If you sell — or plan to sell — cosmetics in Vietnam, the rules you’ve been following are about to change. Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has published a draft Decree on Cosmetic Management, set to replace the country’s long-standing framework and reshape how products are notified, manufactured, and monitored.
This guide breaks down where Vietnam cosmetic rules come from, what the new Decree changes, and exactly what documentation your brand needs to stay compliant.
Does Vietnam Have Its Own Cosmetic Regulations, or Does It Follow Another Country’s Rules?
Vietnam doesn’t regulate cosmetics in isolation. It is a member of the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive (ACD) — a harmonised regulatory framework shared across ASEAN member states (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and others). The ACD works much like the EU’s Regulation 1223/2009 does across EU member states: it sets shared ingredient rules, labelling standards, and safety principles that each country then implements through its own national legislation.
Vietnam’s national implementation of the ACD has, until now, sat under Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT, issued by the Ministry of Health of Vietnam (MOH). That circular is now over a decade old — and it’s being replaced.
What’s Changing: The New Decree on Vietnam Cosmetic Management
On 2 February 2026, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health published a draft Decree on Cosmetic Management, intended to fully replace Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT. The draft went through a 60-day public comment period, with the Ministry aiming for the Decree to take effect on 1 July 2026.
This isn’t a minor update — it signals a shift toward a more modern, stricter, and more transparent compliance environment. Key changes include:
- A unified, electronic notification system — replacing older, more fragmented paper-based processes
- Tighter compliance with ASEAN ingredient limits — including heavy metals, microbiological contamination caps, and trace impurity thresholds
- Updated Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) requirements for manufacturers
- Clearer labelling rules, aligned with both Vietnamese and ASEAN standards
- Stronger post-market surveillance, giving authorities more oversight once products are already on shelves
For brands already selling in Vietnam, this means compliance processes built around the 2011 rules will need to be reviewed and updated before the new Decree takes effect.
What Documentation Do You Need to Sell Cosmetics in Vietnam?
Whether under the current Circular or the incoming Decree, the core compliance building blocks are broadly consistent — and will feel familiar if you’re already compliant in the EU or UK:
- Product notification with Vietnamese authorities before the product goes on sale
- A Product Information File (PIF) — documenting product composition, safety data, and manufacturing information, the same underlying concept used in EU/UK compliance
- An appointed Vietnamese importer or responsible company — Vietnam’s equivalent of the EU/UK Responsible Person, accountable for the product once it’s on the local market
- A Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) — confirming the product is legally sold in its country of origin
- A Letter of Authorisation (LOA) — authorising the local importer/responsible company to act on the manufacturer’s behalf, legalised where required
- Labelling that satisfies both Vietnamese national requirements and the shared ASEAN standards
- Compliance with ASEAN’s restricted and banned ingredient annexes — the ACD equivalent of the EU’s Annex II/III lists
Ingredient Rules: What’s Restricted Under ASEAN Right Now
Because Vietnam implements the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, ingredient restrictions are decided at the ASEAN level and then adopted nationally. The ACD’s restricted-substance annexes are periodically updated through ASEAN Cosmetic Committee (ACC) meetings — and recent updates have added new entries.
Two ingredients recently added to the ACD’s restricted substances list, each with a defined maximum concentration:
| Ingredient | Maximum Concentration |
|---|---|
| Genistein (Genisteol) | 0.007% |
| Daidzein (Daidzeol) | 0.02% |
If your product formulations include phytoestrogen-related compounds or plant-derived actives, it’s worth checking current ACD annex limits directly rather than relying on older reference lists — ASEAN updates these annexes more frequently than many brands expect.
How Vietnam’s Approach Compares to the EU and UK
If you’re already compliant in the EU or UK, Vietnam’s system will feel structurally familiar, even though the specific documents differ:
| Requirement | EU/UK | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Governing framework | Regulation 1223/2009 (EU) / retained UK law | ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, implemented nationally |
| Local accountable party | Responsible Person | Importer / responsible company |
| Core safety dossier | Product Information File (PIF) | Product Information File (PIF) |
| Pre-market step | Notification via CPNP (EU) / SCPN (UK) | National product notification |
| Extra market-entry document | Not required | Certificate of Free Sale + Letter of Authorisation |
The underlying logic — pre-market notification, a responsible local party, and a safety dossier — is shared. The paperwork specifics, especially the CFS and LOA, are where Vietnam diverges most from the EU/UK model.
What Brands Should Do Now
- Track the Decree’s progress — it’s still in draft form, with a targeted effective date of 1 July 2026, so requirements could shift before it’s finalised
- Review your current PIF and notification documentation against the incoming electronic notification requirements
- Check ASEAN’s latest restricted-substance annexes for your formulations, rather than relying on older reference material
- Confirm your local importer/responsible company arrangement is properly documented, including CFS and LOA paperwork
- Don’t assume EU/UK compliance transfers automatically — the frameworks share a logic, but Vietnam’s specific documentation (CFS, LOA) has no direct EU/UK equivalent
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Vietnam have its own cosmetic regulations, or does it follow another country’s rules?
Vietnam follows the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, a shared framework across ASEAN member states, which it implements through its own national legislation — currently Circular 06/2011/TT-BYT, soon to be replaced by a new Decree on Cosmetic Management.
Is Vietnam updating its cosmetic regulations?
Yes. A draft Decree on Cosmetic Management was published on 2 February 2026 to replace the 2011 circular, with a targeted effective date of 1 July 2026.
What documents do I need to sell cosmetics in Vietnam? Typically a Product Information File (PIF), product notification, an appointed local importer/responsible company, a Certificate of Free Sale, and a Letter of Authorisation, alongside compliant labelling.
Is a CPSR required to sell cosmetics in Vietnam?
Vietnam’s framework doesn’t use the EU/UK-style CPSR by name, but it requires equivalent safety documentation through the PIF and national notification process.
Does an EU or UK CPSR/PIF work in Vietnam?
Not automatically. While the underlying safety documentation concepts are similar, Vietnam requires its own notification, local responsible company, Certificate of Free Sale, and Letter of Authorisation — EU/UK paperwork alone won’t satisfy Vietnamese requirements.
