A fire or security project file in Saudi Arabia holds many certificates: SABER conformity, a UL or FM mark, LPCB, an EN 54 declaration of performance, and the supplier’s Local Content certificate. Understanding the types of fire equipment certificates starts with one question: does this certificate cover a product, a shipment or a company?
This guide puts them in one place: who issues each certificate, what it proves, what it does not prove, and where to verify it. It is the checklist our technical supply team uses when reviewing the documents for each item before supply.
Key takeaways
- A SABER product certificate covers a product and specific models. A shipment certificate covers one consignment. One does not replace the other.
- UL, FM and LPCB are third-party certifications for specific models. Verify them in each body’s official directory, not in the catalogue.
- CE marking on fire alarm devices rests on the manufacturer’s EN 54 declaration of performance. It proves device performance, not system compatibility.
- A Civil Defense licence issued through the Salamah platform covers the facility and its activity. It is not a product certificate.
- The Local Content certificate covers a company and its spending on national elements. It says nothing about product quality or conformity.
In this article
- Three questions before you read any certificate
- SABER certificates: product conformity and shipment
- Third-party product certification: UL, FM and LPCB
- EN 54 and CE marking: a declaration, not an independent listing
- Civil Defense: a facility licence, not a product certificate
- The Local Content certificate: a company certificate
- Types of fire equipment certificates: quick reference
- Common mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
- Conclusion
Three questions before you read any certificate
Before accepting a certificate in a submittal, ask:
- What does it cover? A product and model, a shipment, or a company. A valid certificate for the wrong subject does not help.
- Who issued it? A government body, an approved conformity body, an independent certifier, or the manufacturer as a declaration.
- Where can it be verified? Each certificate has an official register or platform. The attached PDF is a copy; the register is the reference.
SABER certificates: product conformity and shipment
SABER is the online platform run by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) to register products and issue conformity certificates. SASO’s Technical Regulation for Fire Control Materials and Equipment covers, by its own text, extinguishing devices and equipment, fire pumps, extinguishing agents, and their parts and accessories. It excludes fire alarm systems and firefighting systems, which fall under the Saudi Fire Protection Code. SASO’s guidance gives covered examples such as portable extinguishers, fire hoses, hose cabinets and fixed suppression systems. For the full scope, see our article on SABER and fire safety product conformity.
Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC)
Issued after conformity assessment by a SASO-approved body and recorded in SABER. Per SASO guidance it shows the supplier, certificate number, issue and expiry dates, model numbers, country of origin, regulation and HS code.
What it proves: that specific models were assessed against the technical regulation and its referenced standards. What it does not prove: that the model suits your project design, or that the installed system complies with the code.
Shipment Certificate (SCoC)
Recorded for each shipment before it is shipped, once the products hold a conformity certificate in SABER. The conformity assessment body checks the importer’s invoice and quantity data before issue. What it proves: that this consignment is linked to certified products. What it does not prove: anything about other shipments or models not listed on it.
Saudi Quality Mark
Granted by SASO to suppliers with an effective management system that produces to Saudi regulations and standards. The fire regulation states that equipment bearing the mark, or an equivalent, is deemed to meet the safety requirements for market placement. Its data can be entered in SABER so the conformity certificate is issued directly.
Electronic security and surveillance devices are outside the fire equipment regulation. They may fall under other regulations, such as the one restricting hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, which covers IT and telecom equipment and monitoring and control instruments. The HS code set at SABER registration decides the route.
Third-party product certification: UL, FM and LPCB
Independent bodies issue these after sample testing, a factory audit and ongoing production surveillance. The specification usually calls them up. None of them replaces SABER requirements.
- UL Listed: issued by UL Solutions. Verify in Product iQ (free account) by file number, category or company name.
- FM Approved: issued by FM Approvals. Verify in the online Approval Guide, searchable by category, product name, company and certificate number.
- LPCB: issued by LPCB, part of BRE Global. Verify in RedBookLive by certificate number, company or standard, including a certificate validity check.
The common rule: a certificate covers a specific model and configuration, not the whole brand. We explain Listed versus Recognized components and the scope of FM approvals in our UL, FM and LPCB verification guide, and LPCB and the LPS standards in our LPCB certification article.
EN 54 and CE marking: a declaration, not an independent listing
EN 54 is a European series of standards for fire detection and alarm components, with a part for each device type. In the EU, products covered by a harmonised standard carry CE marking under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) once the manufacturer issues a Declaration of Performance (DoP). Under the higher assessment systems, a notified body tests the product type, audits factory production control and issues a certificate of constancy of performance.
What CE marking does not prove: that a panel and devices from different manufacturers work together. Compatibility is shown by the panel manufacturer’s compatibility list or by assessment under the EN 54 compatibility part. For parts, editions and reading a DoP, see our EN 54 standard guide.
Civil Defense: a facility licence, not a product certificate
As explained in our article on the Salamah platform, the Civil Defense licence issued through it covers the facility and its activity, and rests on meeting safety requirements on site. It is not a certificate carried by a product, and it cannot stand in for a SABER certificate or a third-party listing in a material submittal.
The reviewer checks that installed products match the approved specification and the code, with complete documents. The steps are covered in our Civil Defense fire safety approval guide, and the documents needed for each item in our fire equipment technical documents guide.
The Local Content certificate: a company certificate
The Local Content and Government Procurement Authority (LCGPA) runs local content mechanisms in government procurement. The Regulations on Preference for Local Content, issued by Council of Ministers Resolution No. 245 in November 2019, define local content as total spending in the Kingdom on national elements, including goods, services, assets, technology and workforce. The certificate measures that share for a company. The measurement is carried out by an audit firm qualified by the LCGPA under its rules for auditing local content percentages.
Why it matters in procurement. The 2019 Regulations set mechanisms including the following. The percentages come from those Regulations and may change under the new law noted below.
- Baseline: the company’s existing local content percentage when it bids. Tender documents may set a minimum.
- Weight in financial evaluation: for designated high-value contracts, the 2019 Regulations split the financial evaluation 60% price and 40% local content factors, including the baseline and the targeted percentage.
- National product preference: under the 2019 Regulations, a foreign product is evaluated as if priced 10% higher than its bid price.
- Mandatory List: a list of national products issued and updated by the LCGPA, which government entities must follow when buying.
According to Clyde & Co (September 2026), the Council of Ministers approved a new Government Tenders and Procurement Law on 5 August 2026, and its effect on local content mechanisms remains to be seen. The percentages above may therefore change, and each tender’s documents remain the reference.
What it does not prove: product quality, conformity or origin. AZEIDK holds the Saudi Local Content certificate. It is a company certificate and does not replace the conformity documents for each product we supply.
Types of fire equipment certificates: quick reference
| Certificate | Issued by | Covers | Verify at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Certificate of Conformity (PCoC) | SASO-approved conformity assessment body, recorded in SABER | A product and specific models under a technical regulation | SABER (saber.sa) |
| Shipment Certificate (SCoC) | Conformity assessment body via SABER | One consignment and its invoice | SABER (saber.sa) |
| Saudi Quality Mark | SASO | Products from a supplier with an effective management system | SASO e-services |
| UL Listed | UL Solutions | A specific model and category | UL Product iQ |
| FM Approved | FM Approvals | A specific model and approval scope | FM Approval Guide |
| LPCB | LPCB (BRE Global) | Models and configurations in the certificate annex | RedBookLive |
| EN 54 / CE (DoP) | Manufacturer, with a notified body certificate where the assessment system requires it | Device performance under a specific EN 54 part | The DoP and the notified body certificate |
| Civil Defense licence | General Directorate of Civil Defense via Salamah | The facility and its activity | Salamah platform |
| Local Content certificate | Under the LCGPA framework, measured by a qualified audit firm | The company and its national spending share | The original certificate from the company, checked against the tender documents |
Common mistakes
- Accepting a UL or FM logo in a catalogue without checking the model in the directory.
- Submitting a SABER certificate for a model that differs from the one in the BOQ.
- Assuming a shipment certificate from an earlier consignment covers a new one.
- Treating CE marking on a detector as proof of compatibility with another maker’s panel.
- Offering the supplier’s Civil Defense licence or Local Content certificate in place of product certificates.
- Ignoring the expiry date or the standard edition cited.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a SABER product certificate and a shipment certificate?
The product certificate covers a product and its models, with issue and expiry dates. The shipment certificate is recorded per consignment before shipping, for products already certified in SABER.
Does a UL or FM listing replace a SABER certificate?
No. UL, FM and LPCB are third-party certifications the designer specifies; SABER is the Saudi conformity route for regulated products. A project may require both.
Do fire alarm devices need a certificate under the fire equipment regulation?
The regulation excludes fire alarm systems and refers them to the Saudi Fire Protection Code. Some electronic devices may fall under other regulations, so confirm through the HS code in SABER or with a conformity assessment body.
Does a supplier’s Local Content certificate cover the products it supplies?
No. It is a company certificate used in government procurement. Product conformity is proven by the product’s own certificates.
How can I check an LPCB or FM certificate quickly?
Search by certificate number or manufacturer in RedBookLive (LPCB) or the Approval Guide (FM), then match model, scope and dates to the datasheet.
Conclusion
Each certificate answers a different question. SABER covers product and shipment conformity with Saudi regulations. UL, FM and LPCB cover independent testing of a model. EN 54 covers declared device performance. The Civil Defense licence covers the facility, and the Local Content certificate covers the company’s spending. Sorting the file this way, and checking each certificate in its register, cuts review rounds with the consultant.
Preparing a material submittal for a fire or security project? Send us the BOQ and specification, and we will review the certificates for each model and where to verify them. Talk to the AZEIDK team
