Last week, a client who sells power adapters called me in a panic. His shipment was held at Jeddah port. Customs said it lacked the SABER Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) label. He thought only air conditioners needed it. After 8 days of detention, demurrage and amendment fees cost him nearly $2,000.
Here's the deal: Saudi SABER expanded its mandatory scope on June 1, 2026. Any electronic product with a plug—chargers, LED lights, small appliances, routers—must have an EER label before shipping. Old certificates issued before 2019 are also invalid; you need to update them.
My advice: start preparing at least 40 days before shipment. First, get your product tested by an SASO-accredited lab. Then register the product on the SABER platform. From sample delivery to getting the certificate, it normally takes 3 weeks. Rush service costs 30-50% more.
Here's a common mistake: each color or model variation requires separate registration. A charger in white and black counts as two SKUs. I once saw a headphone seller register 10 colors separately, paying SAR 200 each. Color changes don't need retesting—they wasted SAR 2,000.
Also, Saudi SASCO's review is getting stricter. If your declared power deviates more than 5% from tested results, the application is rejected. A client selling LED strips used different LED chips for samples vs. bulk orders—6% deviation. It cost him two extra weeks.
Remember: after detention, you have 15 days to submit documents, but each day overdue costs SAR 500. After that, forced return is possible, and return shipping often exceeds the cargo value. Better to pre-certify before shipping.
By the way, UAE's ESMA is watching. They're likely to introduce similar rules by late 2026. If you sell in both Saudi and UAE, consider doing both certifications at once. Many test reports are shared—saves time and money.
Will Saudi require energy labels for textiles next? I'm not betting against it. Play safe, pay less.