G-Mark Certification

The G-Mark is the Gulf Conformity Mark, required by the GSO Technical Regulations before low voltage electrical equipment or children's toys can be placed on the market in any GCC state. It is mandatory, it must be issued by a GSO-approved Notified Body, and without it affected products cannot legally enter or be sold in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar or Oman.

ITMAD is a GSO-approved Notified Body

This matters more than it sounds. Only bodies approved and notified by the Gulf Standardization Organization can carry out the conformity assessment and issue the certificate. Many organisations offering G-Mark services are consultancies who prepare the file and pass it to a Notified Body — adding a layer of cost and a step of delay.

ITMAD conducts the assessment and issues the certificate directly. You deal with the body that makes the decision.

Which products require G-Mark

• Low voltage electrical equipmentEquipment rated between 50 and 1000 volts AC, or 75 and 1500 volts DC. Covers household appliances, lighting, power tools, IT and audio equipment, cables, switches, accessories and most mains-powered consumer and commercial products.
• Children's toysProducts designed or intended for play by children under 14, assessed against the GSO toy safety technical regulation covering mechanical and physical properties, flammability, chemical migration and electrical safety where applicable.

Scope changes over time as GSO issues further technical regulations. If you are unsure whether your product falls within a regulated category, send the product details and we will confirm before you commit to anything.

The GSO Conformity Tracking Symbol

Certified products must carry the G-Mark together with the GSO Conformity Tracking Symbol — a QR code linking the physical product to its certificate record in the GSO system. Customs and market surveillance can scan it, which means a product bearing a G-Mark without a valid corresponding record is immediately identifiable. The tracking symbol is issued as part of certification and must appear on the product or its packaging as the regulation specifies.

What certification involves

• 1. Scope determinationConfirming whether the product falls within a regulated category, which technical regulation applies, and which conformity assessment route is appropriate.
• 2. Technical file reviewAssessment of the technical documentation — design, specifications, circuit diagrams, bill of materials, risk assessment and the standards applied.
• 3. Test reportsReview of test reports against the applicable GSO or international standards. Where testing is missing or from a non-accepted source, we identify what is required and coordinate it.
• 4. Factory assessmentWhere the conformity assessment route requires it, evaluation of production control arrangements at the manufacturing site.
• 5. Certificate and tracking symbolIssue of the G-Mark certificate and the GCTS QR code for application to the product.
• 6. SurveillanceOngoing surveillance as the scheme requires, maintaining the validity of the certificate.

Where applications go wrong

Most delays come from the technical file rather than the product. Test reports from laboratories not accepted under the scheme, reports against superseded standard editions, a bill of materials that does not match the tested sample, or a model schedule listing variants that were never tested. Each of these is straightforward to correct before submission and expensive to correct afterwards, which is why we review the file first and tell you what is missing before the assessment formally begins.

Model identification

Every specific model must be identified on the certificate. Wildcard and generic model designations are no longer accepted, and a mismatch between the certificate, the product marking and the HS code declared at import is a common cause of shipments being held at Jebel Ali and Khalifa Port. Where a range shares a platform, the model schedule needs to be built correctly at application stage rather than extended later.

Who needs this

• Manufacturers placing electrical products or toys on any GCC market
• UAE importers and distributors bringing regulated products into the country
• Exporters shipping into Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar or Oman
• Private label and own-brand retailers responsible for their own compliance
• Businesses whose shipment has been held pending certification evidence
• Suppliers to GCC government tenders requiring certified products

G-Mark alongside other schemes

G-Mark covers GCC-wide market access for its regulated categories. It does not replace ECAS where a product is also subject to UAE-specific requirements, and it is separate from SABER registration for Saudi Arabia, which has its own platform and certificates. Where more than one applies, we identify the full set at the outset so nothing surfaces at the port.

Frequently asked questions

What is the G-Mark?

The Gulf Conformity Mark, required under GSO Technical Regulations before regulated products can be placed on the market in any GCC state. It shows the product has been assessed by a GSO-approved Notified Body and conforms to the applicable technical regulation.

Which products need G-Mark certification?

Currently low voltage electrical equipment rated 50 to 1000 V AC or 75 to 1500 V DC, and children's toys intended for children under 14. Scope expands as GSO issues further technical regulations.

Is the G-Mark mandatory?

Yes, for products in regulated categories. Affected products cannot legally be imported, sold or distributed in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar or Oman without it.

Who can issue a G-Mark certificate?

Only a Notified Body approved by the Gulf Standardization Organization. ITMAD is a GSO-approved Notified Body and issues certificates directly rather than through a third party.

What is the GCTS tracking symbol?

The GSO Conformity Tracking Symbol, a QR code issued with the certificate that links the physical product to its record in the GSO system. Customs and market surveillance can scan it to verify the certificate is genuine and current.

Does one G-Mark certificate cover a product range?

Only where every model is individually identified on the certificate. Wildcard model designations are not accepted, and models absent from the schedule are not covered.

Does G-Mark replace ECAS?

No. They are separate schemes. G-Mark provides GCC-wide access for regulated categories; ECAS is the UAE national scheme administered by MoIAT. A product may require both.