FDA Thailand 
To import cosmetics, food or dietary supplements into Thailand for sale, you need approval from the Thai FDA at two levels: the import site and each product. The applicant must always be on the Thai side. This guide sets out the steps for each product group, the documents to request from your overseas manufacturer, the options for foreign brands that do not yet have a Thai company, and a checklist to run before you order the first lot.
Before your first shipment: the two Thai FDA approvals
Products regulated by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) can be imported for sale only after two approvals. The first covers the import site and the storage site. The second covers each individual product.
If you ship first and start with the Thai FDA later, the goods may sit in a warehouse unable to be sold. You may also have to change labels or formulas after production, which costs far more than checking at the start.
The second thing to know early is that the applicant must be Thai. For both cosmetics and dietary supplements, the holder of the licence or notification receipt must be a Thai national aged 20 or over, or a juristic person registered in Thailand. A foreign brand owner cannot file directly and needs an importer in Thailand to do it.
| Product group | Import site level | Product level |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetics | The import site and storage site must meet Thai FDA criteria | Notify before import and receive an import-for-sale notification receipt, form Jor Nor 1 |
| Food and dietary supplements | A licence to import food into the Kingdom, form Or 7 | A food serial number for each product |
| Herbal products | A herbal product import licence | Formula registration, detailed notification or notification, depending on the product type |
Food, cosmetic and herbal products are covered by separate laws. Forms and documents cannot be reused across groups, so an importer handling several groups needs a separate set for each.
How to import cosmetics to Thailand: the import notification
Imported cosmetics use the notification system, and the notification must be made before import. The document list below comes from the annex to the Ministry of Public Health notification on cosmetic notification (Ministry of Public Health, 2018a). It has three parts.
| Part | Main documents |
|---|---|
| Import site | The site inspection result under the criteria for manufacturing or importing cosmetics · copies of the house registration for the office, import site and storage site (if rented, a lease or letter of consent) · a licence for a business that may affect health, or a factory licence, as applicable |
| Applicant | National ID card · company certificate not older than 6 months, or a commercial registration that states the business of importing cosmetics for sale · a power of attorney if someone else files |
| Product | A letter from the product owner or overseas manufacturer allowing import for sale in Thailand · a formula in which every ingredient complies with the Thai ingredient lists · supporting documents for the name or claims, if any · the details entered in form Jor Kor 1 |
The import site must first pass inspection under the Ministry of Public Health notification on criteria, methods and conditions for manufacturing or importing cosmetics (Ministry of Public Health, 2018b). Only then can products be notified. The order matters: many importers have the product documents ready but the site is not.
The letter from the product owner is often a Letter of Authorization (LOA) or a Trademark License Agreement. It is a document that only imported products need.
Once the notification is accepted, you receive an import-for-sale notification receipt, form Jor Nor 1
Korean and other foreign cosmetics: what the Thai importer is responsible for
AI-generated imageA product that is sold legally in its home country does not automatically meet Thai rules. Each country has its own list of prohibited ingredients, concentration limits and label rules. Importers of Korean, Japanese or European cosmetics must therefore check every ingredient against the Thai lists, not only confirm that the product is on sale at home.
The importer is responsible for these points:
- Formula: every ingredient must comply with the Thai FDA ingredient lists and stay within the set limits.
- Trade name and cosmetic name: they must not contain words the Thai FDA does not allow in product names.
- Thai-language label: cosmetics sold in Thailand must carry label text in Thai. Other languages may appear as well.
- Importer name on the label: imported products must show the name and address of the importer, plus the manufacturer's name and country of manufacture (Cosmetic Committee, 2019).
- Records for inspection: an importer for sale must keep information about its cosmetics available for inspection (Ministry of Public Health, 2017).
In practice, most imported products arrive with a foreign-language label, so the importer usually adds a Thai label, such as a sticker on the pack. The sticker text must match what was notified and must not add claims that the original label cannot support.
The holder of the Thai notification receipt is the party legally responsible for the product on the market. Get to know the product and the manufacturer well before agreeing to hold the receipt.
Import food to Thailand: the Thai FDA import licence and food serial numbers
To import food to Thailand for sale, you need an import licence under Ministerial Regulation No. 2 (B.E. 2522) on applying for a licence to import food for sale (Ministry of Public Health, 1979). B.E. means Buddhist Era, 543 years ahead of A.D., so B.E. 2522 is 1979. Under the current system, the importer files an application to import food into the Kingdom on form Or 6
Applications are made through the Thai FDA electronic submission system (e-Submission). Before filing, the applicant needs an OPEN ID user account and must register its business details (Master Data). The food import licence has a validity period and must be renewed on the cycle the Thai FDA announces.
With the site licence in place, each product still needs a food serial number for its food group. For example, food with quality or standard requirements must meet the specific notification for that food. The label must show the name and address of the importer, plus the name and country of the manufacturer.
- Check which food group the product belongs to, and whether it has a specific notification.
- Check ingredients and food additives against Thai rules.
- Apply for the import licence on form Or 6 through the electronic system.
- Apply for a food serial number for each product.
- Prepare a Thai label with every required item before the product goes on sale.
Import duties and taxes are handled by the Customs Department, not the Thai FDA. Check the customs tariff code with a customs broker before you calculate costs.
Importing dietary supplements: documents to request from the overseas manufacturer
In Thailand, a dietary supplement is a food with quality or standard requirements. Importing supplements therefore needs both site documents and product documents. On the site side, the importer needs a certificate showing that the overseas factory's production system is equivalent to, or not lower than, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) as set by the Ministry of Public Health.
On the product side, the Thai FDA manual for dietary supplement applications, 2026 edition, lists four items to file: the food registration form, quality documents for the key raw materials, the label where the product falls under novel food, and other documents about the name, type or safety, if any (Thai FDA, 2026).
Other documents are often requested during review. It is wise to get them from the manufacturer at the start:
- Raw-material specifications covering physical, chemical and microbiological items. Plant materials need the scientific name and the plant part used. Extracts need the solvent, the key compounds and the extraction ratio.
- The formula per unit or as percentages, separating key ingredients from other ingredients
- The manufacturing process, step by step as actually done
- The finished-product specification
- Test reports from a laboratory the Thai FDA accepts. An overseas laboratory can be used if it meets the conditions.
- The certificate for the overseas manufacturing site
- A Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) from the country of manufacture
Test reports used for filing must be originals, not older than 1 year at the filing date, and all from the same production batch. If the product name, brand or manufacturing site in a report does not match the application, a letter confirming that it is the same formula is needed (Thai FDA, 2026).
Some manufacturers will not send the full formula to an importer. Agree on a confidential channel for these documents when you sign the purchase contract, not after an officer asks for them.
Importing herbal products: an import licence is needed too
Herbal products fall under the herbal products law. Importing them for sale requires an import licence under the ministerial regulation on applying for and issuing licences to manufacture, import or sell herbal products (Ministry of Public Health, 2020). The product itself must also go through formula registration, detailed notification or notification, depending on its type.
Labels of imported herbal products include details that differ from products made in Thailand, under the 2025 notification on herbal product labels (Herbal Products Committee, 2025):
- The manufacturer's name, with the city and country of the manufacturing site
- The importer's name and the import site address, showing at least the province and a phone number
- A statement of the herbal product type
- The number of the formula registration certificate, detailed notification receipt or notification receipt
- Text in Thai; other languages may appear as well
Some plant-based products are not herbal products under the law. Some are food or cosmetics, depending on their purpose and form. Classify the product clearly before applying for a licence, because an import licence under one law cannot replace one under another.
Thailand importer of record for foreign brands without a Thai company
AI-generated imageA foreign brand without a Thai juristic person has three main options: set up its own company in Thailand, work with a distributor that acts as the importer, or use an importer of record that holds the licence on the brand's behalf.
The importer of record service of TIBD Co., Ltd. is considered case by case, after terms are agreed with the team. The reason is that the licensed importer carries legal responsibility for the product on the market, including quality, labelling and providing information when the authorities ask. The team needs to understand the product and the manufacturer before agreeing to hold the licence.
Whichever option you choose, agree on these points in writing from the start:
- In whose name the notification receipt or licence will be held
- Who pays registration costs and laboratory testing
- Which documents the manufacturer will provide, and through which channel
- How documents and registrations will be handed over if the importer changes in future
- Who is responsible for a product recall if a problem arises
The agreement on who holds the registration lasts longer than your first sale. Think ahead to the day you might change partners.
Checklist before you order the first lot
Before confirming an order with an overseas manufacturer, work through this checklist:
- You know whether the product is food, a dietary supplement, a cosmetic or a herbal product.
- You have an eligible Thai applicant, and the import site and storage site are ready for inspection.
- You have the full formula from the manufacturer and have checked every ingredient against the Thai lists.
- You have the letter from the brand owner, or the factory certificates that your product group requires.
- Your Thai label draft has every required item, and no claim goes beyond your evidence.
- You know which tests are needed, at which laboratory, and that the reports can be used for filing.
- The contract states who holds the registration and which documents the manufacturer must send.
If you want to test the market first, the Thai FDA has routes for one-time import of cosmetics, for example as samples, for exhibitions or for research. Products imported this way are not for sale.
The free ingredient search on this site checks the ingredients in a formula for prohibited substances, limits and mandatory warnings. RA Advisor, an assistant for Regulatory Affairs (RA) questions, gives initial answers from a label photo or a question typed in plain sentences. Both tools give guidance only. They are not Thai FDA decisions.
Talk to our team about importing into Thailand
The team checks whether a product can be imported before you ship, coordinates documents with your overseas manufacturer, prepares site and product applications, and considers the importer of record role case by case. The process starts when you send the product details. The team contacts you to understand the work, then sends the scope and a quotation. Work begins once you agree.
Timing and costs depend on the product type, the number of products and the documents your manufacturer already has. The team states them in the quotation. The team works in Thai and English.
You can reach us through the form on the Talk to our team page, on LINE at @tibdglobal, or by email at info@tibdglobal.com.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign brand owner file the notification or import licence directly?
No. The holder of the licence or notification receipt must be a Thai national aged 20 or over, or a juristic person registered in Thailand. A foreign brand needs an importer in Thailand to file.
Which documents do I need from the overseas manufacturer to import cosmetics?
The main ones are a letter from the product owner or manufacturer allowing import for sale in Thailand, such as a Letter of Authorization (LOA), and the formula, which is checked against the Thai ingredient lists. If the product name makes a claim, supporting documents are needed too.
What is the Thai FDA import licence for food?
The importer files an application to import food into the Kingdom on form Or 6 through the Thai FDA electronic system and receives a licence on form Or 7. Each product then still needs its own food serial number.
Which documents does an overseas factory need to provide for dietary supplements?
Plan for a certificate showing the production system is equivalent to Thai Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), a Certificate of Free Sale, the formula, the manufacturing process, specifications, and test reports from a laboratory the Thai FDA accepts.
Can your team act as importer of record for a foreign brand?
This is considered case by case, after terms are agreed with the team. The licensed importer carries legal responsibility for the product on the market, so the team needs to understand the product and the manufacturer first.
References
- Ministry of Public Health. (2018a). [Notification of the Ministry of Public Health on cosmetic notification, issuance of notification receipts, renewal of notification receipts, amendment of notification receipts and issuance of replacement notification receipts, dated 22 August 2018] (in Thai). Open document ↗
- Ministry of Public Health. (2018b). [Notification of the Ministry of Public Health on criteria, methods and conditions for manufacturing or importing cosmetics B.E. 2561 (2018), dated 4 May 2018] (in Thai). Open document ↗
- Ministry of Public Health. (2017). [Notification of the Ministry of Public Health on criteria, methods and conditions for manufacturers for sale, importers for sale and contract manufacturers to keep cosmetic information for inspection B.E. 2560 (2017), dated 12 October 2017] (in Thai). Open document ↗
- Cosmetic Committee. (2019). [Notification of the Cosmetic Committee on cosmetic labels B.E. 2562 (2019), dated 14 June 2019] (in Thai). Open document ↗
- Ministry of Public Health. (1979). [Ministerial Regulation No. 2 (B.E. 2522) on applying for a licence to import food for sale] (in Thai). Open document ↗
- Thai Food and Drug Administration. (2026). [Manual for dietary supplement applications (revised edition 2026)] (in Thai). Open document ↗
- Ministry of Public Health. (2020). [Ministerial Regulation on applying for and issuing licences to manufacture, import or sell herbal products B.E. 2563 (2020)] (in Thai). Open document ↗
- Herbal Products Committee. (2025). [Notification of the Herbal Products Committee on the names of herbal products in formula registration, detailed notification or notification, and on labels and package inserts of herbal products B.E. 2568 (2025)] (in Thai). Open document ↗