Importers

Reselling imported cosmetics in Thailand: what the rules require

9 min read · Updated 9 Nov 2026

Wholesale imported cosmetics in Thailand: who imports, and is the product notified

People who want to start selling wholesale imported cosmetics in Thailand, or who buy products abroad and carry them home to resell, usually ask the same question: what do I need? Under the Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015), the answer depends on two things: who brings the product into the country for sale, and whether that product has been notified.

Section 14 says anyone who imports cosmetics for sale must notify the product details first and may import only after receiving a notification receipt. Section 32 then prohibits anyone from selling cosmetics that have not been notified, cosmetics without a label, cosmetics whose label is not in Thai or lacks the required statements, and cosmetics past the expiry date shown on the label.

So the duty does not sit with the importer alone. Wholesalers, retailers and online shops also have to check products before selling them. This guide separates what each role must do, from the personal shopper who imports directly to the wholesaler who buys from a Thai importer.

Importing for personal use vs importing to sell

The Cosmetic Act attaches the notification duty to importing for sale. What matters is purpose, not quantity. The Act sets no minimum number of units. If you buy products with the intention of reselling them, whether wholesale, retail, by pre-order or on consignment, you are importing for sale.

The exemptions the law allows

Section 16 exempts only imports made as samples, for exhibitions, or for study, research or analysis. Importers using this route must follow the Ministry of Public Health notification on importing cosmetics as samples, for exhibitions, or for study, research or analysis (2019), which applies to imports not made for sale. Its conditions include:

• An application on form Kor.Kor.1, with a declaration that the goods will be used only for the stated purpose.
• Samples: no more than 6 pieces per item and 30 pieces per shipment unless justified, and the same item may be imported no more than three times.
• Exhibitions: no more than 12 pieces per item, destroyed or returned after the event.

This route exists so buyers can evaluate products before ordering. It is not a channel for bringing in small quantities to sell. If you plan to sell, take the section 14 notification route from the start. More on sample imports is in importing cosmetics into Thailand.

Personal shoppers and pre-orders: who must hold the notification

A personal shopper or pre-order seller who buys abroad and brings the goods in for customers is an importer for sale, and so must hold the notification. The Ministry of Public Health notification on cosmetic notification, receipts, renewal, amendment and replacement (2018) sets these applicant rules:

• An individual must be a Thai national aged 20 or over; a company must be registered in Thailand.
• Form Jor.Kor.1 must be filed before import, and the applicant must have import premises that meet the manufacturing and import criteria.
• An importer must attach a letter from the product owner or the foreign manufacturer.

The owner's letter is where personal shoppers get stuck

Thai FDA guidance on authorization letters applies to every import notification. It recognises letters issued by the manufacturer, the product owner, or a foreign agent with the right to sub-delegate. An agent must show the chain of rights from the owner, and the letter must state the relationship and the brand clearly.

Buying from a retail shop abroad is therefore not enough to notify, because the importer needs a letter from the owner or manufacturer. Contact the brand owner or an authorised agent before your first order. How to write the letter, and what officers often ask, is covered in Letter of Authorization for Thai FDA.

You cannot use someone else's notification number

A notification receipt is issued in the notifier's name and tied to that notifier's import premises, and section 26 requires the notifier to import exactly what was notified. If you bring products in yourself, you must notify in your own name, even if another importer has already notified the same product. See the 10-digit cosmetic notification number for who owns a number.

Buying from a Thai importer to resell: what the seller must check

If you buy imported cosmetics from a Thai importer and resell them wholesale or retail, you are not the importer and do not notify yourself. Section 14 places the notification duty on manufacturers for sale, importers for sale and contract manufacturers. Every seller, however, is bound by section 32. Check at least four things before you take stock:

1. The product is notified. Match the notification number on the label to the product name and the importer's name. Use the Thai FDA number check or read how to check a cosmetic notification number.
2. The Thai label is complete. A product labelled only in a foreign language cannot be sold under section 32 (4).
3. It has not expired. Section 32 (6) prohibits selling cosmetics past the expiry date on the label. Wholesalers holding stock for long periods should rotate it first in, first out.
4. The label tells the truth. Section 29 (4) classes a cosmetic that claims to be notified when it is not as a counterfeit, and section 27 prohibits selling counterfeit cosmetics.

A simple habit helps a great deal: ask the supplier for a copy of the notification receipt or the notification details whenever you take on a new product, and keep invoices that name the upstream seller. If a customer or an officer asks questions later, you can trace the product back to its importer at once.

The Thai label must be ready before sale

Section 22 requires importers for sale to provide a label in Thai that is clearly legible; other languages may appear as well. Cosmetics imported for sale are exempt from carrying a Thai label while passing the checkpoint, but they must have one before sale. The Cosmetic Committee notification on cosmetic labels (2019) requires the Thai label within 30 days of release from the checkpoint.

What the label must show

• The cosmetic name and trade name, larger than other text.
• The type of cosmetic and directions for use.
• The names of all ingredients in descending order.
• The importer's name and address, with the manufacturer's name and country of manufacture.
• Net quantity, batch number and month and year of manufacture.
• Month and year of expiry when shelf life is under 30 months, or for products the notification lists.
• Warnings, if any, and the notification number.

Small containers with under 20 square centimetres of label space may show some items on the pack and put the rest on an insert or leaflet. Wholesalers who apply Thai stickers over the original label should check that the Thai text matches the notified data, not just a translation of the foreign label. Draft a label with the Thai label builder and see every item in Thai cosmetic labelling requirements.

Cosmetic import checkpoints and each shipment

Section 25 provides that once checkpoints are designated, cosmetics imported for sale must be inspected by officers at a cosmetic checkpoint. The Ministry of Public Health notification designating cosmetic checkpoints (2016) applies to anyone bringing or ordering cosmetics into the Kingdom. It names Food and Drug checkpoints such as Suvarnabhumi Airport (both the cargo terminal and international passengers), Bangkok Port, Laem Chabang Port, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai airports, and several border points. Amendment No. 5 (2024) added Satun, Khlong Yai, Surat Thani Airport and Singkhon.

What to prepare before goods reach the checkpoint

• A notification receipt for every product in the shipment, in the name of the importer on the shipping documents.
• Product names on the invoice and packing list that match the notified names.
• The notified storage site, ready to receive the goods and apply Thai labels before sale.

Personal shoppers who carry goods back on repeated trips should understand that hand-carrying does not change the purpose of the import. If the goods are meant for sale, the duties under sections 14 and 25 still apply in full. Before choosing a shipping route, check your products and documents with the import readiness check.

Korean cosmetics at wholesale prices: what to check before ordering

Korean products are where questions about importing Korean cosmetics at wholesale prices come up most. Thai law applies the same rules to every country, but products from fast-moving markets often need a few checks before you order in volume.

• Check the formula against Thai ingredient lists. Get the full formula from the manufacturer and compare it with Thailand's prohibited and restricted substances before ordering. A formula sold legally at home may contain ingredients Thailand limits differently. Run a first check with the formula check.
• Product names and wording on the original pack. Section 17 tells the notification officer to refuse names that exaggerate or may mislead, so names that sound therapeutic or medical need checking first.
• Drug-like containers. Products in drug-like containers such as ampoules or vials need photos of every side of the label with the notification.
• Korean-language documents. Ask for the formula and certificates in English from the start to cut translation work.

Wholesalers who buy Korean products from a Thai importer do not do these steps themselves, but should confirm that every product they take on already has a notification receipt. The full process for importing yourself is in import Korean cosmetics to Thailand.

Importing cosmetics to resell: duties after notification

A notification receipt does not end the importer's duties. Annex B of the Ministry of Public Health notification on criteria for manufacturing or importing cosmetics (2018) sets these duties for importers for sale:

• Import premises and storage must be separate from living quarters, with permanent signs reading "cosmetic import premises" and "cosmetic storage premises" in Thai.
• Products must come from factories that meet Annex A or an equivalent standard such as ISO 22716 or ASEAN Cosmetic GMP, and the importer must hold a letter of rights from the product owner or manufacturer.
• Import declarations must be kept for 5 years.
• Certificates of analysis (COA) must be kept in the product information file for 3 years after expiry or 5 years after manufacture, and retained samples kept at least until expiry.

The 2017 notification on keeping cosmetic data for inspection adds that importers must keep records at the import premises, such as the notification receipt, the owner's or manufacturer's letter, the formula, the label and evidence of the manufacturing process, and hand them to officers on request.

A notification receipt is valid for 3 years from issue and is renewed on form Jor.Kor.2 within 180 days before expiry. Importers who wholesale to many shops should keep one table of products, notification numbers and expiry dates. The full document list is in cosmetic import documents Thailand.

Checklist before reselling or hand-carrying imported cosmetics

Use this list before your first order, or before you take on a new product to resell.

If you import yourself (personal shopping, pre-orders or direct orders)

• The applicant is a Thai national aged 20 or over, or a company registered in Thailand.
• Import and storage premises are separate from living quarters and carry the required signs.
• You hold a letter from the product owner or manufacturer that names the brand.
• The formula has been checked against Thai ingredient lists.
• You have a notification receipt in your own name before the goods arrive.
• The Thai label is ready before sale.

If you buy from a Thai importer

• Get the notification number of every product and match it to the label.
• The Thai label is complete, and the importer named on it matches your supplier.
• Check expiry dates on every lot you receive.
• Keep invoices that name the upstream seller.

Start with the import readiness check and screen manufacturer documents with the import document check. If you want our team to handle everything from premises to notification receipt, see import services. Costs and timing are set out in the quotation.

Sources

1. Cosmetic Act B.E. 2558 (2015) · Open source · Search our archive
2. MOPH notification on cosmetic notification, receipts, renewal, amendment and replacement, 22 August 2018 · Open source · Search our archive
3. MOPH notification on criteria, methods and conditions for manufacturing or importing cosmetics, 2018 · Open source · Search our archive
4. MOPH notification on keeping cosmetic data for inspection, 2017 · Open source · Search our archive
5. Cosmetic Committee notification on cosmetic labels, 2019 · Open source · Search our archive
6. MOPH notification on importing cosmetics as samples, for exhibitions, or for study, research or analysis, 2019 · Open source · Search our archive
7. MOPH notification designating cosmetic checkpoints, 2016 · Open source · Search our archive
8. MOPH notification designating cosmetic checkpoints (No. 5), 2024 · Open source · Search our archive
9. Thai FDA guidance on authorization letters for cosmetic import notifications · 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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