How long does cosmetics filing or registration take in China

For ordinary cosmetics filing, testing and filing proceed in parallel; about 10–20 days in total, depending on dossier completeness and any supplementary requests. That cycle is only for ordinary cosmetics filing. For special cosmetics, the “registration period” we quote is NMPA review time after testing is finished, not the total time from sending samples to receiving a certificate. Review time also depends on completeness and supplementary requests.

Published 11 November 2026 · Updated 11 November 2026

Ordinary cosmetics filing

Once the path is confirmed as ordinary filing, testing can run alongside dossier preparation. We describe the combined effort as about 10–20 days. Incomplete formulas, inconsistent labels or later correction requests extend that time. Imported ordinary cosmetics should not automatically inherit the same sentence, because overseas documents, translations and the Domestic Responsible Person arrangement often add steps.

Special cosmetics: testing and review are separate clocks

Sunscreen: toxicology about 35 working days; SPF and PA about 30 working days each; review about 10–12 months.
Whitening or spot-removal: human efficacy method I about 6 months, method II about 8 months; review about 12 months.
Hair dye: oxidative testing about 50 working days, non-oxidative about 35 working days; review about 8 months.
Perm: testing about 35 working days; review about 8 months.
Anti-hair-loss: testing about 4–8 months; review about 12–16 months.

If a product needs more than one of these studies, the overall testing stage usually follows the longest required study.

Cautions

Supplementary requests pause or restart practical progress even when a legal review clock is described in working days. We do not publish a “registration in a few weeks” claim, and we do not use ordinary-filing days for sunscreen or whitening products.

Questions we are often asked

Does the review clock include laboratory testing?

No. The registration periods given above start after testing is finished.

Can a complete dossier guarantee the shortest published time?

No. Published figures are planning references. Completeness and supplementary requests still affect the actual calendar.