Certificate of Conformity for cosmetics shipments to Saudi Arabia

Red Dragon Office·Updated 2026-10-10

Listing your products with the SFDA is one part of the puzzle. When the goods actually ship, the consignment also needs to show that it conforms to the applicable Saudi and GCC standards. For cosmetics this is commonly done through a Certificate of Conformity (CoC) issued by an approved conformity assessment body.

Notification vs. Certificate of Conformity

• SFDA notification is about the product: each SKU is listed once and kept up to date.
• Certificate of Conformity is about the shipment: it is arranged for consignments being exported to the Kingdom.

Having one does not replace the other. A product can be properly listed and still be held at customs if the shipment documents are missing.

What the inspection body usually looks at

• Product test reports against the relevant standards (for example GSO 1943 for cosmetic safety)
• Label review, including the Arabic information
• Commercial invoice, packing list and product list
• Sometimes a physical inspection of the goods before loading

How to avoid delays

• Make sure your product list, invoices and labels use the same product names
• Keep test reports recent and from accredited laboratories
• Start the CoC process before goods are ready to ship, not after
• Use the same Saudi importer details on documents and labels

International inspection companies such as SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek and TÜV provide conformity assessment for Saudi Arabia. We coordinate with the provider you choose and with your Saudi importer.

Requirements and approved bodies can change, so we confirm the current procedure for your products and shipping route before your first order.

From purchase order to customs release: a step-by-step walkthrough

The Certificate of Conformity is easier to manage when you can see where it sits in the whole shipping flow. A typical sequence for a cosmetics consignment looks like this:

1. Confirm that every product in the order is notified with the SFDA under the correct Saudi importer.
2. Freeze the product list: names, barcodes, quantities and formula versions that match the notification.
3. Collect current test reports and the final label artwork for each product.
4. Open an application with an approved conformity assessment body and submit the documents.
5. Complete the document review and, where requested, a physical inspection or sampling before loading.
6. Receive the Certificate of Conformity and send it with the commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin.
7. Your Saudi importer or customs broker files the customs declaration through ZATCA’s FASAH platform.
8. The SFDA may inspect or sample the goods at the port before they are released to the importer.

Steps three to five are where most delays happen, so they should run in parallel with production rather than after it.

Choosing a conformity assessment body

Several international inspection companies are approved to issue certificates for Saudi Arabia. The right choice usually depends on practical factors rather than on the name alone:

• Whether the body is currently approved for your product category and for the Saudi programme that applies to your goods
• Office and inspector coverage in the country and city where your factory or warehouse is located
• Which laboratories and test reports it accepts, and whether it can arrange local testing if needed
• How it handles repeat shipments of the same products
• Communication in your language and clear guidance on the documents required
• Its current processing practice for the volume and frequency of your shipments

Approval lists and programme rules can change, so check the status of the body before each new product line rather than relying on an old quotation.

Making your test reports work for you

Test reports are the backbone of most CoC files. A report that is old, incomplete or issued for a slightly different formula is one of the most common reasons an application is paused. Strong reports usually share a few features:

• Issued by a laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 for the tests performed
• Clearly linked to the exact product name, formula version and manufacturer
• Covering the parameters relevant to the product type, such as microbiology, heavy metals or preservative levels, according to the applicable standards
• Recent enough to be accepted by the body; accepted periods vary, so ask in advance
• Available in English, or with a reliable translation

If you manufacture through an OEM or ODM factory, agree early who owns the test reports and who will provide them for each shipment. Reports held only by the factory can become a bottleneck when you switch suppliers or importers.

What drives time and cost

Processing times and fees differ between bodies, countries and product types, and they change over time, so we do not publish fixed figures. The main factors are predictable:

• The number of products and SKUs in each shipment
• Whether valid test reports already exist or new testing is required
• Whether a physical inspection is needed, and where the goods are located
• How complete and consistent your invoice, packing list and labels are
• Re-inspection or corrections after a document query
• Shipping frequency, since some bodies offer different arrangements for regular exporters

At the Saudi port: what can still go wrong

A Certificate of Conformity supports clearance but does not replace border checks. The SFDA and customs may still hold a consignment for review. Common reasons include:

• A product in the shipment that is not notified, or is notified under a different importer
• Labels on the goods that differ from the approved artwork or lack the required Arabic information
• Quantities or product names that do not match the invoice and the certificate
• Short remaining shelf life, or damaged and leaking packaging
• Laboratory sampling results that raise questions

If goods are held, respond quickly through your importer, provide the requested documents and avoid moving or relabelling the goods without approval. Our guide to cosmetic labels for Saudi Arabia helps prevent the label issues behind many holds.

Practical tip: run a one-page pre-shipment check before every consignment, comparing the SFDA product list, the CoC product list, the invoice, the packing list and a photo of each actual label. A short cross-check at origin costs far less than a hold at a Saudi port.

RDO coordinates this checklist with your Saudi importer and the conformity assessment body you choose, and follows up on document queries through our SFDA cosmetics service. If you are still choosing a partner in the Kingdom, our article on choosing a Saudi importer or distributor is a good next read.

Frequently asked questions