Saudi Arabia updated tariff codes used in the SABER platform from 1 January 2026 to align them with the latest customs list from the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority. Machinery and lifting equipment are among the product groups that may be affected.
The update requires a classification and document check. It does not mean that every existing product or shipment certificate automatically became invalid on 1 January.
## What the cited update actually says
According to Pincvision’s summary of the SASO notification, several old tariff codes were removed and replaced in SABER. Valid Product Certificates of Conformity (P-CoCs) and Shipment Certificates of Conformity (S-CoCs) issued under the previous codes remain valid until their expiry date. When they are presented after 1 January 2026, Saudi Customs assigns the new tariff codes during clearance.
The same notice warns that mismatches between tariff codes and product data can still delay a shipment. Exporters should therefore review classification, SABER registration and supporting documents before dispatch.
That is materially different from saying every commercial telehandler import needs a fresh product certificate solely because the calendar changed.
## The two certificate layers
SABER distinguishes the product-level conformity process from the shipment-level certificate requested for a consignment. SASO’s shipment-certificate service asks the importer to select the products, enter invoice, quantity, value and shipping-country information, and wait for conformity-body approval where a product is subject to a technical regulation.
SASO also lists a Type Conformity Certificate for lifting equipment covered by the Technical Regulation for Machinery Safety, Part 3. The exact route for a telehandler depends on its classification, condition, configuration and the current SABER record. Used-equipment treatment and the applicable technical regulation should be confirmed for the specific machine rather than inferred from a generic heavy-machinery label.
## What buyers should verify before the purchase order
Ask the Saudi importer, customs broker and supplier to reconcile the same data set:
– the current Saudi tariff code for the exact machine;
– the product description, model and serial-number format;
– whether the current P-CoC remains valid and matches the product data;
– the technical regulation and conformity body shown in SABER;
– the documents needed for the S-CoC for the planned consignment;
– certificate expiry dates and the shipment timetable;
– invoice values, country of shipment and manufacturer details.
Do not treat an old code on a valid certificate as automatic proof of failure. Equally, do not ship on the assumption that Customs will resolve every mismatch without delay. Obtain a screenshot or reference from the current SABER record and written confirmation from the responsible Saudi importer or broker.
## EU, China and other origins
The 2026 tariff-code update applies to product classification and data alignment, not to an origin-based fast lane. The cited notice does not support universal three-to-six-week or six-to-ten-week certificate lead times for Chinese, European, Korean or Japanese suppliers.
Compare suppliers on the actual state of their model-specific SABER records, conformity documents and ability to correct product data. Country of origin, local service and commercial terms still matter, but they do not replace the certificate check.
For a project fleet, complete this audit before fixing the vessel booking. A supplier’s promised factory lead time is not the same as Saudi import readiness.
## Sources
– [Pincvision, Saudi Arabia updates customs tariff codes in SABER as of 2026](https://www.pincvision.com/news/saudi-arabia-updates-customs-tariff-codes-in-saber-as-of-2026)
– [SASO, shipment certificate service for imported commercial products](https://www.saso.gov.sa/en/eservices/pages/maineservicesdetails.aspx?serviceid=397)
– [SASO, Certificates of Conformity](https://www.saso.gov.sa/en/sectors/certificates/compliance_certificate/Pages/default.aspx)