Quick answer
Can a French company import into Saudi Arabia without a Saudi entity?
Yes. A French company does not need a Saudi entity to sell into Saudi Arabia. Safe Hands acts as your Importer of Record: Safe Hands is the importer named on the FASAH customs declaration, and you sell on DDP terms to your Saudi retail partner, warehouse or project site. We coordinate the SFDA cosmetic notification documents (the product is listed in SFDA's system by the notifier before import) and handle SABER where it applies, the FASAH declaration, customs duty and 15% import VAT on the Saudi side.
Legal basis: the importer on a Saudi declaration does not have to be the buyer or owner of the goods (GCC Common Customs Law Arts 2 and 110, ZATCA consolidated text) · verified on 4 Oct 2026
Our credentials
- Licensed customs broker
- ZATCA customs clearance
- TGA Freight Forwarder & Broker Licence
- 42/00008120
- ISO certification
- ISO 9001:2015 AMER300621 · ISO 45001:2018 AMER300622
- Verify · Certification body's certificate check
- Head office · Warehouse
- 7273 Fatimah Al Zahraa Rd, Riyadh 12837 · Al Sulay industrial district, Riyadh
Safe Hands Shipping Line is the trade name of شركة الايدي الامينة (Al Aidi Al Amina Company). All credentials →
Trusted by French Exporters Across Industries
From boutique fragrance houses to precision manufacturing machinery
Why French Maisons Choose Safe Hands
SFDA & SABER, Mapped in Parallel
SFDA cosmetic notification and the SABER pathway mapped in parallel, not sequenced against each other by accident.
Direct French Origin Coverage
From Le Havre/Marseille and Charles de Gaulle, direct delivery to Jeddah, Dammam, and Riyadh.
Boutique Cartons, Full-Container Discipline
Small-count, high-value cartons received with the same seal-photography and verification discipline as a full container — not treated as an afterthought behind bulk cargo.
Our IOR Process
Seamless transition from your facility or maison in France to your site in Saudi Arabia.
Document Validation
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin
Compliance Check
HS code verification, SABER PCoC/SCoC, SFDA cosmetic notification documents coordinated where applicable
FASAH Pre-clearance
Filing ZATCA declaration before vessel/flight arrival
Customs Clearance
Duty & VAT payment, physical inspection facilitation if flagged
Final Delivery
To your Saudi retail partner, warehouse, or project site
France → Saudi Arabia: import facts
The Saudi-side rules that apply to French-origin goods, each with its official source and the date it was checked.
| Topic | What applies |
|---|---|
| Customs duty basis | Duty is set per 12-digit line of the GCC Integrated Tariff, published in ZATCA's Integrated Tariff tool. Each line shows the duty rate, the restriction type and the required procedures. Duty can be a percentage of value, an amount per unit, or both, so the rate is read from the live line for the exact product.Source: ZATCA Integrated Tariff; GCC Common Customs Law Arts 9-12 · verified on 1 Oct 2026 and 4 Oct 2026 |
| Import VAT | 15%, charged on the import as a separate event and paid at clearance with the duty. The base is the customs value (transaction value plus freight and insurance to the Saudi point of entry) plus customs duty, any excise tax and other charges on the declaration, including ZATCA's customs service fee. Goods at 0% duty still pay import VAT unless they are in a VAT-exempt category.Source: VAT Law Art 2; Unified GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1); ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT (May 2026) · verified on 4 Oct 2026 |
| ZATCA customs service fee | 0.15% of the CIF value per declaration, minimum SAR 15, maximum SAR 500, since 6 Oct 2024.Source: ZATCA customs fees announcement (Board Resolution of 27 Apr 2024) · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| Trade agreement | There is no GCC–EU free trade agreement, so French goods pay the standard (MFN) duty on their tariff line. The GCC–EFTA preference covers only Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein origin goods.Source: GCC–EFTA FTA; ZATCA customs rules on trade preferences · verified on 5 Oct 2026 |
| Double taxation treaty | The Saudi–French convention (signed 18 Feb 1982) is in force since 1 Feb 1983 according to ZATCA. Profits from exporting goods or services to Saudi Arabia are not taxed in Saudi Arabia (Art 14(4)); dividends, interest and royalties are taxable only in the country of residence unless effectively connected with activities in Saudi Arabia.Source: ZATCA France convention page · verified on 5 Oct 2026 |
| Typical documents | Detailed commercial invoice (original or electronic), bill of lading or air waybill, the approvals the tariff line lists (for example the SFDA release or the SABER shipment certificate), a packing list, and a certificate of origin where origin is unclear or a preference is claimed. A missing document can be covered by a guarantee or written undertaking and produced within 90 days.Source: ZATCA Customs Controls Art 3; GCC Common Customs Law Art 27 · verified on 1 Oct 2026 and 4 Oct 2026 |
| SFDA path for cosmetics | Cosmetic products are listed (notified) with SFDA before trading; each consignment is filed in SFDA's clearance system for review before arrival, then declared in FASAH. GSO 1943:2024 sets cosmetic safety, labelling and packaging requirements.Source: SFDA cosmetics announcement (12 Jul 2024); SFDA GSDP · verified on 30 Sep 2026 and 3 Oct 2026 |
| SABER path for machinery | Regulated non-food products need a SABER Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) per model and a Shipment Certificate of Conformity (SCoC) per shipment; CE marking does not replace the PCoC. Machinery falls under SASO's machinery safety technical regulations (Parts 1 to 3).Source: SASO SABER and machinery technical regulations · verified on 30 Sep 2026, 3 Oct 2026 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| Who can be the importer | The importer on a Saudi declaration must hold a Saudi Commercial Registration, a 700 code, or a Saudi or GCC ID, and be licensed to import. The importer does not have to be the buyer or the owner of the goods.Source: GCC Common Customs Law Arts 2 and 110; ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT s.4.2 · verified on 1 Oct 2026 and 4 Oct 2026 |
How it works, step by step
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Classify the goodsThe goods are classified to the 12-digit Saudi tariff line, and its duty, restriction type and required procedures are read. For doubtful items ZATCA offers a free advance ruling.Source: ZATCA Integrated Tariff; ZATCA advance ruling e-service · verified on 1 Oct 2026 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| 2 | Approvals before loadingThe approvals the tariff line lists are obtained before the goods are loaded. Cosmetics are listed with SFDA and each consignment is filed for SFDA review before arrival; for regulated machinery, each model is registered on SABER with its 12-digit code, a SASO-approved conformity body issues the PCoC, and the SCoC is requested for the shipment.Source: SFDA cosmetics requirements; SASO SABER; ZATCA Integrated Tariff · verified on 30 Sep 2026 and 1 Oct 2026 |
| 3 | Labels and documentsThe goods carry the required Arabic labels before loading. The commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where needed and the approval certificates are collected.Source: SABER labelling circular; ZATCA Customs Controls · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 4 | Manifest before arrivalThe carrier files the manifest in FASAH before arrival. Pre-arrival filing is mandatory for sea cargo since 29 Oct 2025; for air cargo the airline files it and the air waybill takes the place of the bill of lading.Source: ZATCA pre-arrival rules; FASAH · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 5 | Customs declarationSafe Hands files the incoming declaration in FASAH before arrival, entering each line's 12-digit code, origin, quantity, weights, value, Incoterm, freight and insurance, and uploads the documents.Source: ZATCA FASAH e-services · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 6 | Duty, VAT and feeCustoms duty, 15% import VAT and the 0.15% customs service fee are calculated on the declaration and paid through SADAD, Mada or card.Source: ZATCA; FASAH · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 7 | Risk checkZATCA's risk selection sends the declaration to release, a document check or an examination (X-ray or physical); agencies such as SFDA or SASO act on the same declaration.Source: ZATCA Customs Controls · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 8 | Release, delivery and recordsAfter release the carrier's delivery order is collected, terminal charges are paid and the goods leave the port for delivery. Originals are kept for 5 years, during which ZATCA may audit.Source: ZATCA Customs Controls Art 4; GCC Common Customs Law Art 115 · verified on 1 Oct 2026 and 4 Oct 2026 |
Sources
- ZATCA Integrated Tariff tool (12-digit tariff lines and required procedures) · verified on 1 Oct 2026
- GCC Common Customs Law and Implementing Regulations (ZATCA consolidated Arabic text) · verified on 4 Oct 2026
- ZATCA Customs Controls (Governor Decision 1448-99-13, published 26 Jun 2026) · verified on 4 Oct 2026
- ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT (May 2026); VAT Law and Implementing Regulations · verified on 4 Oct 2026
- ZATCA customs service fee announcement (0.15% of CIF) · verified on 1 Oct 2026
- ZATCA advance ruling e-service · verified on 5 Oct 2026
- SFDA cosmetics announcement (12 Jul 2024) and SFDA GSDP (cosmetics clause) · verified on 30 Sep 2026 and 3 Oct 2026
- SASO SABER platform services and guides; SASO machinery safety technical regulations · verified on 30 Sep 2026 and 3 Oct 2026
- GCC–EFTA Free Trade Agreement · verified on 5 Oct 2026
- ZATCA France convention page and convention text · verified on 5 Oct 2026
General information from official sources, checked on the dates shown. It is not legal or tax advice.
What France sells to Saudi Arabia (2025)
| Topic | What applies | Source | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| All goods | USD 6.9 billion of Saudi imports from France in 2025. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Machinery: the SABER route | Machinery reached USD 2,569 million in 2025, up from USD 1,179 million in 2024. Machinery needs a certificate of conformity from a SASO-accepted body under the Type 1a model, with the supplier's declaration and a risk assessment in the technical file. CE marking is not a SABER certificate; existing test reports and the technical file may reduce testing. | SASO Technical Regulation for General Requirements for Machinery Safety (Official Gazette 29 Mar 2024) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Electrical equipment | USD 388 million in 2025; SABER applies under the regulation for the HS code. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Medical instruments | Optical, measuring and medical instruments from France: USD 302 million in 2025, of which medical and surgical instruments USD 92 million. Medical devices need SFDA marketing authorization and are imported through an SFDA-licensed importer or the manufacturer's Saudi authorised representative; we handle customs clearance, freight and delivery. | SFDA MDS-REQ 1 (v6.0) and MDS-REQ 9 (v2.0, Jan 2025) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Civil aircraft and parts | Aircraft and parts from France: USD 188 million in 2025. We handle civil aircraft parts and maintenance shipments only. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
En bref pour les exportateurs français
- Safe Hands Shipping Line est un commissionnaire en douane agréé en Arabie saoudite et agit comme Importer of Record (IOR) lorsque vous n'avez pas de société saoudienne.
- Nous sommes l'importateur sur la déclaration en douane saoudienne, nous dédouanons la marchandise et enregistrons vos produits et certificats sur SABER.
- Les produits réglementés nécessitent un certificat de conformité SABER délivré par un organisme accepté par la SASO.
- Pour les cosmétiques, nous coordonnons les documents de la notification SFDA, effectuée par le notifiant avant l'importation.
- Droits de douane, frais de douane de 0,15 % et TVA à l'importation de 15 % sont payés au dédouanement ; stockage à Riyad, droits acquittés ou sous douane via des zones franches et des ports sous douane.
- Demandes en anglais ou en arabe : WhatsApp ou appel sur notre ligne IOR +1 202 989 7969.
SABER for your shipment
SABER is SASO's platform where product and shipment certificates are registered. What it means for goods you ship to us as your Importer of Record:
Who issues the SABER certificate?
For a regulated product, a conformity body accepted by SASO issues the Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC), which is then registered on SABER. Certificates from bodies outside the Kingdom count only if the body is on SASO's accepted list. As your Importer of Record, we register the product and its certificates on SABER.
What does each shipment need?
A shipment certificate (SCoC) for every shipment: issued on SABER in 1–2 working days, valid for 90 days, SAR 350 excluding VAT. The PCoC costs SAR 500 excluding VAT on SABER and is valid for one year; the conformity body's own fees are quoted per HS code.
My product has no technical regulation. Does it still go through SABER?
Yes. A non-regulated product still needs product registration on SABER, an importer self-declaration and a shipment certificate for each shipment.
How do I know which approval my product needs?
From its 12-digit tariff line: the Required Procedures of that line in the ZATCA Integrated Tariff state whether it needs a SABER certificate, an SFDA release or another approval. Send us the HS code or a product description and we check it.
Sources: saber.sa (FAQs, services, non-regulated products, shipment certificate); SASO service catalogue; ZATCA Integrated Tariff. Checked 10 October 2026.
Where will your stock sit?
When your goods land, they either clear into the Saudi market straight away or wait under customs control. That choice decides when customs duty and import VAT are paid.
Duty-paid stock in Riyadh
We clear the goods on arrival. Customs duty (the rate of the 12-digit tariff line on the customs value), the 0.15% customs service fee and 15% import VAT are paid on the customs declaration. The stock is then free to sell and ships from our Riyadh warehouse.
Bonded storage
We arrange bonded storage through free-zone and bonded-port facilities. Import VAT is suspended together with customs duty while goods stay in a customs warehouse and falls due when they are released into the Saudi market; ZATCA may ask for a guarantee for that amount. Our licensed customs team clears each release.
How bonded storage worksSources: ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT (Second Edition, May 2026), sections 4.1–4.4 and 5.2; ZATCA customs service fee (from 6 October 2024). Checked 11 October 2026.
Store with us
Keep your stock in the Kingdom with the same team that imports and clears it.
- Storage in Riyadh: duty-paid in our warehouse, or bonded through free-zone and bonded-port facilities
- Pick, pack and order preparation
- B2B distribution across the Kingdom
- One partner from customs clearance to delivery
Frequently Asked Questions
QWhat is an Importer of Record in Saudi Arabia?
An Importer of Record (IOR) is a legally registered Saudi entity that handles customs declarations, duty payments, VAT, and regulatory approvals on behalf of foreign companies that do not have a local Saudi entity.
QDoes SFDA cosmetic notification get my fragrance onto a Saudi shelf?
SFDA cosmetic product notification puts your fragrance on the Kingdom's regulatory registry. Clearing customs and delivering to a retail partner takes an importer who can legally receive the shipment, clear it, and deliver it on schedule.
QCan you handle small-count boutique cartons, not just full containers?
Yes. Small-count, high-value fragrance and cosmetics cartons are received with the same seal-photography and item-by-item verification discipline as a full container of industrial machinery — not treated as an afterthought behind bulk cargo.
QHow does SABER apply to industrial machinery from France?
We map HS classification and the SABER pathway against your equipment's existing CE technical file before it leaves the factory, so certification is built into the delivery plan rather than discovered as a delay at the port.
QWhat about alcohol-content documentation for fragrance shipments?
We prepare the alcohol-content documentation with you before shipment, because it is a recurring friction point for fragrance shipments.
QDo French goods get a reduced Saudi duty rate under a trade agreement?
No. There is no GCC–EU free trade agreement, so French and other EU goods pay the standard (MFN) duty on their 12-digit Saudi tariff line, plus 15% import VAT. The GCC–EFTA agreement covers only goods of Swiss, Norwegian, Icelandic and Liechtenstein origin (GCC–EFTA FTA; ZATCA customs rules on trade preferences; verified 5 Oct 2026).
QIs there a France–Saudi double taxation treaty?
Yes. The Saudi–French convention, signed on 18 Feb 1982, has been in force since 1 Feb 1983 according to ZATCA. Dividends, interest and royalties are taxable only in the country of residence unless effectively connected with activities in Saudi Arabia, and profits from exporting goods or services to Saudi Arabia are not taxed in Saudi Arabia (Art 14(4)). Services, technical assistance and similar work carried out in Saudi Arabia are taxed there if they last more than 3 months; a most-favoured-nation clause (Art 18/A(2)(d)) can extend these time tests where Saudi Arabia agrees longer periods with another OECD member. ZATCA's English text is an unofficial translation and the official Arabic text prevails (ZATCA France convention page; verified 5 Oct 2026).
QWhat does SFDA require for French cosmetics and fragrances?
Each cosmetic product is listed (notified) with SFDA before trading, and each consignment is filed in SFDA's clearance system under cosmetic products for review before arrival, followed by the FASAH customs declaration. GSO 1943:2024 sets the cosmetic safety, labelling and packaging requirements (SFDA cosmetics announcement, 12 Jul 2024; SFDA GSDP; verified 30 Sep and 3 Oct 2026).
QWhich SASO technical regulations cover French machinery, and is CE marking enough?
Machinery falls under SASO's machinery safety technical regulations: Part 1 for portable and hand-oriented machines, Part 2 for moving machinery and heavy equipment, and Part 3 for lifting equipment. A SASO Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) in SABER is still required for regulated products; CE marking does not replace it (SASO machinery technical regulations; SASO SABER requirements; verified 3 Oct and 5 Oct 2026).
QWho holds the SABER account and certificates?
We do, as your Importer of Record. SABER registrants are importers, local factories, individuals and government bodies; foreign exporters have no direct access, so the product and shipment certificates sit in our SABER account as the importer named on the customs declaration (SASO SABER services; verified 30 Sep 2026).
QHow is import VAT calculated on a French shipment?
At 15% of the customs value (the transaction value plus freight and insurance to the Saudi point of entry) plus customs duty, any excise tax and other charges on the declaration, including ZATCA's 0.15% customs service fee (minimum SAR 15, maximum SAR 500). It is paid at clearance with the duty (ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT, May 2026; ZATCA customs fees; verified 1 Oct and 4 Oct 2026).
QWhat documents does Saudi customs need for a French shipment?
A detailed commercial invoice (original or electronic), the bill of lading or air waybill, the approvals the tariff line lists (such as the SFDA release or the SABER shipment certificate), a packing list, and a certificate of origin where origin is unclear or a preference is claimed. If a document is missing, clearance can proceed against a guarantee or written undertaking, with the document due within 90 days (ZATCA Customs Controls Art 3; verified 1 Oct and 4 Oct 2026).
QCan I get ZATCA's ruling on the HS code before shipping?
Yes. ZATCA issues advance rulings on tariff classification, preferential origin and valuation method, free of charge, with a 60-day service level (ZATCA advance ruling e-service; verified 5 Oct 2026).
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