CRAVEUO
← Guides
Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia · Image: Meshari Alawfi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Buying guideUpdated Oct 28, 2026

How to import a Chinese EV to Saudi Arabia: SASO, SABER and customs (2026)

CRAVEUO EV Export · Rules last checked 2026-10-28 · General information, not legal advice

Quick answer

A Chinese EV needs a SASO certificate of conformity for the model and a SABER shipment certificate for each shipment, then ZATCA customs clearance through FASAH with 15% VAT.

Key facts

  • Vehicle rule

    SASO Technical Regulation for Electric Vehicles, third edition, in the Official Gazette 2025-01-03. It covers battery and plug-in hybrid vehicles of categories M and N with design speed above 25 km/h (SASO, Arabic PDF)

  • Certificates

    Product certificate per model, valid one year; shipment certificate per shipment (US Trade.gov, 2021-05-25)

  • Charging

    The vehicle must be compatible with at least one listed connector: Type 2 for AC, CCS2 for DC (SASO)

  • VAT

    15% on imported goods (ZATCA guideline, May 2026)

  • Customs duty

    We do not quote a rate. Look up the 12-digit code in ZATCA's tariff tool

  • Age limit

    Light vehicles: model no more than 5 years old, excluding the current year (ZATCA)

Step by step: from order to clearance

  1. Register the importer. ZATCA requires the importer to be licensed to import, and FASAH registration uses a commercial registration number and ID.
  2. Ask the exporter whether the model already has a SASO product certificate. SASO-approved certification bodies are listed on saber.sa.
  3. Obtain the product certificate before shipping.
  4. Obtain the shipment certificate in SABER before each shipment ships.
  5. Sign a contract naming the licensed Chinese exporter and a company bank account ([how to verify an exporter](guide-verify-chinese-car-exporter.md)).
  6. Complete the FASAH declaration at least 48 hours before the ship reaches the port, directly or through a customs broker.
  7. Pay duty and VAT through the declaration, then collect the car and register it.

Rules and where they come from

  • Certificate of conformity: the supplier must obtain a certificate from SASO or its delegate before the vehicle is offered on the market (SASO regulation, Article 5, checked 2026-10-28).
  • Technical file: it holds a supplier declaration of conformity, a risk assessment, drawings and safety instructions, and the vehicle ships with the battery safety data sheet (same regulation, Articles 4 and 5).
  • Non-conforming vehicles: importing or selling them is prohibited (same regulation, Article 8).
  • Registration of shipments: failing to register a shipment certificate in SABER means products are blocked from entering the market (SABER FAQ, Arabic, checked 2026-10-28).
  • Who uses SABER: importers, manufacturers, individuals and government bodies (SABER, checked 2026-10-28).
  • Importer: the person importing must be licensed to import and identified by a commercial registration number, 700 code, Saudi ID or GCC ID (ZATCA, May 2026, checked 2026-10-28). FASAH registration asks for a commercial registration number and ID (ZATCA, updated 2025-07-30, checked 2026-10-28).
  • VAT base: customs value plus duties and other charges, paid with the customs declaration (ZATCA, May 2026, checked 2026-10-28).
  • FASAH timing and documents: declaration 48 hours before arrival; commercial invoice, bill of lading and, where origin is unclear, certificate of origin (ZATCA, updated 2026-08-26, checked 2026-10-28).
  • Age limits: ZATCA's vehicle page, written for individual importers, sets 5 years for light vehicles (updated 2025-12-31, checked 2026-10-28). SASO adds that vehicles over 3.5 tons gross weight may not be older than 5 years by manufacture year (SASO, updated 2026-03-24, checked 2026-10-28). Whether a new car faces any age test: ask a licensed customs broker.
  • Energy efficiency: ZATCA says vehicles must meet energy-efficiency certificate requirements, with an inquiry notice through SASO (same ZATCA vehicle page). How this applies to an EV: ask a licensed customs broker.
  • VIN and warranty: GSO says exported vehicles need VINs uploaded to Mutabiq and carmakers should apply for a warranty agreement in GCC countries (GSO list MY2027-D3, checked 2026-10-28).

Documents list

  • Commercial invoice and bill of lading; certificate of origin if origin is unclear
  • SASO product certificate and SABER shipment certificate
  • Supplier declaration of conformity and technical file from the exporter
  • Battery safety data sheet
  • Importer's commercial registration, ID and tax number
  • Customs broker authorisation, if a broker is used

Have a model in mind? Send an inquiry through the form at www.craveuo.com with your country, model and quantity.

Common questions

What is the difference between the product and shipment certificate?
The product certificate covers a model and is valid one year. The shipment certificate covers one shipment. Both are needed before shipping.
Can a car with only a Chinese GB/T charging port be imported?
SASO requires compatibility with Type 2 (AC) or CCS2 (DC). We could not confirm whether adapters count. Ask a SASO-approved certification body about your model.
Is there an age limit for imported cars?
ZATCA sets 5 years for light vehicles in its import controls for individuals. Ask a licensed customs broker how it applies to a new car.
How much are duty and VAT?
VAT is 15%. Duty depends on the tariff code, so look it up in ZATCA's tool or ask a licensed customs broker.
Do I need a customs broker?
ZATCA says importers may submit data themselves or through a broker. A broker helps with codes and certificate numbers.

Want one of these cars shipped to your country?

Tell us your country and the version; we reply within one working day with an FOB reference price and the export route.

Get a quote

Sources

  • https://www.saso.gov.sa/ar/Laws-And-Regulations/Technical_regulations/Documents/Technical-Regulation-for-Electric-Vehicles-Version-3.pdf

    Supports: EV regulation: scope, certificate, connectors, file (Arabic, our reading)

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://www.trade.gov/market-intelligence/saudi-arabia-requirements-certify-imports

    Supports: Product vs shipment certificate

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://saber.sa/home/FAQs

    Supports: Shipment registration rule

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://saber.sa/Home/Index?culture=en-US

    Supports: SABER users

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://saber.sa/home/cborganizations

    Supports: Certification bodies

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://zatca.gov.sa/en/HelpCenter/guidelines/Documents/Guideline-on-Imports-and-Exports-under-VAT-Provision.pdf

    Supports: 15% VAT, declaration

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://zatca.gov.sa/en/RulesRegulations/Taxes/Pages/customs-bussiness/import-pages/Import-Instructions.aspx

    Supports: FASAH, 48 hours, documents

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://zatca.gov.sa/en/HelpCenter/CustomerJourney/Pages/customs-journey.aspx

    Supports: FASAH registration

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://zatca.gov.sa/en/RulesRegulations/Taxes/Pages/customs-individual/import-vehicles.aspx

    Supports: Age limit, energy efficiency

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://eservices.zatca.gov.sa/sites/sc/en/tariff/Pages/TariffPages/TariffSearch.aspx

    Supports: Tariff lookup

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://www.saso.gov.sa/en/eservices/pages/importedcar.aspx

    Supports: Heavy-vehicle age rule

    Checked: 2026-10-28

  • https://www.gso.org.sa/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GSO-Technical-Regulations-MV-2027-MY-D3.pdf

    Supports: VIN upload, warranty agreement

    Checked: 2026-10-28

This guide is not legal or customs advice; the destination's customs and a licensed broker decide.