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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
These answers are drawn from the English guides on this site. They are written for overseas brands that want to place cosmetics on the China mainland market. They are not a substitute for reading the full guide when your product sits on a boundary between two paths.
How do I bring cosmetics into mainland China?
For general-trade import of finished cosmetics, complete ordinary filing or special registration before import, appoint a Domestic Responsible Person, prepare a compliant Chinese label, and then handle customs formalities. Cross-border e-commerce retail import is a different channel with different limits; it is not a blanket rule that “no filing is ever needed.”
Does a foreign brand need its own company in China?
Not necessarily. You do not have to incorporate a subsidiary in every case, but an overseas filer or registrant must appoint an enterprise legal person in China as the Domestic Responsible Person for NMPA filing or registration.
What is the difference between filing and registration?
Ordinary cosmetics are filed; special cosmetics are registered. Special cosmetics include products used for hair dyeing, perming, spot-removal or whitening, sun protection, preventing hair loss, and products that claim a new efficacy listed in the rules.
How long does ordinary cosmetics filing take?
For ordinary cosmetics filing, testing and filing proceed in parallel; about 10–20 days in total. Actual time depends on dossier completeness and any supplementary requests. This cycle is only for ordinary cosmetics filing.
How long does special cosmetics registration take?
The registration period we quote is NMPA review time after testing is finished, not the time from sending samples to receiving a certificate. Examples: sunscreen review about 10–12 months; whitening review about 12 months; hair-dye or perm review about 8 months; anti-hair-loss review about 12–16 months. Timing depends on completeness and supplementary requests.
Are sunscreen and whitening products filed or registered?
They are registered as special cosmetics. The 10–20 day ordinary-filing cycle does not apply.
Is inspection and quarantine the same as NMPA filing?
No. Filing or registration is the medicines-regulation procedure before listing or import. Port inspection, quarantine and customs declaration are separate border formalities.
Do imported cosmetics need a Chinese label sticker?
Imported cosmetics sold in mainland China must have a Chinese label that meets the Cosmetics Labeling Rules. An affixed Chinese label is allowed if safety and efficacy information corresponds to the original label and the sticker remains clear, durable and not misleading.
Is a safety assessment the same as an MSDS?
No. An MSDS or SDS communicates chemical hazards for transport and workplace handling. A China cosmetic safety assessment evaluates the formula and exposure for registration or filing. One document does not replace the other.
Do you issue the laboratory reports yourselves?
No. Jinshang Testing organizes filing and registration. Testing and some steps are coordinated with partner laboratories. Reports are issued by the laboratories that perform the tests. We are not a CMA/CNAS laboratory of our own.
Where can I check a filing or registration number?
Use the official NMPA websites only: https://hzpba.nmpa.gov.cn/gccx/ and https://datasearch.nmpa.gov.cn/datasearch/home-index.html#category=hzp. This site does not host its own product database.
Do ordinary cosmetics need an annual report after filing?
Yes. Under the Measures for the Administration of Cosmetics Registration and Filing and related notices, the filer should submit an annual report through the official platform between 1 January and 31 March for ordinary cosmetics that have been filed for a full year. Toothpaste follows an annual-report system as well.