Lead: On June 1, 2026, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, known as SASO, began mandatory implementation of SASO 2663:2026, the updated energy efficiency and water efficiency requirements for electric washing machines. The update is especially relevant to washing machine exporters, appliance manufacturers, electronic control module suppliers, servo drive and PLC control unit providers, and certification service participants, because smart controller standby power has been added as a compulsory test item with a limit of no more than 0.5 W.
Event Overview
SASO implemented SASO 2663:2026, titled energy efficiency and water efficiency requirements for electric washing machines, on June 1, 2026.
According to the available information, the revised standard includes smart controller standby power as a mandatory testing item for the first time. The stated limit is no more than 0.5 W.
The requirement applies to exported washing machine products as complete units and to core electronic control modules, including dedicated servo drives for All-Electric Machines and PLC control units. These products and modules are required to pass certification by a SASO-recognized laboratory, with Intertek Riyadh identified as one example of such a laboratory.
The available information also states that certificates issued under the previous version became invalid as of the implementation date.
Which Industry Segments Are Affected
Washing Machine Exporters and Direct Trade Companies
Exporters shipping electric washing machines to Saudi Arabia are directly affected because old certificates are no longer valid under the available implementation information. This changes the compliance basis for products already prepared for export, products in order negotiation, and products awaiting shipment.
The main impact is on certificate validity, shipment planning, customer communication, and pre-export documentation. If a product was certified under the previous version, exporters now need to confirm whether the complete washing machine has passed testing under SASO 2663:2026, including the newly required standby power test for smart controllers.
Appliance Manufacturers and Processing Factories
Manufacturers of electric washing machines are affected because the updated standard does not only address the finished product at a general level. It explicitly includes standby power performance related to smart controllers, which links the compliance result to product design, electronic control configuration, and module selection.
From an industry perspective, the most immediate impact for manufacturers is likely to appear in product verification workflows. Existing models intended for the Saudi market may need to be rechecked against the 0.5 W standby power limit, especially where intelligent control functions, servo systems, or PLC-based control units are part of the machine configuration.
Core Electronic Control Module Suppliers
Suppliers of washing machine control systems, including smart controllers, dedicated servo drives for All-Electric Machines, and PLC control units, are also within the scope of the stated requirement. The available information indicates that core electronic control modules must pass certification by a SASO-recognized laboratory.
This means that module suppliers may face more direct compliance requests from downstream washing machine manufacturers and exporters. The impact may appear in product test reports, technical documentation, sample preparation, and coordination with laboratories recognized by SASO.
Certification, Testing, and Compliance Service Providers
Testing and certification participants are affected because the revised standard introduces a specific mandatory test item for smart controller standby power. Laboratories recognized by SASO, including Intertek Riyadh as cited in the available information, become central to the compliance process for both complete machines and core control modules.
Analysis shows that demand for clarification of test scope, sample submission requirements, and certificate renewal procedures may increase after the mandatory date. However, any detailed operational process should still be confirmed through official SASO-recognized laboratory channels rather than assumed.
Importers, Distributors, and Channel Operators in Saudi Arabia
Importers and channel operators handling electric washing machines for the Saudi market are affected because product compliance status now depends on the updated SASO 2663:2026 requirements. If previous certificates are invalid, importers may need to confirm the new certification status before accepting shipments or placing products into commercial circulation.
The main impact is on supplier qualification, document review, product listing decisions, and communication with exporters. What deserves closer attention now is whether each product model and its core electronic control modules can demonstrate compliance with the updated standard and the standby power limit.
What Companies and Practitioners Should Watch and How to Respond
Verify Certificate Status Before Shipment or Order Confirmation
Companies exporting to Saudi Arabia should first identify whether any products still rely on certificates issued under the previous standard. Since the available information states that old certificates are invalid from the implementation date, exporters and manufacturers should avoid treating previous documentation as sufficient for new shipments.
A practical response is to create a model-by-model compliance list covering finished washing machines, smart controllers, servo drives, and PLC control units. Each item should be checked against SASO 2663:2026 certification status before shipment scheduling or order confirmation.
Recheck Standby Power for Smart Controllers
The newly added mandatory item is smart controller standby power, with a stated limit of no more than 0.5 W. Companies should therefore focus on whether the controller configuration used in each washing machine model has been tested under the new requirement.
It is more appropriate to understand this as a compliance-specific verification issue rather than a general design discussion. The key business question is whether the exact product and module combination intended for export can meet the required standby power test through a SASO-recognized laboratory.
Coordinate Early With SASO-Recognized Laboratories
Because the available information requires certification through SASO-recognized laboratories, companies should confirm test booking, sample requirements, testing scope, and documentation format with recognized laboratories. Intertek Riyadh is listed in the available information as one example of a recognized laboratory.
From an industry perspective, early coordination can reduce uncertainty in shipment timing, especially for companies handling multiple models or multiple electronic control configurations. However, companies should rely on confirmed laboratory instructions rather than informal interpretations.
Separate Policy Signal From Operational Execution
The enforcement of SASO 2663:2026 is already a compliance event based on the available information, while some operational details may still need to be checked through official or laboratory channels. Companies should distinguish between the confirmed requirements and any unverified assumptions about implementation procedures.
What deserves closer attention now is the practical connection between the finished washing machine and its core electronic control modules. If a controller, servo drive, or PLC unit is changed, companies may need to confirm whether that change affects the certification basis for the complete machine.
Editor’s View / Industry Observation
Observably, this update shifts part of washing machine compliance attention from the finished appliance alone to the performance of embedded control systems. The inclusion of smart controller standby power as a mandatory item means that energy efficiency review is not limited to visible operating performance, but also includes low-power behavior in standby conditions.
Analysis shows that the impact is likely to be most immediate for exporters and manufacturers with existing Saudi-bound products certified under the previous version. Since old certificates are stated to be invalid, the issue is not only future product development but also the compliance status of current models and current orders.
From an industry perspective, this is more than a routine document update for companies involved in smart control modules, servo drives, and PLC control units. It is more appropriate to understand this as a direct compliance trigger for the Saudi washing machine market, because both complete machines and core electronic control modules are included in the stated certification requirement.
Conclusion
The implementation of SASO 2663:2026 on June 1, 2026 is an important compliance development for electric washing machines exported to Saudi Arabia. Its industry significance lies in the new mandatory standby power test for smart controllers, the 0.5 W limit, and the requirement for complete machines and core electronic control modules to pass certification through SASO-recognized laboratories.
A neutral reading is that this update has already formed a practical compliance requirement for affected exporters, manufacturers, module suppliers, and channel operators. At the current stage, it is more appropriate to understand the development as a need for immediate verification of certificates, test scope, and product-module combinations, rather than as a broad market prediction.
Information Source Note
Main sources: Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization, SASO; SASO 2663:2026 implementation information on energy efficiency and water efficiency requirements for electric washing machines; available information naming Intertek Riyadh as an example of a SASO-recognized laboratory.
Items for continued observation: Any subsequent official clarification from SASO or SASO-recognized laboratories regarding testing procedures, certificate renewal workflow, sample submission requirements, and implementation details for specific controller or module configurations should continue to be monitored.