs a valid UAE trade licence and a test report from an accredited laboratory. Separate services cover products not subject to technical regulations.

ECAS (Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme) is the mandatory route for products covered by a UAE technical regulation, which include many low-voltage electrical products.
EQM (Emirates Quality Mark) is a licence to use the national quality mark, granted through MoIAT's Products Conformity Certificate services.
MoIAT updated its conformity logos and marks under Ministerial Resolution No. 137 of 2024, so check that label artwork uses the current marks.

Check each item against MoIAT's list of regulated products before you ship, and keep the accredited lab reports ready for the importer's application.

Arabic labelling and origin marking

Source: US International Trade Administration country commercial guides (Saudi Arabia, May 2026; UAE). Where a SASO or UAE standard sets labelling, it takes priority.
Item	Saudi Arabia	UAE
Warnings and safety instructions	Arabic, or Arabic and English	Arabic, or Arabic and English
Instruction manuals	Arabic, or Arabic and English	Follow the product standard; Arabic and English is the safe choice
Country of origin	On all imported goods, in Arabic or English, not removable; on the package if the item is too small	Certificate of origin with the shipment; check product standards for on-product marking
Stickers	Accepted if they cannot be removed	Arabic stickers accepted if applied before export

Agree Arabic text with your importer before production, and have the factory print it. See product labelling and country of origin.

India–UAE CEPA and certificates of origin

The India–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was signed on 18 February 2022 and entered into force on 1 May 2022. India's Department of Commerce said the UAE gave zero-duty access from day one for products accounting for 90% of India's exports to the UAE by value.

To claim CEPA treatment, the Indian exporter applies for a preferential certificate of origin on DGFT's electronic certificate of origin platform (coo.dgft.gov.in), and it travels with the shipment. The goods must meet CEPA's rules of origin. Without a valid certificate, the normal UAE duty applies.

CEPA does not cover Saudi Arabia. Saudi customs asks for a commercial invoice, bill of lading and certificate of origin, and clearance runs through the Fasah platform.

Documents to collect from your supplier

Commercial invoice and packing list with HS codes and materials per line. UAE guidance also calls for attestation of invoices and shipping documents.
Certificate of origin: the CEPA preferential certificate for the UAE; a chamber-approved certificate for Saudi Arabia and for non-CEPA goods.
Accredited lab test reports for any regulated product (SABER product certificate or MoIAT conformity certificate).
Arabic label and manual artwork, approved by your importer.
For Saudi Arabia: palletised loading. Since 8 May 2025, containerised imports at Saudi ports must be palletised, phased in with some exemptions.
ISPM 15 treatment details for pallets and crates.

Where inspection fits

A SABER or MoIAT certificate covers a product type, not the cartons in your container. A pre-shipment inspection checks that the goods match the certified model, that Arabic warnings, origin marks and any supplier details are on the product, and that cartons and pallets meet your importer's instructions. Container loading supervision records palletisation and ISPM 15 marks for Saudi-bound loads.

Clear To Load reports reach you within 24 hours with a verdict of Cleared to load, Hold or Not cleared. Tests go to an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited lab through lab testing coordination. Book an inspection.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Does every shipment to Saudi Arabia need a SABER certificate?

Yes. Every shipment needs a shipment certificate issued through SABER. Regulated products also need a product certificate of conformity, valid for one year, before the shipment certificate can be issued. Non-regulated products use a self-declaration.

Is ECAS the same as EQM?

No. ECAS is MoIAT's conformity certificate route for products subject to UAE technical regulations. The Emirates Quality Mark is a separate licence to use the national quality mark. Both are handled through MoIAT's product conformity services.

Is the India–UAE CEPA in force?

Yes. It was signed on 18 February 2022 and entered into force on 1 May 2022. Exporters apply for preferential certificates of origin on DGFT's eCoO platform, and the goods must meet CEPA's rules of origin.

Do labels have to be in Arabic?

Warnings and safety instructions should be in Arabic, or Arabic and English, in both countries. Saudi Arabia also requires a non-removable country-of-origin mark in Arabic or English on all imported goods. Product-specific standards can add more.

Know before it ships

Tell us the product, the factory's city and your ready date. We confirm the inspector, the notice time and the price before you book.

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Importing furniture and home goods from India to the UAE and Saudi Arabia