FDA Thailand Importing cosmetics to sell in Thailand: premises, notification, Thai labels and importer duties
What Thai law requires to import cosmetics
To import cosmetics into Thailand for sale you work under the Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015). Section 14 requires anyone importing for sale to notify the product details first and to import only after receiving a certificate of notification. The importer must be a Thai national aged at least 20 or a juristic person registered in Thailand, so foreign brands need a Thai importer to file.
Importing differs from local manufacturing in four ways: import and storage premises that meet the criteria, an authorisation letter from the brand, the standard of the foreign factory, and a Thai label applied after customs clearance. This guide focuses on those import-specific parts; for the general notification steps see how to notify cosmetics with the Thai FDA.
The import process in brief
- Confirm the product is a cosmetic, not a drug, food or other category, with our product classifier.
- Set up import and storage premises that meet the criteria and pass the pre-notification inspection.
- Obtain a Letter of Authorization from the product owner or foreign manufacturer.
- Obtain the full formula and check it against Thai FDA lists.
- File form J.K.1 and receive the import certificate of notification (form J.N.1).
- Import as notified and apply a Thai label within 30 days of customs release.
- Keep meeting importer duties: records, retained samples and adverse event reporting.
Order matters: importing before notification is an offence under the Act, and premises that have not passed inspection cannot be used to notify.
Thai cosmetic import premises and storage
Annex B of the 2018 MOPH notification on criteria, methods and conditions for producing or importing cosmetics sets the importer requirements:
| Topic | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Location | Import and storage premises separate from living quarters |
| Signs | Permanent signs reading 'cosmetic import premises' and 'cosmetic storage premises' (in Thai) |
| Source factory | Imported from plants meeting Annex A or an equivalent standard such as ISO 22716 or ASEAN Cosmetic GMP |
| Rights | A rights letter from the owner or manufacturer |
| Import records | Customs declarations kept for 5 years |
| Quality | Certificates of analysis kept in the product information file for 3 years after expiry or 5 years after manufacture |
| Samples | Retained samples kept at least until expiry |
The Thai FDA's premises inspection manual (second revision, September 2025) says import premises are inspected on categories 1–3 before notification; with no defects, a premises code is issued for notification. Premises certificates and surveillance inspections cover categories 1–6. Results are binary: no defects is a pass, any defect is a fail requiring correction.
Can you use a third-party warehouse?
Many importers have no warehouse of their own and store goods with a logistics provider. The import certificate of notification records both the import premises and the storage premises, so third-party storage is possible, but you need a lease or written permission to use the space under the notification annex, and the area must meet Annex B of the import criteria, such as separation from living quarters and permanent signs.
If you later move warehouses, the storage address on the certificate will no longer be accurate, so file an amendment before moving stock, and make sure the provider understands that officers may inspect the storage area.
Documents to prepare
The annex to the 2018 notification on cosmetic notification lists documents on three fronts.
Premises
- The premises inspection result under the import criteria.
- House registration of the office, import premises and storage premises; if someone else owns them, a lease or permission to use.
- A health-hazard business licence or factory licence, as applicable.
Applicant
- A company certificate issued within 6 months, or a commercial registration naming cosmetic import for sale.
- A power of attorney if someone else files.
Product
- A Letter of Authorization from the product owner or foreign manufacturer; see Letters of Authorization.
- Pictures of all label sides if the container resembles a drug, such as an ampoule or vial.
- Supporting evidence for wording in the trade name, product name or claims, if any.
Our import document checker reads manufacturer documents, identifies each one, flags gaps and checks manufacturer names match across documents.
Check the formula before importing
A formula legal at home may contain substances Thailand bans or restricted substances above Thai limits. Get the full 100% formula with INCI names and CAS numbers and check it against the banned list, preservatives, colours, UV filters and restricted substances. The Thai FDA notification system screens formulas automatically and returns failing applications with reasons.
The banned list keeps growing; the latest amendments, No. 5 (2025) and No. 6 (2026), are summarised in Thailand's banned cosmetic ingredients update. Check a whole formula in our formula checker.
Thai labels for imported cosmetics
Clause 4 of the 2019 Cosmetic Committee notification on cosmetic labels lets imported cosmetics clear customs without a Thai label, but a Thai label must be applied within 30 days of release. The label must carry the clause 1 particulars, which for imports include the importer's name and address and the country of manufacture.
Most importers apply a Thai sticker over or alongside the original label. It must stick firmly and be legible, must not contradict the original label, and must not contain prohibited claims. Our foreign-to-Thai label tool reads a foreign label and drafts Thai label text for review; all mandatory particulars are in Thai cosmetic labelling requirements.
Cosmetic importer duties after notification
- Import exactly what was notified; changes to formula, name or details need an amendment on form J.K.4.
- Follow the import criteria and the rules on adverse event reporting and cosmetic data keeping.
- Keep customs declarations for 5 years, certificates of analysis in the product file, and retained samples as required.
- The certificate of notification lasts 3 years; renew on form J.K.2 within 180 days before expiry.
- For an import premises certificate, apply on form S.K.1; it lasts 3 years and requires ongoing compliance while you hold notifications.
Officers can check all of this during surveillance inspections. Building a complete file for each product from the first shipment lets you answer immediately instead of chasing documents from abroad.
Importing to sell versus importing samples
If you are not yet importing to sell, for example bringing in samples to test or for a trade show, the 2019 MOPH notification on importing cosmetics as samples, for exhibitions, or for study, research or analysis exempts you from notification, but you must file form K.K.1 and respect quantity limits.
| Purpose | Main conditions |
|---|---|
| Samples | Up to 6 pieces per item and 30 pieces per shipment (more needs justification); the same item no more than 3 times; pictures or labels and an invoice |
| Exhibitions | Up to 12 pieces per item; a certificate of destruction after the event or re-export within 30 days, plus the organiser's confirmation |
| Study, research, analysis | Filed with the Thai FDA cosmetics unit or its online system, under the notification's conditions |
Samples may not be sold. If you decide to sell, follow the normal notification route.
Checklist before your first shipment
- Product confirmed as a cosmetic.
- Import and storage premises separate from living quarters, signed and inspected.
- Letter of Authorization stating the relationship and brand clearly.
- Evidence the foreign factory meets GMP, such as ISO 22716 or ASEAN Cosmetic GMP.
- Full formula checked against the latest lists.
- J.N.1 certificate of notification received before ordering.
- Thai labels or stickers ready to apply within 30 days of release.
- A file for customs declarations, certificates of analysis and retained samples.
Run a quick readiness check with our import readiness checker, or let our team handle premises through notification with the import service.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign company import cosmetics into Thailand itself?
No. The notifier must be a Thai national aged at least 20 or a juristic person registered in Thailand.
Do imported cosmetics need a Thai label at customs?
No, but a Thai label must be applied within 30 days of customs release under the 2019 cosmetic label notification.
Can I use my home as import premises?
Import and storage premises must be separate from living quarters and carry permanent signs under the 2018 import criteria.
How long must import records be kept?
Customs declarations for 5 years; certificates of analysis in the product file for 3 years after expiry or 5 years after manufacture.
Do samples need notification?
No, but you must file form K.K.1, stay within 6 pieces per item and 30 per shipment, and not sell them.
Sources
- Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015) · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH notification on cosmetic notification and certificates of notification, 2018 · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH notification on criteria, methods and conditions for producing or importing cosmetics, 2018 · Open source · Search our archive
- Thai FDA manual on premises inspection under the cosmetic production and import criteria (2nd revision) · Open source · Search our archive
- Cosmetic Committee notification on cosmetic labels, 2019 · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH notification on certificates for cosmetic production or import premises, 2019 · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH notification on importing cosmetics as samples, for exhibitions, or for study, research or analysis, 2019 · Open source · Search our archive
- Thai FDA explanatory note on cosmetic notification and automatic formula screening · Open source · Search our archive
This article is for general information. It is not a Thai FDA ruling or legal advice, and rules change — check the latest notification or ask an expert before filing or producing.