A Comprehensive Guide to Check Cosmetics Products are notified with HSA

On Dec 29^th 2022, Health Science Authority of Singapore sent an email to all stakeholders that with effect from 1^st Feb 2023, all cosmetic products sold in Singapore must have a mandatory cosmetic notification number. Anyone caught supplying an un-notified cosmetic product is liable to a fine of up to $20,000 and/or imprisonment term of up to 12 months.

The move caught many ecommerce resellers by surprise because many do not know how and where to check the cosmetic notification number. Here is the step-by-step guide written by Brian Yee.

Step 1:

Visit https://www.hsa.gov.sg/e-services or visit HSA website can click E-services

Step 2:

Scroll down to the E-services and select Infosearch (Left Image) and then select Cosmetic Products Notification (Right Image)

Step 3:

You will come to this PZ4970 INFOSEARCH where you can search HSA cosmetic product database. The HAS cosmetic product datebase is open to all public to search.

Alternatively, you can also click the name below to go straight to PZ4970 Info search https://eservice.hsa.gov.sg/prism/common/enquirepublic/SearchCCPN.do?action=load

Step 4:

You can search by Notification No, Brand Name, Product Name, Product Type and Company Name.

For example, if you search REGENSIFY, the following notification no will appear. It will show all the product name, notification number and the company name who filed under the brand.

If you click the notification number, it also will show u additional details such as Country of Manufacture.

Frequently Asked Question(s):

• Who is responsible for the filing for cosmetic notification?

The brand owner is usually the one who files the cosmetic notification. If the brand owner does not have a presence in the country, the brand owner may appoint a responsible person aka RP, which is likely to be a company specialising in filing HSA regulation or their main appointed sales distributor to file for them.

• What is the fee like to file a cosmetic notification?

As of 2023 rates, the fees charged by HSA is SGD 12 per year per cosmetic notification. For higher risk products such as Eye products, the fees charged by HAS is SGD 27 per year per cosmetic notification. The cosmetic notification has to be renewed on an annual basis with fee

• If an overseas brand owner / supplier asks me to help file a cosmetic notification, should I file for them?

You should first make sure that all ingredients and labelling are compliant with the laws first and the quality are up to standards. If anything goes wrong with the product, HSA will hold the filing company responsible. Next, since you are paying the annual fees, you should be asking the overseas brand owner / supplier for an exclusive distributorship in Singapore. Otherwise, it does not make sense for you to take the risk to file for them, if they supply the same product to various sub-distributors to compete with you.

Please visit the HSA website for more information on the regulatory controls for cosmetic products and the responsibilities of the company supplying cosmetic products.