- ECAS is mandatory for products under a UAE technical regulation, such as electricals, toys, tyres and cosmetics. MoIAT issues the certificate.
- MoIAT charges AED 1,720 per certificate: AED 600 to register, AED 620 for the review and AED 500 to issue. Renew it every year.
- The applicant needs a UAE trade or industrial licence. Foreign brands apply through an importer, distributor or local representative.
- Toys and low-voltage electricals can need the GCC G-Mark as well as ECAS. Wireless products also need TDRA type approval.
- Once the file is complete, MoIAT issues the certificate in about 1.5 working days. Testing from scratch takes about 4–5 weeks.
Selling electricals, toys, tyres or beauty products in the UAE? Regulated items need an ECAS certificate before they clear customs or go on sale.
The ministry step is the quick part. Once your file is complete, MoIAT issues the certificate in a day or two.
So the real work is the file: the right tests, the right body and the right applicant. Below you'll find who can apply, what each approval costs in AED, the red flags and 9 independently researched providers. For Saudi rules and the wider Gulf, see our main list of product certification consultants in the Middle East.
Who can apply for UAE product certification?
The applicant must hold a valid UAE trade or industrial licence. The certificate is then tied to that licence.
That gives you three common routes:
- Your own UAE company. A mainland or free zone licence lets you hold certificates yourself. Free zone licences start at about AED 6,000, including a visa.
- Your UAE importer or distributor. It applies in its name, and you supply the test reports.
- A local representative. Some consultants act as the applicant for foreign brands, for a fee.
Who holds the certificate matters when you change partners. If a distributor applied, agree in writing what happens to it, or you'll certify again under the new one.
Thinking about your own licence? Compare company formation consultants in the UAE.
How long does UAE certification take?
It depends almost entirely on your test reports. The ministry's own review is the quickest part of the process.
If your factory already holds recent IEC, EN or IECEE CB reports from an accredited lab, the body checks them against UAE standards and lists any gaps. A clean file can reach MoIAT within a week, and the certificate follows about 1.5 working days later.
If testing starts from zero, plan on about four to five weeks. Samples travel to the lab, the tests run and the technical file is built around the results.
A factory evaluation adds time too, because MoIAT has to schedule its assessors.
What kind of provider do you need?
Most sellers work with a notified body, a lab or certification firm that MoIAT recognises. Which type suits you depends on your product and how much help you want.
| Notified body | Government lab | Consultant or agent | MoIAT portal yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examples | SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, TÜV, UL | Dubai Central Laboratory | UAE market-access consultants | MoIAT Conformity Hub |
| What it does | Tests or reviews reports, supports the certificate | Tests products, runs Dubai Montaji registration | Prepares the file, can act as applicant | You upload the file and pay |
| G-Mark too | Often, if it's a Gulf notified body | No | Through a body | No |
| Best for | Electricals, toys and anything needing tests | Cosmetics and food-contact products in Dubai | Foreign brands without a UAE licence | Licence holders with clean reports |
| How it charges | Per product or model family, quoted | Published fee schedule | Per file or package | MoIAT fees only |
Beauty brands selling in Dubai usually need both a body for ECAS and the municipality route for Montaji.
Which UAE approvals stack for your product?
One product can need more than one approval. Here's how they combine for common items:
- Kettle, hair dryer or charger. ECAS, plus the G-Mark for low-voltage electricals, and a UAE three-pin plug.
- Toy. ECAS, the G-Mark and the GCTS tracking symbol.
- Bluetooth speaker or smartwatch. ECAS where electrical rules apply, plus TDRA type approval.
- Skincare or perfume. ECAS under the cosmetics regulation, plus Montaji registration in Dubai.
- Clothing or phone cases. Usually outside ECAS, but Arabic labels and origin marks still apply.
The G-Mark must be at least 5 mm high and show the notified body's number. Plan label space for both marks. The full rules are in our GCC product labelling guide.
EQM (the Emirates Quality Mark) is different. It's voluntary for most products, checks the factory too and lasts three years.
What does product certification cost in the UAE?
MoIAT's fees are fixed and public, while the body's fee and any testing are quoted per product.
| Cost line | Who you pay | 2026 amount |
|---|---|---|
| Registration request | MoIAT | AED 600 per application |
| Technical review | MoIAT | AED 620 per certificate |
| Certificate issuance | MoIAT | AED 500 per certificate |
| Factory evaluation | MoIAT | AED 2,500 per assessor-day, only if required |
| Testing and body fee | The notified body | Quoted per product or model family |
| Consultant or applicant fee | The consultant | Per file or yearly |
Worked example: a toy brand's first two years
Say a Dubai free zone brand certifies two toys: a plush bear and a ride-on car. Each is a separate certificate, so each pays the full AED 1,720. MoIAT also asks for a two-day factory evaluation for the ride-on.
| MoIAT fees | Year one | Year two |
|---|---|---|
| 2 certificates at AED 1,720 | AED 3,440 | AED 3,440 |
| Factory evaluation, 2 assessor-days | AED 5,000 | – |
| MoIAT total | AED 8,440 | AED 3,440 |
Assessor travel, testing and the body's fee sit on top. Year two is a renewal at the same MoIAT fees, so ask your body what it charges to repeat the file.
Product certification bodies in the UAE
Seven bodies on this list say they serve UAE sellers, alongside Dubai Central Laboratory and MoIAT's own portal. All were independently researched, in no particular order.
SGS
Best for: Chinese factories and brands needing testing + SABER certificates from one global body
- SGS says it is a SASO-accredited certification body issuing SABER Product Certificates and Shipment Certificates, and can register products in SABER
- July 2025: SASO approval for the Communication and IT Devices regulation (phones, modems, laptops)
- Dense lab and inspection network in China
Intertek
Best for: Electronics and consumer goods exporters wanting testing and certification in China before shipping
- Runs government product-conformity programmes for several countries (company materials)
- Large China testing footprint
Bureau Veritas
Best for: Sellers with mixed product ranges (toys, textiles, electricals) needing one body for KSA and UAE
- Designatable as conformity assessment body in SABER: checks documents, tests samples, inspects factories where required; SASO-accepted CAB under SALEEM (2019 flyer)
- Says it is an accredited Notified Body approved by UAE MoIAT for ECAS and EQM certification
TÜV SÜD
Best for: Electronics/appliance brands with existing CB reports wanting SABER conversion
- TÜV SÜD Middle East says SASO approved it to issue SABER certificates; listed scopes include leather, textiles, footwear, accessories, paper/cardboard, paints and packaging
- July 2025: SASO notified body for the Communications and IT Devices regulation (wireless/radio and telecom product and shipment certificates)
- TÜV SÜD PSB (Singapore) is SASO-approved for Asia/Australia-made goods incl. textiles, batteries, detergents, low-voltage electricals
TÜV Rheinland
Best for: Chinese manufacturers already using TÜV for EU marks
- Large China product-testing presence (company materials)
Applus+
Best for: Industrial and automotive parts sellers
- Runs product conformity schemes for Gulf regulators (company materials)
UL Solutions
Best for: US brands with UL-listed products expanding to the Gulf
- Global safety science company; GCC market-access services (company materials)
Dubai Central Laboratory (Dubai Municipality)
Best for: Cosmetics, food-contact and consumer products needing Dubai Municipality registration
- Government lab under Dubai Municipality
MoIAT Conformity Hub (UAE, official)
Best for: Anyone selling regulated products (electricals, toys, tyres, etc.) in the UAE
- Official UAE portal; lists notified bodies and ENAS-accredited CABs
Selling in Saudi Arabia too? Compare product certification consultants in Saudi Arabia.
What should you ask a UAE certification body?
These questions are specific to the UAE. Put them to every body you shortlist:
Once the certificate is issued, your customs broker in the UAE uses it to clear each shipment.
Notes for Dubai and free zone sellers
- Shipping by sea into Jebel Ali? Have the certificate number with your broker before the vessel arrives.
- Montaji covers Dubai. Selling cosmetics or food-contact goods in another emirate? Ask your body about that emirate's municipality rules.
- Online delivery to UAE consumers is common from free zones, with the zone's written confirmation.
Notes for sellers expanding to Saudi Arabia
- SABER is a separate system. The Saudi importer holds the account under its CR, and each shipment needs its own certificate.
- Dubai customs doesn't clear Saudi rules. Trucked stock still needs SABER certificates at the border. See our SABER certificate guide.
Notes for marketplace sellers
- Amazon.ae and noon check ECAS for regulated categories, at listing or after a review.
- Keep a certificate log. Note each number, expiry date and the matching ASIN or noon SKU.
- Set renewal reminders. An expired certificate can block a live listing.
The full scheme, step by step, is in our UAE ECAS and EQM guide.
Get certification quotes for the UAE
Share your products once. We'll match you with bodies recognised for your regulation.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. MoIAT asks for a valid UAE trade or industrial licence, and a free zone licence can meet that. Confirm with your body that your licence activity fits the product. Holding the certificate under your own licence means it doesn't depend on a distributor.
Sources & further reading
- Issue Conformity Certificates for Regulated Products (ECAS) — UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT)
- MoIAT Conformity Hub — MoIAT
- Obtaining certificates and permits — UAE Government portal (u.ae)
- Emirates Conformity Assessment Scheme (ECAS) — Intertek
- Navigating UAE product conformity: ECAS and EQM — SGS
- GSO homepage and G-Mark — GCC Standardization Organization (GSO)
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change — always confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor.
Maya is MiddleEastEcom's lead guide and editor. She researches GCC marketplaces, payments and regulations and turns them into practical playbooks for sellers.
Meet Maya