FDA Registration for Thai Food Exporters Selling to the US

This matters because the US is a huge market for Thai flavors, from curry pastes and sauces to rice, snacks, fruit and drinks. Many Thai producers lose money on their first shipments not because the food is wrong, but because the paperwork is. A detained container means storage fees, angry buyers and sometimes destroyed goods. Getting the FDA basics right first protects your margin and your reputation.

Key Takeaways

• Every facility that makes, processes, packs or holds food for the US must register with the FDA, and foreign facilities must name a US agent.
• FDA food facility registrations must be renewed every two years; the current renewal window runs from October 1 to December 31, 2026, and registration is free.
• Prior notice must be filed with the FDA for every food shipment before it reaches the US.
• Labels must be in English with a Nutrition Facts panel, an ingredient list and all major allergens declared, including fish, shellfish, peanuts, soy, wheat and sesame.
• Canned low-acid and acidified foods (many curries, sauces and pickled items) need FDA food canning registration and process filings before you ship.
• As of late 2026, a Section 301 duty applies to imports from Thailand; confirm your landed cost with a licensed US customs broker.

Who Needs FDA Registration, and Who Does Not

The FDA requires registration from any facility that manufactures, processes, packs or holds food for people or animals in the US. If your factory in Thailand cooks curry paste, dries fruit, packs rice or bottles sauce for the US market, it needs a registration.

Some common situations:

• Thai manufacturer exporting under its own brand: your factory must register.
• Thai brand using a co-packer (contract manufacturer): the co-packer's facility must register. Ask for its FDA registration number and confirm it is active.
• Warehouse or packing house that holds food before export: it may also need to register, depending on what it does.
• Farms: many farms are exempt, but packing operations on or near farms can be covered.

Not every food product falls under the FDA alone. Most meat, poultry and some egg products are regulated by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) instead, and the exporting country and plant must be approved for those products. If your product contains meat or poultry, check the USDA rules before you plan anything else.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Ask a food regulatory specialist to confirm how the rules apply to your products.

How to Register Your Thai Food Facility With the FDA

Registration is done online through the FDA's system, and there is no government fee. Here is the process in plain steps:

1. Get a DUNS number. The FDA requires a Unique Facility Identifier, and it accepts the DUNS number (a free business ID from Dun and Bradstreet). The name and address must match your registration exactly.
2. Appoint a US agent. Foreign facilities must name a US agent who lives or has a place of business in the US. The agent is the FDA's contact for your facility and must be available to answer FDA calls. Many companies offer this as a paid service.
3. Create an account in the FDA Unified Registration and Listing System and complete the food facility registration form.
4. List your food product categories accurately, such as sauces, spices, bakery or fruit products.
5. Agree to FDA inspections. Registration includes an assurance that the FDA can inspect your facility.
6. Save your registration number and share it with your importer and customs broker. Keep it private from the public.

The FDA confirmed that the biennial renewal period runs from October 1 to December 31, 2026. If your registration is not renewed in that window, the FDA treats it as expired. Shipments from a facility without a valid registration can be refused at the border. Set a calendar reminder now for every even-numbered year.

Prior Notice: The Step That Stops Most Containers

Prior notice is an advance alert to the FDA that a food shipment is on its way. It must be filed for every shipment of food entering the US, including samples and trade show goods.

Key points:

• Prior notice must be submitted before the shipment arrives, with minimum lead times that depend on how it travels (by sea, the window is longer than by air or truck).
• It is usually filed by the US importer or the customs broker through US Customs or the FDA's prior notice system.
• It needs the facility registration number of the manufacturer, product details, shipper, importer and arrival information.
• Food sent without proper prior notice can be refused and held at the port at your cost.

The most common mistake we see is a mismatch: the facility name or registration number on the prior notice does not match what the FDA has on file. Keep one master document with your exact company name, address, DUNS number and FDA registration number, and give it to everyone who files paperwork for you.

Canned, Bottled and Acidified Foods Need Extra Filings

This is where many Thai sauce, curry and pickle makers get stuck. The FDA has special rules for two types of shelf-stable foods:

• Low-acid canned foods (LACF): foods with a pH above 4.6 that are sealed and heat processed, such as canned coconut milk, ready-to-eat curries in cans or retort pouches, and canned vegetables.
• Acidified foods (AF): low-acid foods that have acid added to make them shelf stable, such as some chili sauces, pickled vegetables, and pickled bamboo shoots.

If your product falls into either group, you usually must:

1. Register your plant as a food canning establishment, which gives you an FCE number.
2. File a process filing (called a SID) for each product, describing how you make it safe, often prepared with help from a recognized process authority (an expert in thermal processing).
3. Make sure supervisors have completed approved training on these processes.

Shipping one of these products without the FCE and SID filings is a fast way to get your shipment detained. If you are not sure whether your product is low-acid or acidified, test its pH and ask a process authority. Do this before you print labels or book freight.

Labels That Pass US Rules

Thai packaging that works well at home often fails US rules. US food labels must be in English (other languages can be added, but required information must appear in English too). A compliant US label generally includes:

• Statement of identity: the common name of the food, such as "Green Curry Paste."
• Net quantity: in both US customary units (ounces) and metric units (grams).
• Ingredient list: in descending order by weight, using common names.
• Allergen declaration: all major food allergens recognized in the US.
• Nutrition Facts panel: in the current US format, unless an exemption applies.
• Name and address: of the manufacturer, packer or distributor.
• Country of origin: for example, "Product of Thailand," which US Customs requires.

Allergens Hidden in Thai Recipes

Allergens are the number one label risk for Thai foods. The US recognizes nine major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans and sesame. Sesame was added in 2023.

Look closely at your recipes:

• Fish sauce contains fish, and the label must name the species (for example, anchovy).
• Shrimp paste contains crustacean shellfish and must name the species.
• Soy sauce and oyster sauce may contain soy, wheat and shellfish.
• Peanut sauces and satay contain peanuts.
• Cashew snacks contain tree nuts.

Coconut is common in Thai food, and FDA guidance on which nuts count as tree nuts has been updated in recent years. Check the latest FDA allergen guidance for coconut before finalizing your label.

Also check colors and additives. The FDA has moved to phase out some synthetic food dyes, including revoking Red No. 3 for food with a compliance date in January 2027. Ingredients that are allowed in Thailand are not always allowed in the US, so review every additive against US rules.

FSVP and What Your US Importer Will Ask You For

Under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the US importer must run a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). In simple terms, the importer has to check that you, the foreign supplier, produce food that meets US safety standards.

Expect a serious US importer to ask for:

• Your FDA registration number and US agent details
• Your food safety plan or HACCP plan (hazard analysis and controls)
• Third-party audit reports or certificates, such as GMP, HACCP, BRCGS or FSSC 22000
• Product specifications and lab test results (microbiology, heavy metals, pesticides, where relevant)
• Allergen controls and cleaning procedures
• Your process filings for canned or acidified products

If you can hand over a clean, organized document pack on the first request, you look like a low-risk supplier. That alone can win you the deal over a cheaper competitor whose paperwork is a mess.

Seafood and juice have their own HACCP rules in the US, so Thai seafood and juice exporters should check those specific requirements as well. The FDA has also issued a food traceability rule for certain high-risk foods, and as of 2026 the compliance date has been pushed out to 2028. Watch for updates if you export fresh produce, seafood or other foods on the FDA's traceability list.

Tariffs, Landed Cost and Pricing for the US

Once your paperwork is right, the next question is whether the numbers work. US trade rules for Thailand have changed several times since 2025. As of late 2026, after the Supreme Court struck down the earlier emergency tariffs in February 2026 and a temporary tariff expired in July 2026, a new Section 301 duty took effect on July 24, 2026. For Thailand, it is reported at 12.5% on top of normal duties, with some product exemptions. The US has also suspended the old $800 duty-free exemption for small parcels from all countries.

These rates can change quickly. Before you quote a US buyer, ask a licensed US customs broker to confirm the correct tariff code (HTS code) and total duty for each product. This is not tax or customs advice.

Build your landed cost sheet with:

1. Factory cost per unit
2. Export packaging and labels
3. Freight from Laem Chabang or Bangkok
4. US duties, customs broker fees and customs bond
5. FDA-related costs, such as US agent fees and lab testing
6. Inland freight in the US
7. Distributor, retailer or Amazon margins

Then decide your channel. Asian grocery distributors, US food service, specialty retail, Amazon and your own website each have different margins and paperwork. Many Thai brands start with an Asian grocery importer and add online sales once they have stock in the US.

Common Mistakes Thai Food Exporters Make

These are the mistakes that cost Thai food exporters the most time and money:

• Letting FDA registration lapse. Missing the October to December renewal window in even-numbered years.
• Assuming the importer handles everything. The importer files prior notice, but your facility registration, FCE and SID filings are your responsibility.
• Missing allergens. Fish sauce, shrimp paste and soy sauce are the usual culprits.
• Shipping canned products without FCE and SID filings. This often leads to detention.
• Copying the Thai label. US labels need specific formats, units and English text.
• Ignoring additives. Some colors, preservatives and herbal ingredients allowed in Thailand are restricted in the US.
• Sending samples casually. Trade show and buyer samples still need prior notice.

If you sell other products too, the rules can differ. Our guide for Malaysian brands exporting halal products to the USA covers halal positioning, and our guide on how Indonesian brands export to the US walks through a similar path from a neighboring market.

Pre-Shipment Checklist to Export Thai Food to the USA

Run through this list before every first shipment of a new product:

1. FDA facility registration is active and renewed for the current cycle.
2. US agent is named and reachable.
3. DUNS number matches the exact facility name and address.
4. FCE and SID filings are complete if the product is low-acid canned or acidified.
5. English label checked against US rules, including allergens and Nutrition Facts.
6. Ingredients and additives checked against US rules.
7. Importer has your FSVP document pack.
8. Customs broker has confirmed the HTS code and duty rate.
9. Prior notice will be filed before arrival.
10. "Product of Thailand" country of origin marking is on the package.

Get Your Thai Food Brand Ready for US Shelves

Getting FDA paperwork right is the first step. The next is finding buyers and building demand, which is where most exporters need the most help. Raw Marketing Group Asia is your operator on the ground in Asia, helping Asian brands sell out to the US with one contract and one accountable team. Our market entry team can map your compliance steps, channel plan and launch marketing in one place.

If you want to export Thai food to the USA with fewer surprises, book a free 30-minute strategy call and we will walk through your products, paperwork and the fastest route to your first US orders. Please treat this article as general information and confirm all regulatory steps with a qualified professional.