Cosmetic Product Notification and PIF: Import, Sale, and Personal-Use Rules
What Do You Need to Do to Import Cosmetics?
It depends on whether the cosmetics are for personal use or for sale. For cosmetics to be supplied, sold, given away, publicly displayed, or offered to consumers for trial, the manufacturer or importer must first complete product notification and establish a Product Information File (PIF) on the Cosmetic Product Notification Platform; PIF has applied in full since 2026-07-01, and notification costs NT$800 per product. The TFDA states that product notification is unrelated to whether goods can clear customs. For cosmetics for personal use, no cap on the number of bottles can be found in current cosmetics regulations, but they must not be resold or used for other purposes, and clearance must still follow Customs' rules for luggage, parcels, and couriers; cosmetics in glass-ampoule containers require prior application to the TFDA for special import approval.
HowBridge only provides China-to-Taiwan consolidated shipping, with only a Shenzhen warehouse and a Taoyuan warehouse, and does not file cosmetic product notification or PIF on anyone's behalf. Actual requirements are governed by announcements from the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration and Customs.
Do Imported Cosmetics Still Need a Permit?
The old approval-and-registration permit for specific-purpose cosmetics is no longer in effect. Since 2024-07-01, Taiwan no longer distinguishes between general and specific-purpose cosmetics, moving instead to full product notification; under Article 4 of the Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act, notification and PIF must be completed before the cosmetic is supplied, sold, given away, publicly displayed, or offered for trial, not before import. Cosmetics in glass-ampoule containers, and items the central competent authority designates under Article 14 for border spot checks, remain subject to separate import requirements.
| Date | System Change |
|---|---|
| 2021-07-01 | General cosmetics became subject to product notification |
| 2024-07-01 | Specific-purpose cosmetics brought into notification; full notification applies to all cosmetics except solid handmade soap made at premises exempt from factory registration; PIF Stage 1; the personal-use quantity cap for specific-purpose cosmetics is abolished |
| 2025-07-01 | PIF Stage 2 (products for infants, lips, eyes, etc.) |
| 2026-07-01 | PIF applies in full (except solid handmade soap made at premises exempt from factory registration); notification fee NT$800 per product |
In the TFDA's own FAQ: "this platform system has no connection to whether a product can clear customs," because notification is an obligation before market sale, not an obligation before import. In the Customs Administration's 2025-04-24 open-data tariff schedule, the import-requirements field for common headings such as face cream, perming agents, hair dye, and body deodorant is also blank.
How Does the Cosmetic Product Notification Platform Work? How Much Does It Cost?
Product notification is completed by the manufacturer or importer itself on the TFDA's Cosmetic Product Notification Platform System; the platform has announced that from 2026-01-01, account verification switches to the "My E-Government" (MyEGov) single sign-on mechanism.
| Item | Fee (from 2026-07-01) |
|---|---|
| Product notification | NT$800 per product |
| Single amendment | NT$700 |
| Renewal | NT$600 |
When Does Notification Count as Complete?
It only counts as complete once payment has been received and the case status shows "closed"; the TFDA's FAQ states that ATM or over-the-counter Bank of Taiwan payments post in about 1 to 3 business days, credit card payments in about 2 to 3 business days, and convenience-store payments in about 7 business days.
Notification Is Valid for 3 Years
Product notification is valid for 3 years; if the product is still to be sold after expiry, a renewal application must be filed within the 3 months before expiry (Article 8, Regulations Governing Cosmetic Product Notification).
Notification Does Not Equal Passing Review
Product notification is completed by the business itself and does not mean the product has passed any review of efficacy, safety, or quality.
What Is the PIF Product Information File? Which Cosmetics Need One?
The PIF (Product Information File) must be established in Chinese or English and contains 16 categories of data, including proof of completed notification, full ingredient list and concentrations, stability, microbiology, and preservative-efficacy testing, plus a safety-assessment conclusion signed by a safety assessor; the stability, microbiology, and preservative-efficacy items may be omitted where the safety assessor evaluates them against the product's characteristics and states the reasons in writing (Article 3, Regulations Governing Cosmetic Product Information Files).
| Effective Date | Cosmetics Required to Establish a PIF |
|---|---|
| 2024-07-01 | Cosmetics containing ingredients on the announced schedule; or cosmetics containing ingredients not on the schedule but for which the EU, US, or Japan has published usage rules, and that are for sun protection, hair dyeing, perming, antiperspirant/deodorant, or home tooth-whitening containing peroxide |
| 2025-07-01 | Products for infants, lips, eyes, and non-medicated toothpaste and mouthwash |
| 2026-07-01 | All remaining cosmetics (except solid handmade soap made at premises exempt from factory registration) |
How Long Must a PIF Be Kept? Where?
It must be kept for at least 5 years from the day after the product's last date on the market, stored at the business address shown on the product label for the competent authority to inspect; the competent authority will generally give 7 days' notice before an inspection, except where urgent or necessary in the public interest (Articles 7 and 8, Regulations Governing Cosmetic Product Information Files).
How Do You Check Whether a Cosmetic Has Been Notified? Can You Look Up the PIF?
The public can look up a product's notification status by product name or company name on the public lookup page of the Cosmetic Product Notification Platform System.
Under Article 8 of the regulations, the PIF is kept at the address shown by the business for the competent authority to inspect; the TFDA website provides no system for the public to look up a PIF — what the public can check is only whether the product has completed notification.
What Must Be Included in a Cosmetic's Chinese-Language Label?
Under Article 7 of the Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act, the outer packaging or container must clearly show the items below, plus any other items the central competent authority announces as required; except that the full ingredient list may be in English, everything must be labeled in Chinese or internationally recognized symbols. Where the packaging is too small to fit the label, a tag, package insert, or other means must be used instead:
- Product name
- Intended use
- Directions for use and storage
- Net weight, volume, or quantity
- Full ingredient list
- Precautions for use
- Name, address, and phone number of the manufacturer or importer; imported products must also state the country of origin
- Manufacturing date and expiry period, or manufacturing date and shelf life
- Batch number
The labeling items listed in Article 7 do not include a product notification number; do not treat "displaying a notification number" as a condition of compliance.
Is There a Quantity Limit for Buying Cosmetics for Personal Use from Abroad (e.g. Taobao)?
The "quantity cap exempting the import of specific-purpose cosmetics for personal use from approval-and-registration" was abolished as of 2024-07-01 by Announcement No. 1131603792; no cap on the number of bottles for personal use can be found in current cosmetics regulations. Old bottle-count rules still circulating online cite this abolished rule, which in any case only ever applied to specific-purpose cosmetics. Restrictions still in force:
- The TFDA warns: cosmetics purchased abroad for personal use must not be supplied, sold, publicly displayed, offered to consumers for trial, or used for other purposes; violators face a fine of NT$10,000 to NT$1,000,000 under Article 23.
- Cosmetics in glass-ampoule containers (one-piece, snap-break, glass-sealed) may not be imported; personal use requires prior application to the TFDA for special import approval, and this applies to travelers, parcels, and couriers alike.
- Inbound luggage, parcels, and couriers must still follow each of Customs' own clearance and duty/tax rules; this page has not checked those thresholds and lists no figures.
The TFDA warns: cosmetics purchased abroad for personal use must not be supplied, sold, publicly displayed, offered to consumers for trial, or used for other purposes; violators face a fine of NT$10,000 to NT$1,000,000 under Article 23. To supply, sell, give away, publicly display, or offer cosmetics to consumers for trial, the manufacturer or importer must, under Article 4, first complete product notification and establish a PIF.
How Do You Check the Tariff Classification for Importing Cosmetics?
Based on the Customs Administration's open-data tariff schedule (the file itself carries no date; the server file timestamp is 2025-04-24), common headings are as follows; a blank "import requirements" field means import is permitted and no permit needs to be issued — it does not mean the cosmetics regulations' notification, PIF, and labeling obligations are waived. Please confirm current data via the Customs Administration's tariff lookup before importing.
| CCC Code | Description | Column 1 Duty Rate | Import Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
3304.99.10.91-7 | Face cream | 0% | Blank |
3305.20.00.00-2 | Perming agents | 0% | Blank |
3305.90.20.00-3 | Hair dye | 0% | Blank |
3307.20.00.00-0 | Body deodorant | 5% | Blank |
Are There Special Rules for Hair Dye?
In the 2025-04-24 open-data tariff schedule, hair dye's Column 1 rate is 0%, the import-requirements field is blank, and there is no separate approval code; what makes it distinct is in the cosmetics regulations: cosmetics for hair-dyeing use that contain ingredients on the announced schedule fall into the category that had to establish a PIF starting with Stage 1 on 2024-07-01.
What Happens If You Violate the Cosmetics Rules?
Common penalties are as follows (Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act):
| Violation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Failing to complete notification, failing to establish a PIF, or evading or refusing a PIF spot check | Fine of NT$10,000 to NT$1,000,000, which may be imposed for each occurrence (Article 23) |
| Claiming medical efficacy for a cosmetic | Fine of NT$600,000 to NT$5,000,000 (Articles 10 and 20) |
| False or exaggerated labeling, promotion, or advertising | Fine of NT$40,000 to NT$200,000 (Articles 10 and 20) |
Roughly What Do You Need to Do to Sell Imported Cosmetics? (Editorial Summary, Not a Statutory Procedure)
1Confirm the Product Qualifies as a Cosmetic
Under Article 3, a cosmetic is a preparation applied to the outside of the human body, the teeth, or the oral mucosa; items classified as drugs under other laws do not count as cosmetics. Cosmetics also may not be labeled, promoted, or advertised as having medical efficacy (Article 10, Paragraph 2). Where a product's classification is in doubt, you may apply to the TFDA for a cosmetic-classification determination (fee NT$3,500 per product).
2Prepare the Full Ingredient List and Labeling
Prepare Chinese-language labeling under Article 7; the full ingredient list may be in English.
3Establish the PIF
Prepare the 16 categories of data required under Article 3 of the regulations, with the safety assessment signed by a safety assessor; the "proof of completed product notification" item is added in once notification is closed in the next step. Both notification and the PIF must be completed before the product is supplied or sold.
4Complete Product Notification on the Platform
Log in to the Cosmetic Product Notification Platform (the platform has announced that from 2026-01-01, account verification switches to My E-Government single sign-on), file the report, and pay the fee; it only counts as complete once the case status shows closed.
5Post-Market Maintenance
The PIF must be kept for at least 5 years from the day after the product's last date on the market, and updated whenever data changes; notification is valid for 3 years, and if the product is still to be sold, a renewal must be filed within the 3 months before expiry — notification data changes must also be filed as amendments.
What Are the Common Terms in Cosmetic Notification?
- Product notification
- The business's own obligation to self-report product data on the TFDA platform; it is not a review approval, nor is it a customs-clearance document.
- PIF
- Product Information File, containing 16 categories of data and a safety assessment; applies in full from 2026-07-01, except for solid handmade soap made at premises exempt from factory registration.
- Specific-purpose cosmetics
- The old category — such as sunscreen and hair dye — that required approval and registration; no longer distinguished from general cosmetics since 2024-07-01.
- Safety assessor
- A legally qualified person who signs the PIF's safety-assessment conclusion.
- Glass ampoule
- A one-piece, snap-break, glass-sealed container; cosmetics in this type of container may not be imported, and personal use requires prior application to the TFDA for special import approval.
What Are the Sources and Scope of Fact-Checking?
The sources below were accessed on 2026-09-27; document dates and access dates are shown separately, and no date is supplied for sources that do not state an update date.
Government and Official Primary Sources
- Cosmetic Hygiene and Safety Act | Document date: amended 2018-05-02; Article 4 notification and PIF obligations, Article 7 labeling, Article 10 ban on claiming medical efficacy, Articles 20 and 23 penalties.
- Regulations Governing Cosmetic Product Notification | Document date: 2019-05-30; Article 8, 3-year notification validity and renewal.
- Regulations Governing Cosmetic Product Information Files | Document date: amended 2022-06-16; Article 3, 16 categories of PIF data; Articles 7 and 8, 5-year retention and storage/inspection.
- Regulations on Administrative Fees for Cosmetics | Document date: amended 2025-11-06; from 2026-07-01, notification NT$800 per product, amendment NT$700, renewal NT$600.
- MOHW Announcement: Categories of Cosmetics Required to Complete Product Notification | Document date: 2024-06-26; Announcement No. 1131604395; from 2024-07-01, all cosmetics must complete product notification, except solid handmade soap made at premises exempt from factory registration.
- MOHW Announcement: Categories of Cosmetics Required to Complete Product Notification and Effective Date (abolished) | Document date: 2019-05-30; Announcement No. 1081602470; general cosmetics required product notification from 2021-07-01; this announcement has been abolished by Announcement No. 1131604396, superseded by Announcement No. 1131604395.
- MOHW Announcement: Categories of Cosmetics Required to Establish a Product Information File and Implementation Dates | Document date: 2024-06-26; Announcement No. 1131604608; PIF implemented in three stages: 2024-07-01, 2025-07-01, and 2026-07-01.
- TFDA News: No Longer Distinguishing Between General and Specific-Purpose Cosmetics | Document date: 2024-04-10; from 2024-07-01, the distinction no longer applies, and the public can look this up on the notification platform.
- MOHW Announcement: Abolishing the Personal-Use Quantity Cap for Specific-Purpose Cosmetics | Document date: 2024-07-01; Announcement No. 1131603792; the "quantity cap exempting the import of specific-purpose cosmetics for personal use from approval-and-registration" is abolished effective that same day (2024-07-01).
- MOHW News: Personal-Use Cosmetics Purchased Abroad May Not Be Sold | Document date: 2024-07-03; personal-use cosmetics must not be supplied, sold, publicly displayed, offered for trial, or used for other purposes.
- TFDA: Cosmetic Product Notification FAQ | Document date: 2026-08-07; the notification platform has no connection to whether a product can clear customs; notification is only complete once payment has posted and the case is closed.
- Taipei Customs: Rules for Travelers Carrying Glass-Ampoule Cosmetics | Document date: 2025-06-19; cosmetics in glass-ampoule containers may not be imported; personal use requires prior application to the TFDA for special import approval.
- Cosmetic Product Notification Platform System: Public Lookup | Document date: not stated; product notification status can be searched by product name or company name.
- Customs Administration Import Tariff Open Data | Document date: not stated (server file timestamp 2025-04-24); Chapter 33 cosmetics headings, Column 1 duty rate and import requirements.
Research Literature and International Official Guidance
Guidelines on Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (2013/674/EU)
The EU requires a PIF to be established before market launch, the most important part of which is the cosmetic product safety report; the EU retains it for 10 years versus at least 5 years in Taiwan, so the two regimes differ.
The SCCS Notes of Guidance for the testing of cosmetic ingredients and their safety evaluation, 11th revision
Guidance from the EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety on ingredient safety assessment (11th revision; the current version is the 12th, from 2023), usable as an international reference for understanding safety assessment.
An Analysis of Trade-Secret Protection Concerns in the Cosmetic Product Information File
A legal analysis focused on Taiwan's PIF, discussing PIF content and trade-secret protection; this is a legal-practice commentary, not empirical research.
A Comparison of New Cross-Strait Cosmetics Regulations — Company A as a Case Study
Compiled from interviews with businesses on the challenges and responses to the new regime; it covers only a single case-study company and cannot be generalized to all businesses.
This page has not checked the general duty-paid-value thresholds for inbound luggage, parcels, and couriers and lists no figures; the tariff data is from a versioned open-data file, and current duty rates should be confirmed via the Customs Administration's tariff lookup; the notification fee before 2026-07-01 could not be confirmed from a primary source and is not stated.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cosmetic Notification
Where Is the Cosmetic Product Notification Platform?
How Do You Check Whether a Cosmetic Has Been Notified?
How Do You Look Up a PIF? Can You Check Whether a Product Has One?
Does Cosmetic Product Notification Cost Money?
Will Customs Block Imported Cosmetics That Have Not Been Notified?
Is There a Quantity Limit for Buying Skincare Products for Personal Use from Taobao?
Further Reading
Shipping Goods from China to Taiwan? Confirm the Item and Declaration Details First
HowBridge has only a Shenzhen warehouse and a Taoyuan warehouse, offering China-to-Taiwan consolidated shipping; before shipping, confirm the product name, quantity, and EZ WAY authorization first.
View China-to-Taiwan Shipping