Quick answer
Can a Turkish company import into Saudi Arabia without a Saudi entity?
Yes. A Turkish 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 buyer, retail floor or hospitality site. We receive and clear the container, pay customs duty and 15% import VAT on the declaration, and deliver against your buyer's schedule.
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 Turkish Exporters Across Industries
From the Gaziantep carpet cluster to hospitality FF&E
Why Turkish Exporters Choose Safe Hands
Container-Scale from Shipment One
Zero Saudi entity to establish. Container-scale from the first shipment, not built up gradually. A complete audit trail for stock a retail launch or hospitality fit-out schedule is already waiting on.
Direct Turkish Origin Coverage
From Mersin and Izmir, the shortest sea transit of any major sourcing lane, direct delivery to Jeddah and Dammam.
Phased Release for Hospitality FF&E
We already hold palletized and bulk warehouse space on a running basis for hospitality accounts — the same phased-release model that lets a hotel opening or renovation draw stock exactly when the site is ready for it.
Our IOR Process
Seamless transition from your facility in Turkey to your site in Saudi Arabia.
Document Validation
Commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin
Compliance Check
HS code verification, restricted-items review and SABER check by product and HS code
FASAH Pre-clearance
Filing ZATCA declaration before vessel arrival
Customs Clearance
Duty & VAT payment, physical inspection facilitation if flagged
Phased Delivery
To your warehouse, retail floor, or hospitality site, drawn down against your schedule
Turkey → Saudi Arabia: import facts
The Saudi-side rules that apply to Turkish-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 | No GCC–Türkiye free trade agreement is in force (talks since 2024), so Turkish goods pay the standard (MFN) duty on their tariff line.Source: ZATCA customs rules on trade preferences; GCC agreement status · verified on 5 Oct 2026 |
| Double taxation treaty | The Saudi–Turkish convention is in force since 1 Apr 2009 (withholding-tax effect from 1 Jan 2010); the English text prevails. The Protocol confirms that profits from exporting merchandise to Saudi Arabia are not taxed there.Source: KSA–Turkey convention and Protocol · verified on 5 Oct 2026 |
| Typical documents | Detailed commercial invoice (original or electronic), bill of lading, any approvals the tariff line lists, 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 |
| Approvals | The Required Procedures column of the 12-digit tariff line is the authoritative statement of which approval a product needs (for example a SABER certificate, an SFDA release or another agency approval).Source: ZATCA Integrated Tariff · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| Uncleared goods | The abandonment clock runs from discharge: 30 days for most goods, 15 days for perishable or special-nature goods.Source: ZATCA rules on uncleared goods · verified on 1 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 loadingAny approval the tariff line lists is obtained before the goods are loaded; without it FASAH will not release the goods.Source: ZATCA Integrated Tariff · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 3 | DocumentsThe commercial invoice, bill of lading, packing list, certificate of origin where needed and any approval certificates are collected before arrival.Source: ZATCA Customs Controls · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 4 | Manifest before arrivalThe shipping line files the manifest in FASAH before the vessel arrives; pre-arrival filing is mandatory for sea cargo since 29 Oct 2025.Source: ZATCA pre-arrival rules; FASAH · verified on 1 Oct 2026 |
| 5 | Customs declarationSafe Hands files the incoming declaration in FASAH before arrival, linking the bill of lading to the manifest and entering each line's 12-digit code, origin, quantity, weights, value, Incoterm, freight and insurance.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); other agencies act on the same declaration where the line requires it.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 container leaves the port before free time ends. 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
- ZATCA rules on uncleared and abandoned goods · verified on 1 Oct 2026
- GCC trade-agreement status (GCC Secretariat and partner statements) · verified on 5 Oct 2026
- Saudi Arabia–Turkey income tax convention and Protocol (ZATCA treaty text) · verified on 5 Oct 2026
General information from official sources, checked on the dates shown. It is not legal or tax advice.
What Türkiye sells to Saudi Arabia (2025)
| Topic | What applies | Source | Verified on |
|---|---|---|---|
| All goods | USD 3.9 billion of Saudi imports from Türkiye in 2025. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Machinery: the SABER route | Machinery from Türkiye: USD 386 million in 2025. 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 |
| Steel articles, electrical equipment, furniture | Articles of iron or steel USD 281 million, electrical equipment USD 199 million, furniture USD 142 million (2025). SABER applies by HS code. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
| Civil aircraft and parts | Civil aircraft and parts (HS 88) from Türkiye: USD 513 million in 2025. We handle civil aircraft parts and maintenance shipments only. | UN Comtrade (Saudi-reported) | 10 Oct 2026 |
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.
QDo carpets and textiles from Turkey need a SABER certificate?
SABER applies by product and HS code, so we confirm the position for each line before shipping and handle your SABER registration and certification end to end where it applies. The main barrier on this corridor is a local Commercial Registration to legally receive and clear the container, which we provide as your Importer of Record.
QWe already sell CIF into Saudi Arabia. What does an IOR change?
Nothing about how you sell — everything about what happens after the container lands. As your IOR, we legally receive it, clear it through customs, and stage it in our warehouse against your buyer's delivery schedule, instead of it sitting at the port with no one authorized to collect it.
QCan you release furniture and FF&E in phases, not all at once?
Yes — this is the same phased-release model we run for hospitality fit-out projects on a standing basis. You tell us which floor, zone, or retail location is ready, and we release exactly that stock.
QCan one shipment serve more than one Saudi buyer?
Yes, we handle multi-consignee sortation for shipments serving more than one Saudi buyer, with damage claims filed at the point of receipt, before cargo leaves our facility.
QIs there a GCC–Turkey free trade agreement?
Not in force. GCC–Türkiye talks have been running since 2024, so Turkish-origin goods pay the standard (MFN) duty on their 12-digit Saudi tariff line, plus 15% import VAT, and quotes are built on the MFN rate (ZATCA customs rules on trade preferences; verified 5 Oct 2026).
QIs there a Turkey–Saudi double taxation treaty?
Yes. The Saudi–Turkish convention has been in force since 1 Apr 2009, with withholding-tax effect from 1 Jan 2010, and its English text prevails. Caps: royalties 10%, interest 10% (the domestic 5% applies), dividends 5% or 10% (the domestic 5% applies in practice). Services are taxable in Saudi Arabia only through a permanent establishment (more than 6 months in a 12-month period), and the Protocol confirms that profits from exporting merchandise to Saudi Arabia are not taxed there (KSA–Turkey convention Arts 5, 10–12 and Protocol; verified 5 Oct 2026).
QHow do I confirm which approvals my product needs in Saudi Arabia?
From the Required Procedures column of the product's 12-digit line in ZATCA's Integrated Tariff tool, which is the authoritative list of approvals (for example a SABER certificate, an SFDA release, another agency approval or an export licence). We read it per product before shipping (ZATCA Integrated Tariff; verified 1 Oct 2026).
QWho can receive and clear a Turkish container in Saudi Arabia?
The importer on the Saudi declaration must hold a Saudi Commercial Registration, a 700 code, or a Saudi or GCC ID, and be licensed to import; it does not have to be the buyer or the owner of the goods. That is the role Safe Hands fills as Importer of Record (GCC Common Customs Law Arts 2 and 110; ZATCA Guideline on Imports and Exports under VAT; verified 1 Oct and 4 Oct 2026).
QHow is import VAT calculated on a Turkish 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 Turkish container?
A detailed commercial invoice (original or electronic), the bill of lading, any approvals the tariff line lists, 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).
QHow long can an uncleared container stay at a Saudi port?
The abandonment clock runs from discharge: 30 days for most goods and 15 days for perishable or special-nature goods. After that ZATCA can auction the goods, announcing at least 5 days ahead; the owner can still reclaim them before bidding by paying all costs (ZATCA rules on uncleared goods; verified 1 Oct 2026).
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