Exporters

Exporting cosmetics: Thai FDA export certificates

9 min read · Updated 27 Oct 2026

Export cosmetics from Thailand: start with the Thai notification

To export cosmetics from Thailand smoothly, start with the product's status at home. The certificates foreign buyers and regulators ask for, such as a Certificate of Free Sale, can only be issued for cosmetics already notified to the Thai FDA. The Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015) requires anyone manufacturing for sale, importing for sale or contract manufacturing cosmetics to notify first, and requests for certificates about cosmetics are filed with the notification authority.

The filing rules are in the Ministry of Public Health notification on applying for and issuing certificates about cosmetics B.E. 2562 (2019), which replaced the 2018 version. Notification holders file form RorKor.1 with supporting documents at the Thai FDA or through its online system. Once officials confirm the documents are complete and correct, the certificate is issued in the format the Thai FDA sets.

This guide covers what each certificate is for, who may apply, which details must be given in English, and what to do when a foreign buyer sets its own formula or label, which calls for an export-only notification. For the bigger picture on free sale certificates in both directions, see what a Certificate of Free Sale is.

Cosmetic export certificate Thailand: six types on form RorKor.1

Form RorKor.1, attached to the 2019 notification, asks the applicant to choose the certificate type and the number of copies for each:

1. Certificate of Free Sale: confirms the cosmetic is notified and may be sold in Thailand.
2. Certificate of Free Sale with formula attached: for buyers or regulators who need to see the ingredient formula.
3. Certificate of Free Sale for export to China
4. Certificate of Free Sale with formula for export to China
5. Certificate of Product Origin
6. Certificate of Manufacturer

Types 1 to 4 require the name and address of the distributor in the destination country in English, plus the repacker if there is one. Type 5 requires the distributor's name and address in English. These details appear on the certificate itself, so get the correct spelling from the buyer at the start.

The Thai FDA citizen's manual on requesting cosmetic export certificates through e-Submission describes three main groups: the free sale certificate, the free sale certificate with formula, and the certificate of product origin. The China-specific versions and the Certificate of Manufacturer appear as options on the 2019 RorKor.1 form.

Who can apply, and what the product must have

The applicant is the notification holder for that cosmetic. On form RorKor.1 the signatory is the business owner, the operator, or a person authorised on behalf of the company. A brand that uses a contract manufacturer but holds the notification in its own name applies as the notification holder. A contract manufacturer that is not the notification holder for that product needs the brand to file, or to be authorised by it.

The Thai FDA manual sets one product condition: the product must already be notified, with its notification data in the Thai FDA system. Before filing, check three things:

• The notification receipt is still valid. Under the Cosmetic Act, a notification receipt is valid for three years from issue, so renew first if it is close to expiry.
• The English trade name and cosmetic name in the request match the notified data. If the buyer uses a different name in its market, agree which name will appear on the certificate.
• The formula being exported is the notified formula. If the buyer wants a formula, label or standard different from the Thai product, use the export-only notification route explained below.

Form RorKor.1 also asks for the cosmetic manufacturing site number, the storage site number, the manufacturer's name and address in English, and the destination country in English. If these do not match the notification records, officials will ask for corrections before issuing the certificate.

Documents and how to file

The Thai FDA manual says requests are filed through the Thai FDA e-Submission system, and the signed certificate is collected at the One Stop Service Center (OSSC) at the Thai FDA in Nonthaburi. The documents are:

• Form RorKor.1, as an electronic form.
• Supporting documents: the manual gives examples such as an explanation letter and a copy of the buyer's purchase order.
• Applicant evidence per RorKor.1: for individuals, a national ID card and a copy of any power of attorney; for companies, a copy of the power of attorney.
• Product list: trade name and cosmetic name in English; if there are more than three items, attach the English list to the request.

Government charges follow the ministerial regulation on cosmetics. If you want our consultants to prepare the file, cost and timing are set out in our quotation.

Mistakes that force a re-filing

• The English product name differs from the notification data, even by a space or a hyphen.
• The distributor name or destination country is spelled differently from the documents the buyer files at home.
• The certificate type does not match what the destination requires, for example the buyer needs the formula but the request was for a certificate without it.
• The applicant is not the notification holder, or the power of attorney does not cover this request.

Thai FDA certificate of free sale cosmetics: matching the buyer's request

Foreign buyers often name documents after their own system, which rarely matches the Thai certificate names word for word. Before filing, translate the buyer's request into a certificate the Thai FDA actually issues:

• The buyer wants proof that the product is lawfully sold in the country of manufacture: use the Certificate of Free Sale.
• The destination regulator wants to see the ingredients or formula: use the Certificate of Free Sale with formula. Check what level of detail the buyer needs, and make sure the attached formula matches the notified one.
• Exporting to China: RorKor.1 has separate free sale options for China, with and without the formula. Ask the Chinese importer which one its filing requires.
• The buyer wants proof of where the product is made: use the Certificate of Product Origin or the Certificate of Manufacturer, depending on whether the buyer needs the product or the plant confirmed.

Do not confuse the Thai FDA Certificate of Product Origin with the Certificate of Origin used for customs clearance or tariff preferences. If the buyer needs a customs document, confirm with the buyer or the freight agent first so you do not apply to the wrong body.

The best way to avoid repeat filings is to ask the buyer for a written list of documents the destination requires, plus samples of documents that have already been accepted there. If you are unsure which certificate matches the request, ask our RA Advisor.

Export-only cosmetic notification Thailand: products made to buyer specifications

Many orders are not for the product sold in Thailand. The buyer may set the formula, concentration, label or standard according to its own law. Section 35 of the Cosmetic Act covers this case: manufacturing or importing for export to a buyer's specification still requires notification, and the product may not be sold in Thailand.

The Thai FDA notification on notifying cosmetics manufactured or imported for export only, with quality, standards, labels or other details set by the buyer (2018), sets the details:

• It applies to cosmetics whose quality, standard, label or other details differ from those sold in Thailand and which are not classed in Thailand as drugs, food, psychotropic substances, narcotics, hazardous substances or medical devices. They must be notified before manufacture or import and may not be sold in the Kingdom.
• Besides the normal notification documents, the applicant files the purchase evidence and the regulations of, or a certificate from a government agency of, the partner country showing the product may be sold there.
• If the formula uses a substance on the prohibited list that is exempted under the list's annex, extra documents are needed: purchase evidence, government evidence from the partner country that the substance is lawful in cosmetics there, a Thai government certificate that the plant properly controls waste, garbage and wastewater, and a passed site inspection under the cosmetic manufacturing and import criteria.
• The notification holder must keep production or import reports on form RorNgorKor.1, with June and December reporting rounds, available for inspection for at least five years from the date of manufacture or import.

These notifications get their own receipt types. The 2018 cosmetic notification rules list JorPhorSor.1 for manufacturers, JorRorSor.1 for contract manufacturers and JorNorSor.1 for importers. Because the product is not sold in Thailand, agree early with the buyer which additional certificates it will need.

The same route matters for some products that new rules ban from sale in Thailand but allow for export under Section 35, such as certain microneedle cosmetics. See which microneedle cosmetics are banned in Thailand.

Cosmetic exporter Thailand: premises rules and site certificates

Large buyers often audit the plant before ordering or ask for proof that the site meets standards. Two Thai rules matter for cosmetic exporters.

1. Premises criteria under the 2018 notification

The Ministry of Public Health notification on criteria, methods and conditions for manufacturing or importing cosmetics B.E. 2561 (2018) requires manufacturers for sale and contract manufacturers to follow Annex A. Examples include at least two separate rooms, a permanent sign reading cosmetic manufacturing site, a master formula matching the notification, a record for every batch, retained samples of finished products, and systems for complaints and recalls. These rules apply to export products just as they do to products sold at home.

2. Certificates for manufacturing or import premises

Under the Ministry notification on requesting certification of cosmetic manufacturing or import premises, the notification holder files form SorKor.1 at the Thai FDA, a provincial public health office or through the Thai FDA online system. Officials check the premises against the manufacturing or import criteria and issue a manufacturing premises certificate on form SorKor.2 Kor or an import premises certificate on form SorKor.2 Khor. Key points:

• The certificate is valid for three years from issue, and the holder must keep meeting the criteria for as long as it holds notification receipts.
• Amendments use form SorKor.3; moving to a new site requires a new application.
• Renewal uses form SorKor.4, filed within 90 days before expiry; after that, a new application is needed.
• Attachments include company registration or ID, a map and layout of the manufacturing and storage areas, organisation details and a short description of the production or storage system.

Brands that outsource production should keep a copy of the plant's premises certificate in their export file and check its expiry date before sending it to a buyer.

Checklist before accepting an export order

Use this checklist before confirming an overseas order, so every document lines up from the start:

1. Get a written list of documents required by the destination, and the name of the agency that will check them.
2. Confirm the product is notified, the notification receipt is valid, and the export formula matches the notified one.
3. If the buyer sets its own formula, label or standard, use the export-only notification route and prepare the purchase evidence and the partner country's rules.
4. Choose the right certificate type, for example with or without the formula, and whether the China version is needed.
5. Prepare the product, manufacturer, distributor, repacker and destination names in English, spelled the same on every document.
6. Check the applicant's power of attorney and the plant's premises certificate are still valid.
7. Check the destination's own label and product rules, because a Thai certificate does not replace authorisation in that country.

Keep copies of every certificate with its issue date in one file. Repeat buyers often ask for fresh copies at each contract renewal or formula change, and if you amend the notification, check that earlier certificates still match the product.

Ask regulatory questions in our RA Advisor. For help preparing the full export file, see our regulatory documents service. If the product is not yet notified, start with our product registration service or read how to notify cosmetics in Thailand.

Sources

1. MOPH notification on applying for and issuing certificates about cosmetics B.E. 2562 (2019) · Open source · Search our archive
2. Thai FDA citizen's manual: requesting cosmetic certificates for export · Open source · Search our archive
3. Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015) · Open source · Search our archive
4. Thai FDA notification on notifying cosmetics manufactured or imported for export only to buyer specifications (2018) · Open source · Search our archive
5. MOPH notification on cosmetic notification, receipts, renewal, amendment and replacement (2018), detailed criteria · Open source · Search our archive
6. MOPH notification on certification of cosmetic manufacturing or import premises · Open source · Search our archive
7. MOPH notification on criteria, methods and conditions for manufacturing or importing cosmetics B.E. 2561 (2018) · 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.

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