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Exporting cosmetics and beauty products from Vietnam

Cosmetics leaving Vietnam meet three export-side steps on the official pages read here: a certificate of free sale for exported goods under Decree 69/2018/ND-CP, a certificate of origin from MOIT's eCoSys system where the importer claims a trade agreement, and the electronic export declaration on VNACCS.

Updated · Each section links to the official source it comes from

Free sale
CFS for exported goods, 3 working days from a complete file
EU origin rule
Change of heading, or non-originating materials up to 50% of the ex-works price (Chapter 33)
Certificates of origin
MOIT's eCoSys system
Non-preferential origin
Form B from MOIT's regional offices
Customs
Electronic export declaration on VNACCS

Before the goods leave

The questions to answer, in the order they usually come up.

  1. 1Does the buyer's market ask for a certificate of free sale? Read more
  2. 2Does the product meet the Chapter 33 origin rule of the agreement claimed? Read more
  3. 3Which certificate of origin does the destination accept? Read more
  4. 4Is the export declaration ready, with any licence or inspection certificate it needs? Read more

The rules, by area

What each area covers, the texts that set it, and what the official pages say.

Certificate of free sale for exported goods

The CFS that Decree 69/2018/ND-CP provides for exported goods, as MOIT publishes the procedure.

  • MOIT publishes a procedure for a certificate of free sale (Giấy chứng nhận lưu hành tự do, CFS) for exported goods under Decree 69/2018/ND-CP (Nghị định 69/2018/NĐ-CP) and Circular 12/2018/TT-BCT, handled by the provincial People's Committee.
  • The application names the goods, their HS code, the product standard certificate or registration number, the standard applied, the composition where relevant and the importing country, in Vietnamese and English.
  • It comes with the standard declared for the product and how that is shown on the label, packaging or accompanying documents, and a list of production facilities, if any.
  • The CFS is issued within 3 working days of a complete file; the issuer may inspect the production site where the file is not enough to decide.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the CFS with the products and importing country it names, and reads the composition it states against your current formula. Ask about this

Origin and trade agreements

Whether a cosmetic qualifies for preferential duty in the destination, and the proof it needs.

  • Under the EVFTA rules in Circular 14/2026/TT-BCT (Thông tư 14/2026/TT-BCT), perfumery, cosmetic and toilet preparations of Chapter 33 must change heading; materials of the same heading may be used up to 20% of the ex-works price.
  • Alternatively, non-originating materials may be up to 50% of the product's ex-works price.
  • Outside Chapters 2 and 4 to 24 and 50 to 63, a 10% tolerance by ex-works price applies to non-originating materials, but cannot exceed a percentage limit in the rule.
  • Certificates of origin are issued through MOIT's eCoSys system by the Agency of Foreign Trade (Cục Xuất nhập khẩu) and organisations assigned by provincial People's Committees, under Decree 31/2018/ND-CP (Nghị định 31/2018/NĐ-CP) and Circular 40/2025/TT-BCT.
  • For the EU, the proof is a Form EUR.1 or, for consignments up to €6,000, the exporter's origin declaration; either is valid for 12 months.
  • Where no agreement is claimed, MOIT's regional offices have issued the non-preferential Form B, and certificates under the importing country's own rules, since 5 May 2025.

How we help: Compliant Always reads the formula, ingredient costs and supplier origin documents against the Chapter 33 rule, and keeps them with each batch. Ask about this

Export declaration

How goods are declared to customs on the way out of Vietnam.

  • The exporter registers the declaration on VNACCS (EDA), amends it if needed (EDB) and submits it (EDC); registered information is kept for up to 7 days.
  • The system routes the declaration to the green, yellow or red channel: no check, a document check, or a document check and physical inspection.
  • The file includes the commercial invoice where the buyer pays, any export licence and any inspection certificate the law requires.
  • Licences and inspection certificates sent electronically by the issuing authority through the National Single Window need not be submitted again.

How we help: Compliant Always keeps the declaration with the CFS and certificate of origin for the shipment, in one dated record. Ask about this

Who answers for what

WhoWhat they answer forHow we help
ExporterThe CFS and certificate of origin applications, and the export declaration.Each shipment's certificates kept together, dated.
ManufacturerThe product standard and composition the CFS states, and the formula and cost records behind origin.Formulas, costings and supplier documents kept with the batches they describe.
Customs broker or freight forwarderLodging the VNACCS declaration.The documents the declaration needs, ready before the shipment.

Who issues what, and where

Under Circular 40/2025/TT-BCT, certificates of origin are issued by the Agency of Foreign Trade (Cục Xuất nhập khẩu) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and by organisations that provincial People's Committees assign to the task, each for the forms listed in the Circular's annexes.

MOIT's published procedure for a certificate of free sale for exported goods names the provincial People's Committee as the issuing body.

Export phytosanitary certificates are issued by the regional plant quarantine sub-departments and the plant quarantine stations at border gates.

Where are the goods going?

Most of what cosmetics and beauty products have to meet is set where they are sold. Each guide sets out the rules on arrival, with the official source for each.

Questions businesses ask

Do I need a certificate of free sale to export cosmetics from Vietnam?
Decree 69/2018/ND-CP provides for a certificate of free sale for exported goods. MOIT publishes the procedure; the provincial People's Committee issues it, naming the goods and the importing country.
How long does a certificate of free sale take in Vietnam?
MOIT's published procedure gives 3 working days from a complete file. The issuer tells the trader within 3 working days if the file is incomplete, and may inspect the production site.
What goes in a CFS application for exported cosmetics?
An application naming the goods, HS code, standard or registration number, composition and importing country, in Vietnamese and English; the standard declared for the product and how it is shown; and a list of production facilities, if any.
What is the EVFTA origin rule for cosmetics made in Vietnam?
Chapter 33 products must change heading, using same-heading materials only up to 20% of the ex-works price, or keep non-originating materials within 50% of the ex-works price.
Which certificate of origin do I need to export cosmetics to the EU from Vietnam?
A Form EUR.1 issued through eCoSys, or the exporter's origin declaration on the invoice for consignments up to €6,000. Either is valid for 12 months.
Can I get a certificate of origin for a country with no trade agreement?
Yes. Since 5 May 2025, MOIT's regional import-export offices issue the non-preferential Form B and certificates under the importing country's own rules.
How do I apply for a certificate of origin in Vietnam?
Register a trader profile and account on MOIT's eCoSys system, buy a digital signature device, then file each application with its supporting documents.
Do cosmetics need an export licence in Vietnam?
An export licence is needed only for goods on the lists that require one. The agency that manages that list issues it, on an application with the business registration certificate and any other documents the law requires.
How are cosmetics declared for export from Vietnam?
Electronically on VNACCS, with the commercial invoice and any licence or inspection certificate required. The system assigns the green, yellow or red channel, which decides whether documents or goods are checked.
How does Compliant Always help with exporting from Vietnam?
Our team reads the rules for the routes you ship. Compliant Always shows which export documents apply to your product, keeps them with the shipment beside what the destination asks for, and watches the sources for changes. It shows what the requirements say and what your documents show; you decide.

Sources

Compliant Always is a product of Lettuce Labs LLC. It shows what requirements say and what your documents show. It is not legal advice, and you decide.

Tell us what you make, and we will show you the rules for it.

Name the product and the markets you sell in. We will come back to you with what applies in Vietnam and what your paperwork needs to show.

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