The short version. New certificates must meet SASO 3114:2026 from 1 November 2026, and GEN-002 certificates are discontinued by 31 March 2027. Certificates run through SABER on the importer side, and the route depends on the product, so sellers with no Saudi entity usually need a qualified Saudi importer.
Carra Globe provides importer of record, exporter of record, delivered duty paid and freight forwarding services, so we have a commercial interest in your answer. What follows is written to be usable whether or not you ever speak to us.What SASO 3114 changes
It swaps the standard behind Saudi ICT certificates. SASO published SASO 3114:2026 on 19 May 2026, and a SASO circular on the SABER platform names it as the replacement for SASO CITC GEN-002 in Annex 1 of the Technical Regulation for Communications and Information Technology Devices. The circular gives importers and local manufacturers a grace period to 31 October 2026. Expect to reassess test evidence. Published summaries describe radio band and power limits, electromagnetic compatibility and electrical safety requirements, which we have not checked against the full standard. Either way, a GEN-002 test report may need reassessing, as our guide on foreign test reports and lab recognition explains in more depth.Which devices SASO 3114 covers
Six groups of network edge and mobile devices are listed.- Mobile phones and tablets.
- Mobile computers.
- Routers and customer premises equipment (CPE), with some published guidance describing the router category as mobile routers.
- Optical network terminals and home access gateways.
- Wi-Fi distribution devices.
- Other cellular network devices.
Is my server, switch or access point covered? Servers and switches are not named, and mobile computers and Wi-Fi distribution devices are not defined in the summaries. Other specifications still apply too, with GEN001 covering all equipment and GEN003 setting the rules for radio transmitter modules, while a host device still needs its own approval. Send the model number, datasheet and proposed HS code to a SASO-approved conformity assessment body and get its view in writing.
Classification is the first check, not the whole answer. Your HS code for routers and switches or HS code for servers helps identify which Saudi technical regulations and SABER requirements may apply, but the device’s functions decide SASO 3114 scope. Devices with cellular radios, batteries or strong encryption can bring lithium battery clearance or encryption import questions on top.
The three SASO 3114 dates that matter
| Date | What happens | What it means for a shipment |
|---|---|---|
| Until 31 October 2026 | Grace period under GEN-002 | Certificates can still issue against the old standard |
| From 1 November 2026 | SASO 3114 mandatory for new certificates | New product and shipment certificates need SASO 3114 compliance |
| By 31 March 2027 | GEN-002 certificates discontinued | Confirm the replacement certification route for future shipments, and do not assume an existing certificate stays acceptable after the cut-off |
A GEN-002 certificate gives a limited transition, not a guarantee of clearance. Confirm before each shipment that its certificates are still acceptable on the planned entry date, and if you will keep supplying the same model, have your existing test evidence assessed against SASO 3114 now.
How SABER certificates work for SASO 3114
The certificates depend on the product’s route. Published guidance from August 2026 describes four routes, set by HS code and by whether a product faces safety and EMC rules, wireless rules or both, from a product certificate (PCoC) alone to a combined PCoC-CST certificate or an IECEE recognition route. SABER then issues a shipment certificate (SCoC) for each consignment, valid for 90 days, while product certificates carry their own expiry, often one year.
Budget for platform fees as well as testing. SABER lists 500 riyals to register a product certificate and 350 riyals for each shipment certificate, before VAT and before the conformity assessment body’s own charges.
Everything now runs through SABER. Since the February 2025 transition, wireless approvals that CST used to issue come through SASO-approved certification bodies on SABER, while CST still sets the technical specifications. SABER links to FASAH, the customs single window, and SABER itself tells importers to register certificates before clearance to avoid re-export. Missing certificates can block clearance, add demurrage and cause a customs hold on IT shipments.
Why foreign sellers get stuck
The certificates sit on the importer side. SABER lists its commercial certificate services for importers, so a vendor or reseller with no Saudi entity usually needs a qualified Saudi importer, and if the customer will not take that role, one that can. It is the same problem covered in our guide to how you import IT equipment into Saudi Arabia without a local entity, and resellers meet it most often, as our guide on the importer of record for technology resellers sets out.
Shipping routers, Wi-Fi or mobile devices into Saudi Arabia before or after 1 November? Send Carra Globe the model list, HS codes and existing certificates, and we will confirm what SABER needs and who acts as importer before you book freight. Request a Saudi SASO 3114 check.
A five-step SASO 3114 check
- List every model and check it against the SASO 3114 scope, not just the device name.
- Check existing certificates, noting which were issued under GEN-002 and when they lapse.
- Update test reports where the new radio, interference or safety requirements apply.
- Name the importer whose SABER account will hold the product and shipment certificates.
- Time the shipment so the SCoC exists before the goods arrive, and fold certification costs into your landed cost.
How Carra Globe handles Saudi shipments
We settle the importer and the certificates before the goods move. Carra Globe acts as importer of record for IT, network and telecom hardware entering Saudi Arabia, and our country details sit on the Saudi Arabia importer of record page. For wider Gulf deliveries, see our importer of record for the GCC, and where equipment later leaves the Kingdom, Carra Globe can act as exporter of record.
Carra Globe works through importer-side registrations and local importing structures appropriate to the goods and destinations it accepts, its own in some markets and established local structures in others. Approvals falling outside the available structure are flagged before a delivery date is agreed.
If you are shipping hardware into Saudi Arabia, send us the model list, HS codes, existing certificates, delivery address and the date the goods need to arrive. Reach us at info@carraglobe.com.
Saudi Arabia · SASO 3114 · Importer Of Record
Send the model list. We will tell you what SABER needs before 1 November and after.
Most Saudi delays on network hardware start with a certificate issued against the wrong standard or an importer with no SABER account. So the useful conversation is which models fall under SASO 3114, which GEN-002 certificates are about to lapse, and whose account will hold the product and shipment certificates. Where something sits outside the structure available, you hear that before a delivery date is agreed.
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- How to compare DDP quotes
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- NOM certification in Mexico
- Data centre server and rack deployments
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Shipping routers, Wi-Fi or mobile devices into Saudi Arabia? Send the model numbers with HS codes and existing certificates, the delivery address and your arrival date. We will come back on SASO 3114, the SABER certificates and who acts as importer.
Check my Saudi shipmentFrequently asked questions
What is SASO 3114?
SASO 3114:2026, Requirements for Specific ICT Equipment, is the Saudi standard replacing SASO CITC GEN-002 for routers, CPE, ONTs, Wi-Fi devices, mobile computers and similar devices.
When does SASO 3114 become mandatory?
From 1 November 2026, after a grace period ending 31 October 2026. Certificates issued under GEN-002 are cancelled by 31 March 2027.
Does SASO 3114 apply to switches and servers?
Published summaries do not name them. Check each model against the standard’s own scope, since terms such as Wi-Fi distribution devices may catch some network kit.
Can a foreign company apply on SABER?
Commercial certificates run through SABER’s importer-side services, so a seller without a Saudi entity should confirm eligibility first, and usually arranges a qualified Saudi importer.
What happens to a shipment without an SCoC?
It may be unable to clear customs and may have to be re-exported, with costs depending on the shipment. Confirm certificate requirements before dispatch.
Do GEN-002 certificates still work?
They are discontinued by 31 March 2027 at the latest, and new certificates from 1 November 2026 must meet SASO 3114. Confirm acceptability before each shipment.
Adjacent ground: what an importer of record does, importer of record for telecom equipment and Saudi free zone customs rules for tech imports.
Sources and verification
Checked against SASO’s published circular and the sources below on 19 October 2026.
- The circular. SASO circular replacing SASO CITC GEN-002 with SASO 3114:2026, published on the SABER platform, setting the 31 October 2026 grace period, the 1 November 2026 requirement and the 31 March 2027 cancellation of GEN-002 certificates.
- The standard. SASO 3114:2026, Requirements for Specific ICT Equipment, on SASO’s Wasif standards store, published 19 May 2026.
- Scope. The six product groups as listed in published summaries of SASO 3114:2026. Technical requirement details come from those summaries and have not been checked against the full standard text.
- Certificates and fees. SABER’s shipment certificate service for importers, stating 90-day validity, and SABER’s published fees of 500 riyals per product certificate registration and 350 riyals per shipment certificate, excluding VAT. Product certificate terms vary, and one year is a commonly quoted period.
- Platform change and routes. The move of wireless approvals from the CST platform to SABER in February 2025 under the Technical Regulation for Communications and Information Technology Devices issued on 16 August 2024, with the platform move reported on 12 February 2025 and the regulation fully effective from 16 February 2025. CST technical specification GEN003 sets the requirements for radio transmitter modules and requires all equipment to meet GEN001.
- Clearance. SABER’s own notice that required certificates must be registered for FASAH clearance to avoid re-export.
- Verification note. SASO 3114 scope and certificate procedures may be clarified after 1 November 2026, so check the current position for each model before relying on this guide. Nothing here is advice on your shipments.
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, customs or product certification advice. SASO 3114 requirements depend on the exact model and its classification. The position described is as at 19 October 2026. Confirm the current position for your products with a SASO-approved conformity assessment body or your importer of record before shipping.