Do German food companies need FDA registration?
Yes. Under U.S. law, every facility that manufactures, processes, packs or holds food for people or animals in the United States must be registered with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This applies to facilities in Germany exactly as it does to U.S. facilities. Typical German products we register include beer, confectionery, bakery products, sausages, mustard and supplements.
Your registration with your local food control authority (Lebensmittelüberwachung) is still needed at home, but it does not replace FDA registration. Without a valid FDA registration, your shipments can be held at the U.S. port and your importer cannot file Prior Notice correctly.
What you need
- The facility's legal name and exact physical address
- A D-U-N-S number for that address. It is free from Dun & Bradstreet but can take several weeks, so request it early.
- An emergency contact phone answered 24 hours a day
- A list of the foods made, packed or stored at the facility
Wine, beer and spirits
Wineries, breweries and distilleries must register with FDA too. Separately, your U.S. importer needs label approval from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB).
Meat, poultry and egg products
Most meat, poultry and processed egg products are regulated in the U.S. by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), under separate rules. The FDA registration on this page covers other foods, drinks and supplements.
German cosmetics
German cosmetics and natural skincare brands selling in the U.S. need MoCRA facility registration and product listing. EU cosmetic notifications do not cover the U.S., and claims such as "anti-inflammatory" can make a product a drug under U.S. law. See our MoCRA registration service ($369 a year with U.S. Agent). Before you order, see who must register, how product listing works and U.S. label rules. Products with SPF are regulated as drugs in the U.S. (cosmetic or drug?).
How Regovant helps
- Order online and pay by card or PayPal in U.S. dollars. $269 per facility per year.
- Send your details through one short registration form.
- We check and file. We check your D-U-N-S details, file with FDA and act as your U.S. Agent.
- You receive your FDA registration number and a Regovant certificate of registration your buyers can verify.
Food facility registrations are renewed between October 1 and December 31 of every even-numbered year. We email you before each renewal. See the 2026 renewal guide or our step-by-step registration guide.
Questions
We are approved by our local authority. Do we still need FDA registration?
Yes. Approvals at home cover Germany. For the U.S., each facility that makes, packs or stores the food must be registered with the U.S. FDA.
Do German facilities need a U.S. Agent?
Yes. Every food facility outside the U.S. must name a U.S. Agent located in the United States. It is included in our $269 price.
Can you register more than one of our facilities?
Yes. Each address is registered separately. Additional facilities with the same owner are $169 each.
Registering from another country? See FDA registration by country.