Philippines · FDA registration
Certificate of Product Registration (CPR) in the Philippines
Every FDA-regulated product needs a Certificate of Product Registration before it can be manufactured, imported, or sold in the Philippines. We secure the documents, file the CPR for each product and variant, and handle the FDA process for you.
Overview
What a Certificate of Product Registration is
A Certificate of Product Registration, the CPR, is the FDA’s confirmation that a regulated product meets the safety and quality standards to be sold in the Philippines. It is your marketing authority for that product, and it has to be in place before you manufacture, import, or sell it.
The CPR is tied to your License to Operate, which is why a valid LTO comes first. It also covers only the product as registered, and it is issued per product, so each variant, dosage, flavour, and packaging is registered in its own right. A range of products means a set of certificates, not one.
Scope
Products that need a CPR
The categories the FDA registers through a Certificate of Product Registration.
Food products
Processed food, beverages, bottled water, canned goods, and infant formula.
Food supplements
Vitamins, minerals, energy products, and other dietary supplements.
Medicines and pharmaceuticals
Over-the-counter drugs and other pharmaceutical products.
Household and urban hazardous products
Cleaning supplies, disinfectants, and pesticides.
Veterinary products
Veterinary drugs, medicated feeds, and antimicrobials for animals.
Two exceptions
Cosmetics and medical devices use a different certificate
Two product types use a different certificate. Cosmetics are notified to the FDA through a Certificate of Product Notification (CPN), not a CPR, and medical devices use a Certificate of Medical Device Notification or Registration (CMDN or CMDR). The rest of the FDA-regulated range runs through the CPR.
Requirements
Documents for a CPR application
What the FDA asks for, first time and at renewal.
First-time application
- Completed application form
- Valid License to Operate (LTO) from the FDA
- Product labels, in every packaging size and from each angle
- Product documents
- Certificate of analysis, for medium and high-risk products
- Quality management system documentation
- Clinical data, where it applies
- Product samples, if requested
Renewal
- Completed application form
- Proof of payment of fees
- Product labels, in every packaging size and from each angle
- Documents supporting any change made to the product
The process
How to get a CPR
Four stages, starting with the license everything else depends on.
Step 1 — Secure your License to Operate
Every CPR sits on a valid LTO, so you need one before you can register a single product. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and exporters of regulated products all require it.
Step 2 — Submit and pre-assessment
We prepare the application and documents for each product, variant, and packaging size, then file it through the FDA’s online system for an initial completeness check.
Step 3 — Detailed evaluation
The relevant FDA centre reviews the dossier, labels, and any samples against the safety, quality, and labeling rules for your product type.
Step 4 — Issuance of the CPR
On approval the FDA issues the certificate for the product and its variants, and you can manufacture, import, and sell it legally.
Validity
How long a CPR lasts, and renewing it
How long a CPR runs depends on the product. As a general rule an initial certificate lasts two years and a renewal up to five, but the period varies by category: processed food registrations can reach five years, and pharmaceutical registrations six. Because the certificate covers only the product as registered, any change to the formulation or label means an amendment or a fresh registration.
Renew before the certificate expires. Products that have not changed can often be set for automatic renewal, while a certificate left to lapse risks being treated as a new application. Processed food registration now runs through the FDA’s eServices System, which replaced the older ePortal in early 2026, so applications and renewals filed there follow the new procedure.
How we help
Emerhub handles the FDA process
Our FDA team secures the documents, files the application, and manages the FDA through to issuance, across food, supplements, pharmaceuticals, household products, and veterinary lines. For renewals, we advise on the best route for each product and file on your behalf before the deadline, so nothing lapses while it is still selling.
Not sure which category your product falls under, or whether you need a CPR at all? Talk to our FDA team and we will place it correctly before you file.
Common questions
CPR questions
What companies registering products ask most.
What is a Certificate of Product Registration?
The FDA’s confirmation that a regulated product meets the safety and quality standards to be sold in the Philippines. It is your marketing authority for the product, and it must be in place before you manufacture, import, or sell it.
Which products need a CPR?
Food, food supplements, medicines and pharmaceuticals, household and urban hazardous products, and veterinary products. Cosmetics use a Certificate of Product Notification instead, and medical devices use a CMDN or CMDR.
Do I need a License to Operate first?
Yes. Only a business with a valid LTO can apply for a CPR, because the certificate is tied to that license. The LTO is the company-level permit; the CPR is the product-level one.
How long is a CPR valid?
It depends on the product. An initial certificate is commonly two years and a renewal up to five, with processed food reaching five years and pharmaceuticals six. The validity is printed on the certificate itself.
Do I need a separate CPR for each variant?
Yes. Each product, and each variant, dosage, flavour, or packaging, is registered in its own right, so a product range means a set of certificates rather than one.
How do I renew a CPR?
File the renewal before the certificate expires. Products with no changes can often be renewed automatically, while a certificate left to lapse may have to be filed again as a new application.
How long does registration take?
It varies by product category and how complete the dossier is. Low-risk products move faster, while medium and high-risk ones need fuller evaluation, a certificate of analysis, and sometimes samples.
On the ground in the Philippines
Talk to our Manila team
Tell us what you are registering — food, supplements, medicines, household hazardous, or veterinary — and where the product is made. Our Manila team will prepare the dossier, file with the FDA, and see the CPR through to issuance.
Phone+63 928 516 2791
OfficeUnit 710, High Street South Corporate Plaza Tower
2 26th St, Taguig
1634 Metro Manila, Philippines
2 26th St, Taguig
1634 Metro Manila, Philippines