Last month, my client Wang sent $80 worth of electronics to Riyadh. The shipment got stuck at customs. Saudi Customs said: no e-certificate of origin (e-COO), no release. It‘s now sitting in the warehouse, racking up SAR 20 storage fees per day.
Starting June 1, 2026, Saudi ZATCA extended the mandatory e-COO to all low-value shipments (under SAR 1,000, ~USD 270). Previously this only applied to shipments over SAR 1,000. Now any commercial parcel, no matter how small, needs an electronic certificate of origin.
Frankly, this changes the game for sellers. Small parcels used to bypass COO requirements. Not anymore. In my experience, if you ship to Saudi, you must get the e-COO from your supplier before shipping — have the exporter apply through their local chamber of commerce or trade bureau for an electronic stamp, then upload it to ZATCA’s Fasah platform.
Watch out for these pitfalls: First, the HS code on the COO must match the customs declaration exactly — one digit off and it gets rejected. Second, the consignee info on the COO must match the importer registered with Saudi customs; many use personal names, but the importer must be a local Saudi company. Third, if your shipment contains multiple SKUs, list them all on one COO — separate certificates mean extra fees.
Another example: a seller shipped mixed cosmetics and accessories but wrote only “personal care items” on the COO without specific HS codes. Customs flagged it as incorrect declaration and fined 15% of the goods’ value. It took two weeks to clear.
So what should you do? My advice: 1) For every shipment to Saudi, even worth $10, get an e-COO upfront (costs around CNY 200-300, covers the whole batch). 2) Add a “COO obtained” field in your ERP or shipping system to avoid missing it. 3) Check with your logistics provider if they can help upload the COO — some express lines offer this service.
Also, clearance times have stretched. Low-value parcels used to clear in 2 days; now it’s 5-7 days on average. During peak season, maybe longer. Recalculate your lead times.
At the end of the day, compliance costs are rising, but compared to fines and returns, it’s a small price. Are your next shipments COO-ready?