FDA Thailand Health certificates for Thai food exports: which certificate, who issues it, what to file
What buyers mean by a health certificate
A health certificate for Thai food exports is what overseas buyers and authorities often call a government document confirming that the food or its manufacturing site is supervised and compliant in the exporting country. Thai exporters frequently find that the document a buyer names does not match the name of any document a Thai agency issues, so the first step is to translate the buyer's requirement into a document that actually exists.
For processed foods supervised by the Thai FDA, its public guide on export certificates lists three types: Certificate of Manufacturer, Certificate of Free Sale and Certificate of Ingredient. Some product groups, such as meat, fishery products or plant produce, may fall under other Thai agencies depending on the product type.
This guide explains what each certificate covers, who can apply, what to prepare, and two related topics exporters need: export labels and producer registration for exports to China.
The three Thai FDA export certificates
| Certificate | What it certifies | Key condition |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Manufacturer | The site is licensed and supervised by the Thai FDA | A valid, non-suspended site licence |
| Certificate of Free Sale | The product is authorised and sold in Thailand | A food serial number |
| Certificate of Ingredient | The product's ingredient details | A food serial number and a 100% formula |
Buyers asking for a health certificate for processed food are often satisfied with a Certificate of Free Sale or a Certificate of Manufacturer, depending on whether they need the product or the factory certified. The safest approach is to ask the buyer for the exact statements the destination authority needs to see, then match them to the available types.
The Thai FDA guide also notes that electrolyte drinks and coffee mixes applying for certificates need a complete 100% formula countersigned by an officer, so prepare that early if you make these products.
Who can apply
Thai FDA export certificates depend on your domestic licensing status. The guide sets these conditions:
- A manufacturing or import site licence that is valid and not suspended.
- A food serial number for the product, for the Free Sale and Ingredient types.
- If the site licence expires or is cancelled, all products under it lapse and no certificate can be issued.
- Expired certificates cannot be used; apply again.
Export-only products without a serial number can still obtain some certificate types by providing the formula, product details, production process and a statement that the product is made for export only. To have the certificate state that the site meets legal GMP, the site must be audited by an inspection body registered with the Thai FDA.
On domestic licensing, the Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979) requires anyone setting up a factory producing food for sale to obtain a licence first, so check licence status and renewal before accepting overseas orders.
Documents to prepare
According to the Thai FDA guide, the core is one electronic application plus evidence for the type requested, for example:
- Site licensing evidence, such as the food production licence (Or.2) or the non-factory site certificate (Sor.Bor.1/1), all pages.
- GMP certification evidence, if you want it stated on the certificate.
- A consent letter from the distributor, if the distributor is named.
- For food without a serial number: formula, process, product details and an export-only statement.
Every copy must be certified by an authorised signatory. Applications are returned if clarification requests are not fully answered, the wrong type is chosen or false documents are used. Getting the foreign-language product name to match what was originally authorised saves a lot of back-and-forth.
Where to apply: Thai FDA e-Submission
Applications are filed online through the Thai FDA's e-Submission system at privus.fda.moph.go.th, and certificates are issued electronically. You first need an Open ID account and system access: in Bangkok via the Thai FDA One Stop Service Center, elsewhere via the provincial public health office.
The guide also sets out which division reviews what: the Food Division handles Free Sale without a serial number and Certificates of Ingredient, while the Division of Innovative Health Products and Services handles Certificates of Manufacturer and Free Sale with a serial number. Knowing which division has your file helps you ask the right people.
Manufacturing-system (GMP) certificates for overseas buyers
Many buyers want manufacturing-system certification separately from FDA export certificates. Producers can obtain one from a certification body listed with the Thai FDA under a 2021 Thai FDA notification:
- Apply to a listed body within its scope, with the production licence (Or.2) or site number (Sor.Bor.1/1).
- Valid for three years from signature, with a surveillance audit each year.
- An overall score of 85% or more is marked Excellence Level.
- The certification mark must not appear on product labels.
The audit requirements are covered in GMP 420 explained.
Export food labels
The Thai FDA's explanatory notification on prepackaged food labelling (9 August 2024) explains that food sold directly to consumers in Thailand needs full Thai labelling, while export food may show at least two items in any language, with the rest following the destination country's rules.
If a product already has a serial number and you want to add a name or label for export, the Food Division's e-Submission manual describes filing a clarification letter to add an export food name or label. It can only be filed under a food production licence: you select the serial number, enter the foreign-language name and destination countries, and for specifically controlled foods attach the export label design, plus a certified translation if the label is in a language other than English.
Exporting to China: GACC Decree 280
A Thai FDA guidance document on registering producers exporting food to China summarises China Customs' new rule:
- GACC issued Decree 280 on 14 October 2025; it took effect on 1 June 2026 and ended Decree 248.
- There are three registration routes: via the exporting country's competent authority (CA) for listed food categories, self-registration through the CIFER system for other foods, and lists agreed between the two governments.
- Thailand's competent authorities are the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Livestock Development, the Department of Fisheries and the Thai FDA, by food type; the Thai FDA covers foods for special purposes and functional foods.
The broader lesson applies to other markets too: which Thai agency certifies an export depends on the food type, so exporters of meat, fishery products or plant produce should check with the agency supervising that category.
Export checklist before you accept an order
- Get the destination's required documents and statements from the buyer in writing.
- Confirm the site licence is valid and not suspended.
- Confirm the product has a serial number if the buyer needs Free Sale or Ingredient.
- Prepare foreign-language product names that match what was authorised.
- If GMP must be stated, have valid certification evidence ready.
- Check destination labelling rules and file an export label addition if needed.
- For China, confirm which Decree 280 registration route applies.
Ask regulatory questions in our RA Advisor, search the texts in our regulation library, or have our team prepare export documents through the document preparation service. See also exporting processed food and Certificates of Free Sale.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Thai FDA issue health certificates for processed food?
The Thai FDA issues three export certificates for food: Certificate of Manufacturer, Certificate of Free Sale and Certificate of Ingredient. Match the buyer's required statements to these.
Can I get a certificate without a food serial number?
Export-only products can obtain some types by providing the formula, product details, process and an export-only statement.
Can I get a certificate if my production licence has expired?
No. If the site licence expires or is cancelled, products under it lapse and no certificate can be issued.
Must export labels be in Thai?
No. The Thai FDA's explanatory notification says export food may show at least two items in any language, with the rest following the destination country.
Who registers Thai food producers exporting to China?
It depends on the food type: some categories go through a Thai competent authority, others self-register via CIFER under Decree 280, in force since 1 June 2026.
Sources
- Thai FDA public guide: export certificates for food premises and products · Open source · Search our archive
- Thai FDA public guide on certificates (Food Division) · Open source · Search our archive
- Thai FDA notification on issuing manufacturing-system certificates, 2021 · Open source · Search our archive
- Thai FDA explanatory notification on prepackaged food labelling (9 August 2024) · Open source · Search our archive
- e-Submission manual: adding labels for food produced for export · Open source · Search our archive
- Thai FDA guidance: registering producers exporting food to China under Decree 280 · Open source · Search our archive
- Food Act B.E. 2522 (1979) · 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.