SASO Delays EV Charging Certification to Jan 2027

On June 26, 2026, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) issued Notice SASO/ES-2026-047, pushing back the mandatory SASO IECEE certification date for EV charging equipment from September 2026 to January 2027. The notice also states that certificates showing conformity with IEC 62196-2:2022 will be accepted during the transition period. For exporters, charging equipment manufacturers, component suppliers, and project delivery teams serving the Saudi market, this is a practical regulatory update because it directly affects compliance timing, shipment planning, and document preparation.

What the June 26 notice confirms

According to the information provided, the announcement was released by SASO on June 26, 2026 under reference number SASO/ES-2026-047. It applies to electric vehicle charging equipment and core EV Infrastructure components, including DC fast chargers and liquid-cooled modules.

The confirmed change is that the implementation date for mandatory SASO IECEE certification has been postponed from the originally planned September 2026 to January 2027. The notice further clarifies that, during the transition period, conformity certificates under IEC 62196-2:2022 will be accepted.

Where the impact is likely to be felt first

Export-facing equipment suppliers

From an industry perspective, exporters are likely to feel the most immediate effect because certification timing is directly tied to market access and shipment scheduling. The postponement may affect how these companies sequence product filings, prepare compliance documents, and align deliveries for Saudi-bound orders. What deserves closer attention is whether internal planning is still based on the earlier September 2026 milestone or has already been adjusted to the new January 2027 date.

Manufacturers of complete charging systems and key modules

For manufacturers of DC fast chargers, liquid-cooled modules, and related EV Infrastructure hardware, the change matters at the product qualification and release stage. Analysis shows that the transition acceptance of IEC 62196-2:2022 may influence which technical files, test evidence, and customer-facing compliance materials are prioritized in the near term. The practical impact is less about product redesign in this notice itself and more about how compliance pathways are organized before mandatory SASO IECEE enforcement begins.

Supply chain and project delivery teams

Teams responsible for procurement, logistics, and project execution may also need to update assumptions around documentation readiness and delivery windows. Observably, a postponed enforcement date can affect order confirmation, customs preparation, and handover coordination where compliance status is part of the commercial process. The key point to watch is whether counterparties in the Saudi market treat the transition acceptance as sufficient for current-stage deliveries or continue to request additional proof.

What companies should watch during the transition window

Track any further official clarification

Analysis shows that the announced postponement creates time, but it does not remove the need to monitor later SASO wording or implementation details. Companies should pay close attention to whether later notices refine product scope, document expectations, or the practical handling of the transition period.

Separate temporary acceptance from long-term compliance

What deserves closer attention is the distinction between transition-period acceptance of IEC 62196-2:2022 certificates and the later mandatory SASO IECEE requirement. In practical terms, businesses should avoid treating the temporary acceptance route as a full substitute for the certification framework that will apply from January 2027.

Review product and document coverage by SKU or project

For companies shipping multiple charger models or component categories, this is a useful point to check which products fall within the affected scope and which certificates support each shipment or bid package. The operational issue is not only whether a certificate exists, but whether the supporting documents match the exact product, project timeline, and customer requirement.

Align customer communication and delivery commitments

Observably, a regulatory date shift can create mismatched expectations between sales teams, distributors, procurement units, and end customers. Companies should therefore review how they describe compliance status, transition-period eligibility, and expected certification timing in quotations, contracts, and delivery discussions tied to the Saudi market.

How this update is best understood right now

Analysis shows that this development is best read as a short-term regulatory adjustment with practical consequences, rather than as a final signal that compliance pressure is easing. The confirmed facts point to a delay and a transition acceptance path, but they do not suggest that the underlying certification direction has changed.

It is more appropriate to understand this as a buffer period for execution: useful for exporters and manufacturers that need more time to align certification work, but still dependent on how subsequent official implementation details are communicated. For that reason, the notice should be watched as an active industry development rather than treated as a closed issue.

Why the update matters without overstating it

The immediate industry significance lies in timing. The notice gives affected companies more room to manage compliance preparation for EV charging equipment entering the Saudi market, while also giving the market a defined transition reference through IEC 62196-2:2022. At the same time, a delayed effective date is not the same as a removal of regulatory requirements.

At this stage, the most balanced reading is that the announcement offers a temporary planning advantage and a clearer near-term compliance route, while leaving the longer-term certification obligation in place. That makes it a development worth acting on operationally and continuing to monitor carefully.

Basis of this article

This article is based on the user-provided news title, event date, and event summary concerning SASO Notice SASO/ES-2026-047 issued on June 26, 2026. For this type of industry update, relevant source categories usually include official notices, company announcements, industry association information, authoritative media reporting, and standardization documents.

A specific official source link was not provided in the input, so the exact publication record still requires ongoing verification. Follow-up attention should remain on any later SASO clarification related to implementation wording, scope interpretation, and transition-period handling for EV Infrastructure charging equipment.