Vietnam · Regulatory
Local authorized representative in Vietnam
Foreign companies cannot register products or file directly with Vietnam’s authorities. A locally based representative does it for you. As your representative, Emerhub holds your product registrations, signs the compliance documents, and deals with the authorities, so you can sell and import in Vietnam without setting up your own entity.
The basics
What a local authorized representative does
A local authorized representative is a Vietnam-based entity appointed to act for a foreign company in its dealings with the authorities. It is named in the paperwork as your point of contact, signs the filings that need a local signatory, and, for regulated products, holds the registration itself.
A foreign company without a presence in Vietnam cannot register a product or submit most regulatory applications on its own. The law requires a local entity, one with the right business licenses, to stand behind the application. Appointing a representative gives you that local entity without having to build one.
When you need one
Where a representative is required
The four situations that bring most foreign companies to this service.
Product registration
Food, cosmetics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals must be registered by a local holder before they can be sold or imported. A foreign manufacturer cannot hold the registration directly.
Licensing and permits
Many activities need licenses and ongoing renewals that only a resident representative can apply for and keep current on your behalf.
Signing and validating documents
Legal, tax, and compliance filings often need the signature of a local authorized representative to be valid.
Official communication
The representative is your registered point of contact with the authorities, so notices, deadlines, and compliance requests never go unanswered.
The main use
Holding your product registration
Product registration is the most common reason foreign companies need a representative. Food, cosmetics, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals all have to be registered by a Vietnamese entity before they can be sold or imported, and a foreign manufacturer cannot do it directly.
That entity is the registration holder. It submits the dossier, deals with the Ministry of Health or the Drug Administration of Vietnam, and carries the obligations once the product is approved. You appoint it with a legalized letter of authorization.
Medical devices are a good example. The holder has to be a local entity with a valid Establishment License and the right to trade Class B, C, and D devices. Once the manufacturer authorizes it, it registers the device with the Ministry of Health: a Declaration of Applied Standards for Class A and B, or a Marketing Authorization for Class C and D.
Cosmetics have one catch. Only the entity that holds the product notification can import the product, so your representative has to be the notification holder, not just authorized by one.
Registering a specific product? See how the process works on our Vietnam product registration page, or tell us the product and we will hold it for you.
Our service
What Emerhub handles as your representative
From holding the registration to standing in front of an inspection.
Official representation
We act as your appointed representative, the local entity behind your product registrations, licensing applications, and government filings.
Signing and validating documents
An authorized signatory for your legal, tax, and compliance documents, so filings clear review without avoidable delay.
Compliance and filings
From annual reports to sector-specific registrations, we prepare and submit what the authorities require to keep you compliant.
Notices and inspections
We receive and respond to official notices, support you through inspections, and coordinate with the authorities on your behalf.
Ongoing advisory
Practical, bilingual guidance through Vietnam’s legal and regulatory environment, beyond the representation itself.
Why Emerhub
A representative that has done it before
Emerhub has represented foreign companies in Vietnam for over a decade, across exactly the registrations and filings this service covers. Our team pairs local regulatory knowledge with an understanding of how foreign businesses actually work, and keeps the communication clear on all sides, the manufacturer, the representative, and the authorities.
Because we also handle company registration, importing, and accounting in Vietnam, the representation does not sit in isolation. If you later set up your own entity, the registrations and filings can move across with you rather than starting again.
Common questions
Authorized representative questions
What foreign companies ask most.
Can a foreigner act as a local authorized representative?
The representative has to be locally based and hold the right business licenses, so in practice it is a Vietnamese entity. A foreign individual cannot stand in for that local entity, which is the reason the role exists.
Can a company have more than one representative in Vietnam?
Yes. For product registration in particular you can appoint more than one, though each then registers the product separately, and each application is treated as new with its own fees.
Can I change my representative later?
Yes, though for registered products a change can mean re-registering under the new holder, so it is best to plan the timing rather than switch mid-cycle.
What is the difference between a legal representative and an authorized representative?
A legal representative, or director, is an officer of a Vietnamese company under the Law on Enterprises and must reside in Vietnam. An authorized representative acts for a foreign company in regulatory matters and need not be a company officer.
Do small businesses or startups need one?
If you are selling regulated products or filing applications that need a local signatory, yes, regardless of size. If you already have a Vietnamese entity that meets the requirements, you may not need a separate representative.
Is the appointment disclosed publicly?
The representative is named on the registrations and filings it submits, so it appears on the public regulatory record for those, rather than being a private arrangement only.
What is the difference between LAR and Importer of Record?
A Local Authorized Representative holds your registrations and represents you with regulators (Ministry of Health, DAV, VFA) so your product can legally be sold in Vietnam. An Importer of Record handles the customs clearance on individual shipments. Most foreign companies need both — LAR to make the product sellable, IOR to actually ship it in.
Which products and sectors do you cover?
Food and dietary supplements (VFA), cosmetics (DAV notification), medical devices Classes A through D (Ministry of Health), and pharmaceuticals (DAV). Other regulated categories are handled on a case-by-case basis depending on the licenses involved.
On the ground in Vietnam
Talk to our Vietnam team
Tell us what you want to register and where the product is made. Our team in Vietnam will hold the registration, deal with the regulator, and stand in front of any compliance questions on your behalf.