We offer Certificates of Free Sale, Certificates of GMP, and Document Authentication for over 140 countries. In 2020, over 1,700 Export Certificates were processed for IBA Member Companies.
Cosmetic companies exporting products from the United States are often asked by foreign governments, regulatory bodies, their overseas distributors, or customers to provide certain export certificates as a required part of the import and registration process to successfully bring a cosmetic or personal care product into that country.
IBA is one of the associations identified by the FDA as having the expertise to issue these certificates. IBA initiated its Export Certificate Program in 1992 in response to members’ requests for these certificates, which need to be properly authenticated and obtainable in a timely manner.
The IBA Export Certificate Program is available to current IBA Member Companies for cosmetic products manufactured in the United States.
*Note: The following product categories are not currently eligible for IBA export certificates; CBD-containing products, dietary supplements/ingestible/beauty-from-within products, medical devices.
Members can access a compilation of information on the recently announced tariffs as well as details on the countermeasures imposed by other countries. There are many potential impacts for companies in the cosmetics and personal care industry.
GMP Certificates are an attestation that the listed products are manufactured in accordance with the cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines issued by the U.S. FDA, all applicable laws and regulations, and that the products are not adulterated or misbranded. A Certificate of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) is required by many countries for import and registration purposes. Your distributor may ask for a GMP Certificate to assist with product registration in-country.
Please note, IBA does not perform GMP audits. The Member Company requesting a GMP Certificate is responsible for assuring that the GMP attestation is accurate.
A Certificate of Free Sale is an attestation that the products listed in the document are identical to products sold freely and without restriction in the United States. Products that are not sold in the U.S. are not able to be included in Certificates of Free Sale. A Certificate of Free Sale is required by many countries for import and registration purposes. Your distributor may ask for a Certificate of Free Sale to assist with product registration in-country.
Some common documents that may need to be Authenticated for international registration include: BSE and TSE statements (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies), Power of Attorney, Letters of Designation, etc. Please contact the IBA Export team to discuss custom requests. If IBA can issue the document, customization is available to all Members!
Only cosmetic products and Over-The-Counter drugs that are regulated as cosmetics in the intended export market can be included in IBA Export Certificates.
The following product categories are currently excluded from IBA Export Certificates: CBD cosmetics, products regulated as drugs in the intended export country, medical devices, dietary supplements/beauty-from-within/ingestible products.
IBA Export Certificates are only available to current IBA Member Companies. Export Certificates are subject to fees in addition to IBA Membership dues. Fees are charged for document processing at the Secretary of State, U.S. State Department and/or embassies. The fees incurred by IBA vary by country and whether expedited service has been requested.
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