How Can I Obtain China’s GACC Registration?

GACC Registration, known in Chinese as 进口食品境外生产企业注册, is the registration of overseas food production companies with the General Administration of Customs of China (中华人民共和国海关总署). If your company manufactures, processes, or stores food for export to China, this registration is required before those products can be declared and imported into the Chinese market. This guide explains who needs the registration, which of the three application routes applies to you, and how to apply through the CIFER system. It also covers the two cases where readers of this page often discover they need something else: an exporter filing, or registration with GACC’s Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine.

What is GACC Registration?

According to Articles 2 and 4 of the Provisions of the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on the Registration Administration of Overseas Manufacturers of Imported Food, GACC Registration is a mandatory registration for “overseas enterprises engaged in the production, processing, and storage of food exported to the territory of China”. 

Once registered, your company is issued a GACC Registration number (境外生产企业在华注册编号) that must be declared at customs and displayed on product packaging. Current registrations are valid for five years and must be renewed before expiry.

Why Do You Need GACC Registration?

GACC Registration ensures that your products can be lawfully declared and imported into China. Without it, customs clearance cannot be completed, and goods cannot enter China. If the required overseas producer registration number is not properly declared, customs may refuse to accept the import declaration. GACC also publishes registration information through its official systems, allowing importers to verify the status of overseas producers.

Following the publication of GACC Decree No. 280 and its implementing regulation, Announcement No. 27 of 2026, GACC has introduced stricter declaration requirements for all food imports into China, effective 1 June 2026. All import declarations must now include the registration number (在华注册编号) in the “Product Qualification” field (code 519), and must state “食用” (for consumption) in the “Purpose” field. Declarations that do not correctly include these details will not be accepted by the customs system, and the goods will not be permitted to enter China.

Who Needs GACC Registration?

Any overseas enterprise that produces, processes or stores food exported to China as cargo for human consumption, or as an ingredient for food processing, needs to be registered. Your registration must cover the food categories and products you ship.

Storage enterprises should note that the requirement applies to cold storage facilities holding land-animal-origin foods and aquatic products. Ambient storage of other foods is out of scope.

Out of scope	What applies instead
Food additives	Separate additive rules
Food-contact materials, packaging, cleaning agents	Food-related product rules
Primary edible agricultural products (green coffee and cocoa beans, grains and oilseeds, pulses, fresh vegetables and others)	DAPQ registration under Announcement No. 219 of 2025, via your national authority
Cross-border e-commerce retail imports (Tmall Global, JD Worldwide)	Currently handled under China’s e-commerce import rules rather than Decree 280; confirm with your importer, as this treatment can change

The Three Application Routes

There are three routes you can take to obtain a GACC Registration, which route you use depends on your product and your country.

Route	Who it applies to	How the application is made	Renewal
1. Registration on official recommendation	Producers of the 17 categories listed below	Obtain an inspection report and a recommendation letter from your national competent authority, then submit through CIFER yourself or via an agent. (Under Decree 248 the authority had to submit for you; it no longer does.)	Automatic, except meat and meat products and bird’s nest products
2. Self-application	Producers of every other food category	Submit directly through CIFER yourself or via an agent	Automatic
3. List registration (new)	Producers in countries whose food-safety system GACC has recognised under a bilateral arrangement	Your national authority submits a batch list of enterprises; you do not apply individually	Handled by the authority through updated lists

The 17 categories that require official recommendation under Decree 280 and GACC Announcement No. 27 of 2026 are:

1. Meat and meat products
2. Casings
3. Aquatic products
4. Dairy products
5. Bird’s nest and bird’s nest products
6. Bee products
7. Eggs and egg products
8. Edible oils and fats
9. Stuffed pasta and filled flour products
10. Edible grains
11. Grain milling products and malt
12. Dehydrated vegetables
13. Seasoning powders
14. Nuts and seeds
15. Dried fruits
16. Foods for special dietary uses
17. Health foods

Fresh vegetables, dried beans, oilseeds and unroasted coffee and cocoa beans were on the Decree 248 list but are no longer covered by Decree 280. They are registered through DAPQ instead.

Availability of list registration depends on arrangements between GACC and your government; your national food-safety authority can tell you whether it applies to your country and category.

Do You Need GACC Registration, an Exporter Filing, or DAPQ Registration?

There are three different compliance items that apply to foreign food businesses looking to bring products into China, and the one you need depends on your role and your product. Many enquiries we receive through this page turn out to need the second or third row, not the first.

Your situation	What you need	Where	Who can do it
You manufacture, process or cold-store (land-animal or aquatic foods) food for China	Overseas producer registration under Decree No. 280	The only legitimate platform for registration is CIFER	You, or an agent such as AppInChina. The 17 recommended categories also need an inspection report and letter from your national authority
You produce primary edible agricultural products: unroasted coffee or cocoa beans, grains and oilseeds, pulses, fresh vegetables and similar	Registration with GACC’s Department of Animal and Plant Quarantine (DAPQ) under Announcement No. 219 of 2025	Submitted by your national authority (USDA FAS and AMS in the US, CFIA in Canada, MPI in New Zealand)	Your authority submits the list. An agent can prepare the file but cannot replace that step.
You export, trade or consolidate food made by someone else, including products from a registered facility shipped under your own name	Overseas exporter or agent filing under Decree No. 249, Article 19	Single Window overseas exporter portal	Yourself, free of charge, usually 1 to 2 weeks. See our step-by-step guide
You do both of the first and third	Both registrations	—	—
You have a Chinese buyer	They need an Importer filing with local customs	Importer’s side	The importer

How Can I Obtain GACC Registration?

GACC Registration is processed free through the official China Import Food Enterprise Registration (CIFER) system, also known as the Single Window system. Below is a step-by-step guide:

1. Confirm Your Application Route

The first step is to determine how your product must be registered. Under GACC rules, overseas manufacturers are divided into two groups:

• Regulated Food Categories
  These require registration via the relevant authority in the exporting country or region, such as the FDA in the US. The authority must audit the enterprise, issue an inspection report, and formally recommend the application to GACC.
• All Other Food Categories
  These can be registered directly by the enterprise through CIFER, either independently or via an agent.

This classification is based on GACC’s official catalogue of food categories. Companies must match their products correctly, as applying under the wrong route will result in delays or rejection.

2. Create a CIFER Account

Once the correct application route has been confirmed, an application must be submitted through the CIFER system.

Companies must create a single enterprise account by providing basic personal and company details. Once created, key account information cannot be changed and will be used for all future applications, modifications, and renewals.

3. Prepare Application Materials

Before submission, companies must prepare the required documentation.

This includes:

• Enterprise registration application information. This includes the enterprise name, country (region) where it is located, address of production site, legal representative, contact person, contact information, registration number approved by the relevant authority of the country (region) where it is located, and the categories of food applying for registration.
• Company identification documents (e.g. business licence or equivalent)
• A declaration confirming compliance with GACC requirements

For regulated categories, additional documents are required:

• Audit and inspection reports issued by the relevant local authority
• A formal letter of recommendation from the relevant local authority.

GACC may also request further materials relating to:

• food safety management systems
• production processes and capacity
• facility conditions

All materials must be submitted in Chinese or English, and the enterprise is responsible for their accuracy and completeness.

4. Submit the Application

The process includes:

• Selecting the relevant product category
• Entering company, facility, and product information
• Uploading supporting documents
• Completing the required declaration
• Reviewing and submitting the application

Once submitted, the application cannot be modified and will be forwarded to:

• the competent authority (if applicable), or
• GACC directly

5. Evaluation and Review

GACC conducts an evaluation of the application based on risk level and compliance.

This may include:

• Document review
• Video inspection
• On-site inspection

For regulated categories, the application is first reviewed and recommended by the competent authority before being assessed by GACC.

6. Approval and Registration Number

If the application meets the requirements, GACC will issue a GACC registration number (境外生产企业在华注册编号) and will display all details in their official database, where all other GACC numbers are accessible.

If the application does not meet the requirements, registration will not be granted, and the applicant will be notified. Once registered, the registration number must be displayed on product packaging and must be declared during customs clearance. Registration is valid for five years. GACC may conduct re-inspections to ensure ongoing compliance, and companies must update any material changes to their registration information.

Can Foreign Companies Obtain GACC Registration?

Yes. GACC registration is specifically designed for foreign food manufacturers and production enterprises seeking to enter the Chinese market. Foreign companies can obtain GACC registration without establishing a Chinese entity solely for this purpose. However, foreign companies must meet the same food safety and quality standards required under Chinese regulations.

It is important to note that if companies handle food that falls under the regulated categories, they must work through their local regulatory authority. For other categories, companies can apply directly or via an agent.

How Long Does It Take, and What Does It Cost?

GACC charges no fee and publishes no statutory processing time. Be wary that there are several websites claiming to be official GACC authorities that charge for the registration. The GACC registration application itself is free of charge. In practice, self-application registrations are typically approved within weeks to a few months, while recommended-route registrations often take several months because the competent authority’s audit and letter come first. Incomplete or inconsistent submissions add weeks at each round of queries.

If a service provider quotes you a fee, it is a professional service fee, not a government charge.

Common Reasons for Delay or Rejection

• Applying under the self-application route for a product that is on the recommendation list, or applying through CIFER for a product that belongs in DAPQ.
• Company name or address that does not match the business licence, the production approval, or the Chinese label.
• Product category or HS code that does not match the actual product.
• Process flow charts, photos or product lists that are inconsistent with each other.
• Registering a trading company or brand owner as the producer instead of the facility that makes the product.
• Missing the supplementary-material request because nobody checked the CIFER account.

Frequently Asked Questions

I Export Food Made by Another Company. Do I Need a GACC Registration?

No. The producer registers. You need the overseas exporter or agent filing under Decree 249, which you can complete yourself in the Single Window portal in a few minutes. See our exporter filing guide. The same applies if you ship a registered facility’s products under your own company name.

I am a Brand Owner Using a Co-packer. Who Registers?

The co-packer’s facility holds the producer registration. You would typically file as the exporter.

We Have Several Factories. Do We Need One Registration Each?

Yes. Registration is per facility, and the account is created per facility. Additional product categories are added to the facility’s registration.

Our Chinese Distributor Registered on our Behalf. Who Controls the Registration?

Whoever holds the CIFER account credentials. If you change distributors, access to your registration can become complicated, so hold the account yourself or through an agent who acts for you, and keep the credentials.

Do I Need GACC Registration for Green Coffee Beans?

Not through CIFER. Unroasted coffee and cocoa beans are primary agricultural products registered with GACC’s DAPQ under Announcement No. 219, through your national authority. Roasted coffee and coffee products remain food under Decree 280.

How Long Does it Take to Receive a GACC Registration?

There is no statutory timeline. Allow a few weeks to a few months for self-application and several months for recommended categories.

Why am I Being Quoted USD 2000?

That is an agent’s service fee. GACC charges nothing. Be cautious of any website that charges for the registration itself.

Where Can I Check a Registration Number?

In the GACC public registry, or by logging into CIFER.

My Application Was Rejected. Can I Resubmit?

Yes, after rectifying the reasons given. Applications involving false documents or concealment face stricter review.

How Can AppInChina Help?

AppInChina handles producer registration for overseas manufacturers, processors and cold-storage facilities. GACC itself charges nothing; what you pay us is a service fee that covers:

• Identifying which category your products fall under to ensure the correct registration pathway is chosen
• Managing submissions through the CIFER system
• Supporting online and offline retail and promotion of your products through local channels

Testing, inspections, substantial document remediation and shipment clearance are scoped separately. If you only need the exporter filing, you do not need us: follow our free guide. If your product belongs in DAPQ, we can prepare the file, but your national authority must submit it.

Ready to export your food products to China? Contact us to confirm which registration you need and move forward with a compliant strategy.