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Selling toys in Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, toys meet the GCC Technical Regulation on Children's Toys (BD-131704-01), listed among the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization's (SASO) technical regulations. Manufacturers carry out a safety assessment and conformity procedure, draw up a declaration in Arabic and English, and affix the GC mark. Instructions, safety information and warnings are in Arabic.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Regulation
GCC Technical Regulation on Children's Toys, BD-131704-01
What counts as a toy
Products for play by children under 14
Marking
GC (Gulf Conformity) marking
Declaration
In Arabic and English
Language on the toy
Arabic instructions, safety information and warnings
Records
Kept for 10 years after placing on the market

Before a product goes on sale

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Is it a toy, designed for play by children under 14? Read more
  2. 2Has the safety assessment been done for the hazards the toy may present? Read more
  3. 3Are the conformity procedure, declaration and GC marking in place? Read more
  4. 4Are instructions and warnings in Arabic, with age warnings visible before purchase? Read more
  5. 5Is the toy and its certificate registered in SABER for clearance? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Scope and essential requirements

What the regulation covers and what a toy must meet.

  • The regulation covers products designed or intended for use in play by children under 14 years of age.
  • Toys meet the safety requirements in Article 10 and Annex II, which cover physical and mechanical, flammability, chemical, electrical, hygiene and radioactivity properties.
  • Toys that conform with Gulf standards are presumed to conform with the requirements those standards cover (Article 13).

How we help: Compliant Always reads test reports against the requirements of Annex II and the Gulf standards they cite, and keeps each report with the toy and batch. Ask about this

Safety assessment, declaration and GC marking

What the manufacturer does before the toy goes on sale.

  • Before placing a toy on the market, the manufacturer analyses its chemical, physical, mechanical, electrical, flammability, hygiene and radioactivity hazards and the potential exposure to them (Article 17).
  • The manufacturer follows the conformity assessment procedure in Annex IV, draws up a Manufacturer Conformity Declaration and affixes the GC marking (Articles 4, 15 and 18).
  • The Manufacturer and Importer Conformity Declarations are drawn up in both Arabic and English (Article 15).
  • Toys made available on the market bear the GC marking (Article 16).
  • The manufacturer keeps the technical documentation and declaration for 10 years after the toy is placed on the market.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the safety assessment, technical documentation and declaration with the toy, dated, and shows what is missing. Ask about this

Identification, instructions and warnings

What appears on the toy, its packaging or the accompanying document.

  • Toys bear a type, batch, serial or model number, and the manufacturer's name, registered trade name or trade mark and a single contact address (Article 4).
  • Toys are accompanied by instructions and safety information in Arabic.
  • Warnings are marked in Arabic, clearly visible and legible, and preceded by "Warning" or "Warnings" (Article 11).
  • Warnings that bear on the decision to buy, such as minimum and maximum ages, appear on the packaging or are otherwise visible before purchase, including when the toy is bought online.
  • The importer's name, registered trade name or trade mark and address appear on the toy, its packaging or an accompanying document.

How we help: Upload the packaging artwork and Compliant Always reads it for the identification, Arabic instructions and warnings the regulation requires, and for age warnings on the listing. Ask about this

Importer duties

What an importer checks or does before placing a toy on the market.

  • Importers place only compliant toys on the market (Article 6).
  • An importer linked to the manufacturer checks that the conformity procedure was carried out, the technical documentation exists, and the toy bears the Gulf conformity marking.
  • An importer that cannot show this carries out the importer conformity procedure itself, draws up the technical documentation and affixes the marking.
  • In every case the importer draws up a written declaration of conformity, and keeps a copy for 10 years.
  • Documents requested by the authorities are given in Arabic, or in English where the authorities accept it.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the manufacturer's documents and the importer's declaration together, so an importer's questionnaire is answered from the record. Ask about this

SABER and clearance

How regulated consumer products are registered for clearance.

  • SABER is SASO's electronic platform, within the Saudi Product Safety Program, for registering establishments and consumer products, imported or local, and obtaining the certificates they need.
  • SABER services include registering a product certificate of conformity (PCoC) and issuing the shipment certificate.
  • SABER has been linked to the Fasah platform since 1 July 2020; SABER notes that a shipment certificate's validity was extended from 60 to 90 days.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the product certificate and each shipment certificate with the toy and lot, and shows which are due to expire. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ManufacturerSafety assessment, conformity procedure, declaration, GC marking and 10 years of records.Technical documentation kept together and ready for an importer.
ImporterPlacing only compliant toys on the market, its own declaration, its name on the toy, and Arabic instructions.The manufacturer's evidence checked and kept with each batch.
Retailer and online sellerAge and other purchase warnings visible before the sale, including online.Warnings read from the packaging artwork and kept on record.

Questions businesses ask

Which regulation covers toys in Saudi Arabia?
The GCC Technical Regulation on Children's Toys (BD-131704-01), Issue 2 of 8 May 2013, which SASO lists among its technical regulations.
What counts as a toy in Saudi Arabia?
Products designed or intended, exclusively or not, for use in play by children under 14 years of age.
Do toys need a mark in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Toys made available on the market bear the GC (Gulf Conformity) marking, affixed after the conformity assessment procedure.
Must toy warnings be in Arabic in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Warnings are marked in Arabic and preceded by "Warning" or "Warnings". Instructions and safety information are also in Arabic.
Do age warnings have to show on online toy listings?
Yes. Warnings that bear on the decision to buy, such as minimum and maximum ages, must be visible before purchase, including when the toy is bought online.
What language is the toy declaration of conformity in?
Both Arabic and English, for the Manufacturer and the Importer Conformity Declarations.
How long must toy documentation be kept?
Ten years after the toy is placed on the market, for the manufacturer's technical documentation and declaration and the importer's copy of the declaration.
What does a toy importer have to do in Saudi Arabia?
Place only compliant toys on the market, check or carry out the conformity procedure, draw up a written declaration, put its name and address on the toy, and keep records for 10 years.
What is a SABER certificate for toys?
SABER is SASO's platform for registering consumer products and their certificates: the product certificate of conformity and a shipment certificate for each consignment.
What safety assessment do toys need?
Before placing a toy on the market, the manufacturer analyses its chemical, physical, mechanical, electrical, flammability, hygiene and radioactivity hazards and the exposure to them (Article 17).
How does Compliant Always help with selling in Saudi Arabia?
Our team reads the rules for the markets you sell in, including SFDA and SASO requirements. Compliant Always shows which apply to your product, keeps the documents behind each one ready, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Saudi Arabia and what your paperwork needs to show.

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