Quick answer
Can a foreign company deliver goods to a Saudi tender or project while its local content path is underway?
Yes, on the import side. Saudi customs requires the importer named on the declaration to hold a Saudi CR, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID, and that importer does not have to own the goods, so Safe Hands can act as your Importer of Record and clear duty, 15% import VAT and SABER for the goods you deliver. Your entity and certification path continue in parallel.
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 →
We believe in specialization for your entry point to Saudi and your journey to become a Local Content compliant foreign company
Import, customs clearance, and warehousing are our specialty. Local content audit and certification is a separate specialty, accredited by Saudi's professional accounting regulator. We coordinate the whole journey from one entry point — each part handled by whoever is genuinely built for it.
Do You Also Need Our Logistics Side?
The certification path applies to every company. Our own role — import, clearance, and warehousing — is specific to companies moving physical goods.
You Supply Goods or Equipment?
We handle your import, customs clearance, and warehousing inside Saudi Arabia, while coordinating the certification path with the specialist.
Services Only, No Physical Goods?
The certification path still applies to you, but our logistics side isn't relevant to your case. We'll point you directly to the right accreditation contact.
How It Starts
Tell Us About Your Company
What you do, and the tender or project that triggered the certificate request
Coordinate the Certification Path
We connect you with the SOCPA-accredited party for audit and certification
We Start Import & Clearance
If you supply physical goods, we act as your IOR from the first shipment
One Coordinated Relationship
You reach us for shipping, the specialist for certification — coordinated on our end
Importing into Saudi Arabia: the facts that apply to every shipment
| Topic | What applies | Source | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customs duty basis | Duty is set per 12-digit line of the ZATCA Integrated Tariff (12 digits in all GCC states since 1 Jan 2025). Rates vary by line: many lines carry 5%, some are 0% and others are higher, so the live 12-digit line governs. | ZATCA Integrated Tariff; GCC Common External Tariff | 1 and 5 Oct 2026 |
| Customs value | CIF to the Saudi port: the transaction value plus freight, loading, handling and insurance to the place of import, whatever Incoterm the sales contract uses. | Customs Law Art 26; Implementing Regulations Art 1 | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Import VAT | 15% of the customs value plus customs duty, excise and any other charges on the declaration (excluding VAT). Paid at clearance with the duty; a 0% duty line still pays import VAT unless the goods fall in a VAT-exempt category. | VAT Law Art 2; GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1); ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.3-4.4 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| FTA effect on duty | Goods preferences available at the Saudi border: GCC customs union, GAFTA (Arab states), GCC-EFTA and GCC-Singapore. Goods of every other origin pay the MFN rate on the tariff line. | GAFT list of trade agreements in force | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Who can be the importer | The importer on the declaration must hold a CR number, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID and be licensed to import; a non-resident's Saudi VAT registration alone does not make it an importer. The importer need not be the buyer or owner of the goods. | ZATCA VAT Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.2; GCC Common Customs Law Arts 2(29), 110 | 1 and 4 Oct 2026 |
| Temporary admission | Equipment imported for a set purpose (for example project machinery) can enter under temporary admission: declared with purpose and re-export date, itemised with serial numbers, against a bank or cash guarantee equal to the suspended duty (and VAT where ZATCA requires). | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls; Customs Law | 1 Oct 2026 |
| Certificate of origin | Required with the declaration when preferential treatment is claimed or when origin marking cannot be fixed on the goods. It can follow after clearance against a guarantee or written undertaking, due within 90 days. | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Art 3 | 5 Oct 2026 |
| Documents | Detailed commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where required, agency certificates and packing list. | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Art 3 | 1 Oct 2026 |
| SABER / SFDA path | The tariff line's Required Procedures column states which approval applies. Regulated non-food goods need a SABER PCoC per model and an SCoC per shipment, held on the Saudi importer's SABER account; food, medical devices and cosmetics go through SFDA. | ZATCA Integrated Tariff; SASO SABER; SFDA | 30 Sep and 1 Oct 2026 |
Step by step: importing goods for a Saudi tender or project
| Step | What happens | Who | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Classify the goods to the 12-digit Saudi tariff line and read its duty, restriction type and required procedures. | Importer with Safe Hands | ZATCA Integrated Tariff |
| 2 | Obtain the approvals the line lists (for example SABER PCoC, or SFDA) before loading. | Importer (approval holder) | SABER; SFDA |
| 3 | Confirm the importer's FASAH account and customs card are active and Safe Hands is authorised as the licensed customs broker. | Importer | ZATCA FASAH |
| 4 | Collect the commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin where required, agency certificates and packing list. | Importer and supplier | ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls |
| 5 | Carrier lodges the manifest before arrival; Safe Hands files the incoming declaration with the 12-digit code, origin, value, Incoterm, freight and insurance. | Carrier; Safe Hands | ZATCA FASAH |
| 6 | Duty, 15% import VAT and the customs service fee are calculated on the declaration and paid. | Importer (funds); Safe Hands (submits) | ZATCA FASAH; SADAD |
| 7 | Risk selection (release, document check or examination), then delivery order, terminal charges and gate-out. | ZATCA and agencies; importer or forwarder | ZATCA FASAH |
| 8 | Keep all originals for 5 years; ZATCA may audit and reclassify for 5 years. | Importer; Safe Hands | Customs Law |
Local content in Saudi government tenders: the rules
| Topic | What applies | Source | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory list | Products on the mandatory list of the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority (LCGPA) must be national products in government tenders. A bid offering foreign products for those items is excluded from supply or mixed tenders; in a divisible bid only the non-compliant items drop out. | Regulations on Preference for Local Content, Local SMEs and Listed Companies (Cabinet Resolution 245, 2019), Arts 4 and 9-11 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Price preference for national products | Foreign products are evaluated as if up to 10% more expensive: the bid price is adjusted by 10% × price × (1 − national share). | Regulations on Preference for Local Content, Local SMEs and Listed Companies (Cabinet Resolution 245, 2019), Arts 14-19 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| High-value contracts | In high-value contracts other than supply, the financial score is 60% price and 40% local content (half the targeted local content percentage, half the company's local content baseline, plus 5% for listed companies). The highest score wins only if it is within 10% of the lowest price. | Regulations on Preference for Local Content, Local SMEs and Listed Companies (Cabinet Resolution 245, 2019), Arts 23-25 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Minimum local content | LCGPA may set a minimum local content level for a tender; a bid below it is disqualified at the technical stage. | Regulations on Preference for Local Content, Local SMEs and Listed Companies (Cabinet Resolution 245, 2019) | 4 Oct 2026 |
| After the award | The contractor submits a gradual local content plan within 60 days of the award, then periodic reports and a final report. A local content shortfall can carry fines of up to 10% of the contract value; all procurement fines together are capped at 20%. | Regulations on Preference for Local Content, Local SMEs and Listed Companies (Cabinet Resolution 245, 2019), Arts 12-13, 20-22, 29-34 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| New procurement law | A new Government Tenders and Procurement Law was published on 4 September 2026 and applies about 120 days later (around 2 January 2027). It keeps the priority for local content and local SMEs (Art 9). | Government Tenders and Procurement Law 1448H (Umm Al-Qura) | 4 Oct 2026 |
Some sectors carry higher preferences announced by LCGPA: always read the tender documents.
Supplying a Saudi tender that asks for local content: where we fit
| Step | What happens | Who | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Import now: Safe Hands is the importer on the customs declaration, clears the goods as a licensed customs broker and handles SABER, so you can deliver while your local content path is underway. | Safe Hands (Importer of Record) | ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline s.4.2 |
| 2 | Hold stock in the Kingdom: duty-paid in our Riyadh warehouse, or bonded through free-zone and bonded-port facilities, and deliver to site per release. | Safe Hands | ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline s.5.2 |
| 3 | Certification and vendor readiness: the local content certificate and baseline come from a certification process under LCGPA's rules; we coordinate the import side with the specialist you choose. | Your company with an accredited specialist | LCGPA |
| 4 | Grow the score later: local assembly or a Saudi entity may raise your local content share, subject to LCGPA's rules for the tender. | Your company | Regulations on Preference for Local Content, Local SMEs and Listed Companies (Cabinet Resolution 245, 2019) |
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 a Local Content Certificate and who requires it?
It's a certificate issued by an accredited auditor confirming a company's share of Saudi-sourced content — used across government tenders and by Aramco and other giga-project buyers as part of vendor evaluation.
QDoes Safe Hands issue the Local Content Certificate?
Certification is an accredited, SOCPA-regulated audit function performed by a licensed party. We connect you with the right specialist for that work, and handle the import, customs, and warehousing side ourselves.
QMy company only provides services, not physical goods — is this relevant to me?
The certification path itself applies to both goods and services companies. Our own role — import, customs clearance, and warehousing — is specifically relevant if you supply physical goods or equipment into Saudi Arabia. If you're services-only, we can still point you toward the right certification contact.
QCan I get certified without a Saudi entity yet?
Local content ownership scoring requires a Saudi-registered entity. If you're not there yet, we can act as your Importer of Record so you can still deliver against a Saudi tender or project while your entity and certification path are being worked out.
QCan my foreign company be the importer in its own name?
To be the importer at Saudi customs a party needs a CR number, 700 number or Saudi/GCC ID and must be licensed to import; a non-resident's Saudi VAT registration alone does not make it an importer. A foreign company with no Saudi presence therefore uses a Saudi importer of record. Source: ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT s.4.2 (verified 4 Oct 2026).
QHow is customs duty set on my goods?
By the goods' 12-digit line in the ZATCA Integrated Tariff, applied to the CIF value. Rates vary by line: many lines carry 5%, some are 0% and others are higher, so the live line must be read before quoting. Source: ZATCA Integrated Tariff; Customs Law Art 26 (verified 1 and 5 Oct 2026; rates rechecked 11 Oct 2026).
QHow is the 15% import VAT calculated?
Import VAT is 15% of the customs value (CIF to the Saudi port) plus customs duty, excise and any other charges on the declaration. It is paid at clearance together with the duty. Source: VAT Law Art 2; GCC VAT Agreement Art 28(1) as quoted in ZATCA's Imports Guideline (verified 4 Oct 2026).
QCan equipment for a project enter temporarily?
Under temporary admission, yes: the declaration states the purpose and re-export date, items are listed with serial numbers, and a bank or cash guarantee equal to the suspended duty (and VAT where ZATCA requires) is lodged. The regime ends by re-export, transfer to a free zone or warehouse, or home use with payment of duty. Source: ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls; Customs Law (verified 1 Oct 2026).
QWho holds the SABER certificates for my products?
We do, as your Importer of Record. SABER accounts are held by importers, local factories, individuals and government entities, and foreign exporters have no direct access, so the certificates sit in our account as the importer named on the customs declaration. Source: saber.sa services page (verified 30 Sep 2026).
QCan I get a binding tariff classification before shipping?
Yes. ZATCA issues advance customs rulings to economic operators on tariff classification, preferential origin and valuation method, free of charge, with a 60-day service level. Source: ZATCA eServices-299 (verified 5 Oct 2026).
QWhat if a document is missing when the goods arrive?
A missing document, including the original invoice, does not stop clearance: goods can be released against a cash or bank guarantee or a written undertaking, with the document due within 90 days. Source: ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Arts 3(4) and 5(2) (verified 4 Oct 2026).
QHow long must import records be kept?
All originals for 5 years from the declaration date; ZATCA may audit and reclassify within 5 years, and customs refund claims are made within 3 years. Electronically archived documents have the force of originals. Source: Customs Law Arts 115 and 127; ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls Art 4 (verified 1 and 4 Oct 2026).
Sources
- ZATCA Integrated Tariff — 12-digit duty lines and required procedures (verified 1 Oct 2026)
- Saudi Customs Law and Implementing Regulations — CIF customs value, record keeping, temporary admission (verified 1 and 5 Oct 2026)
- VAT Law Art 2 and ZATCA Imports/Exports Guideline — 15% import VAT, VAT base, importer requirements (verified 4 Oct 2026)
- ZATCA Customs Procedures Controls — documents, certificate of origin, guarantees (verified 4 and 5 Oct 2026)
- ZATCA e-services (advance rulings) — pre-shipment rulings (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- GAFT list of trade agreements in force — FTA preferences (verified 5 Oct 2026)
- SASO SABER (saber.sa) — PCoC, SCoC, importer account (verified 30 Sep 2026)
Duty is set per 12-digit tariff line and rules change; we confirm the live line for your product before quoting.
Tell Us About Your Company
We'll walk you through the certification and logistics path together.