Launch Your Cosmetics in China Without Regulatory Delays

NMPA Registration, Notification, Responsible Person, Testing & Safety Assessment — All in One Place.
🏆 100,000+ Products Registered 🌍 Clients from 30+ Countries ⭐ 15+ Years Experience

Trusted by Global Cosmetic Brands

Before Registration

Preview of China Cosmetic Regulation

China has established a comprehensive regulatory framework for cosmetics to ensure product safety and consumer protection. According to current Chinese regulations, all cosmetics imported from overseas markets, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, must complete the required regulatory procedures with the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA, formerly China FDA) before being legally marketed in China.

Imported general cosmetics must obtain an Electronic Notification Certificate, while imported special cosmetics must obtain an Imported Special Cosmetics Registration Certificate. Only after completing the applicable notification or registration procedures can products proceed with customs clearance, distribution, and commercial sale in the Chinese market. Non-compliance may result in product detention, market restrictions, administrative penalties, or other regulatory actions.

China COSMETIC CATALOGUE
General or Special Cosmetics?

Which Category Does Your Product Belong To?

Before entering the Chinese market, it is essential to determine whether your product is classified as a General Cosmetic or a Special Cosmetic, as different regulatory requirements apply.

Special Cosmetics

  • Hair Dyes
  • Hair Perming Products
  • Whitening & Freckle-Removing Products
  • Sunscreens
  • Hair Loss Prevention Products
  • Products Claiming New Cosmetic Efficacy

General Cosmetic

  • Anti-acne Products
  • Nourishing Products
  • Maintenance Products
  • Moisturizers
  • Fragrances
  • Soothing Products
  • Oil-Control Products
  • Make-up Product
  • etc.

China Cosmetic Registration & Notification Process

For General Cosmetics: 2.5 – 4 Months;  Special Cosmetics: 8 – 18 Months*
 *Depending on product category, testing requirements, and technical review complexity.

Step 1

Appoint a Domestic Responsible Person

Step 2

Apply an NMPA Account

Step 3

Product Testing

Step 4

Dossier Submission

Step 5

Regulatory Review

Step 6

Approval

Step 7

Market Authorization

Documentation Requirements

We assist you in preparing all required documentation, including:

NMPA Account Applicantion

  • Applicant Information Form
  • Quality Management System
  • Adverse Reaction System
  • China Local RP
  • Authorization Letter
  • Manufacturer Information
  • GMP Certificate

Notification & Registration

  • Registration/Notification Information Form
  • Product Labeling and Formula
  • Product Manufacturing Process Summary
  • Ingredient & Safety Information
  • Efficacy Claim Support
  • Product Testing Report
  • Safety Assessment Report
  • Free Sale Certificate
china cosmetic registration documents

Why Choose ZOOP

Your trusted partner for fast, flexible, and reliable global compliance solutions.

Comprehensive Solutions

Regulatory services to ensure your products are fully compliant and ready for the China market.

End-to-end professional services, from product testing and dossier compilation to submission to the NMPA.

Comprehensive review of product formulas, ingredients, and labels to ensure full compliance with China’s regulations.

Acting as your local Responsible Person and regulatory partner to ensure your products comply with local cosmetic regulations and market requirements.

Laboratory testing services including physicochemical, microbiological, efficacy, and safety testing to support regulatory compliance.

Assistance with cosmetic raw material notification, including regulatory review and dossier preparation.

Professional cosmetic safety assessment based on Chinese regulatory standards to support product compliance and risk assessment.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is not mandatory. You may cooperate with a local Chinese company to act as your responsible agent. For example, ZOOP can serve as your local responsible person, or your distributor in China can take on this role.

Yes, it is possible. However, this requires supporting documentation issued by the competent authority in the country of manufacture, such as a GMP certificate.

If a distributor acts as the RP, your products can generally be sold only through that distributor. It will also be responsible for communication with Chinese regulatory authorities. Unless the distributor authorizes additional importers, expanding distribution can be difficult.

If a third-party agency such as ZOOP acts as the RP, you may freely select and change distributors within China. Once a new distributor is appointed, sales can begin immediately without re-registration.In addition, the third-party agency will handle regulatory communication, allowing distributors to focus solely on sales activities.

If ZOOP is appointed as the Responsible Person (RP), you are not required to share proprietary information such as formulations with other distributors, effectively safeguarding your core product technologies.

The timeline depends on product category and the completeness and quality of the submitted documentation. For reference:

  • General cosmetics (e.g., skincare, facial cleansers, shampoos, body washes): approximately 1–1.5 months
  • Perfumes: approximately 1 month
  • Special cosmetics (e.g., sunscreen, whitening, hair dye, perm products): approximately 8–12 months

Please note that an account with the Chinese regulatory authority must be established in advance, which typically takes about 1 month. This does not include the time required for document notarization in the country of origin and legalization by the Chinese embassy, which may vary by country. The account application is only required once per overseas company.

Yes. Efficacy substantiation is required and testing must be conducted in China.

For certain categories such as sunscreen, whitening, hair dye, and perm products, clinical testing is mandatory.
For claims such as anti-aging or acne treatment, either clinical testing or consumer use studies may be conducted.
For basic claims such as moisturizing, hydration, and cleansing, laboratory testing methods may be used.

There are significant differences. China and the EU have different restrictions on ingredient use and apply different criteria for ingredient safety. In addition, the format and conclusions of safety assessment reports also differ.

The general process is as follows:
Appoint a local responsible agent → Apply for a regulatory account → Conduct formula and label compliance review → Perform product testing → Prepare and compile documentation → Submit for regulatory review → Obtain Approval → Obtain registration certificate

For product registration in China, both CPSR and PIF documentation must be completed.

Yes. In China, the RP serves as the legally responsible entity for the product, handling PIF maintenance, regulatory communication, product recalls, and adverse event reporting. The RP does not need to be the importer or distributor, allowing you to work with multiple distributors.

China maintains its own inventory of cosmetic ingredients. Ingredients on the list can be used without registration. Those ingredients not listed must be registered before use in cosmetic products.

Yes. We can act as the Responsible Person (RP) and provide compliance review, testing services, and product registration support. If required, we can also assist with customs clearance and warehousing. In addition, we support clients in setting up stores on Chinese e-commerce platforms. However, we do not participate in sales operations; once the store is established, it will be managed by the client.

Start Your Registration

Get in touch with our regulatory experts to discuss your specific product portfolio and market entry strategy.

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