GACC Overseas Manufacturer Registration: The "Entry Ticket" for Imported Food Factories

If you want to sell food into China, the first hurdle is not the product label—it's whether your factory holds a GACC Overseas Manufacturer Registration number. Under GACC Decree No. 248 (Measures for the Registration Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food, effective 2022), all imported food—except for a few exempted categories—must complete China registration, obtain an 18-digit "China Registration Number," and declare it on product labels or customs documents. Without it, customs will refuse clearance at the port.

Two registration pathways:

Official Recommendation: Applies to high-risk categories such as meat, aquatic products, dairy, and edible bird's nest. The competent authority of the exporting country must recommend the facility to GACC.

Enterprise Self-Registration: Covers most general foods, health-food raw materials, etc. Applications can be submitted online via the Registration Management System for Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food (CIFER system) by the company itself or its designated agent in China. Self-registration is typically completed within 1–3 months.

Registration is valid for 5 years and must be renewed before expiry.

Core documents required: application form; factory business license or official approval document; description of production process and hygiene controls; HACCP or equivalent food safety system certification. For officially recommended categories, a recommendation letter from the exporting country's competent authority is also required. Review cycles range from several weeks to a few months. Once registered, any change to your registered information must be reported and updated promptly.

Three most common reasons applications get rejected:

• Factory address doesn't match the business license.
• Declared product categories exceed the approved production scope.
• Missing health certificates or recommendation letters.

⚠️ Critical reminder: The registration number must appear on the product label and all customs clearance paperwork. Miss this step and your shipment will still be blocked at the border—even if everything else is in order.

Many overseas factories hit a wall simply because they "didn't know registration was required" or "chose the wrong pathway." For detailed consultation, please contact us.

Need help confirming your registration pathway? Contact us to speak with our team in China.