Exporting Cosmetics to Cambodia: MOH Notification and Khmer Labels

Legal basis and who files the notification

Sub-Decree No. 122 on Cosmetic Product Control, signed on 28 August 2008, replaced Sub-Decree No. 33 of 22 April 2002. Article 4 says imported or locally made cosmetics traded in Cambodia must have a notification number from the MOH. All cosmetics are under MOH control, and the MOH can revoke a number or stop sales if a product harms consumers. Penalties follow the Law on the Management of Pharmaceuticals.

The applicant is the person or company responsible for the product's quality and safety on the Cambodian market. In practice this is a Cambodian importer or distributor registered with the MOH, appointed by the manufacturer or brand owner with a letter of authorisation. Law firms advise that trading cosmetics also needs an MOH cosmetic business licence, so check that your importer holds one.

Cambodia applies the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive. Under the sub-decree, the lists of permitted, restricted and prohibited substances are set by MOH prakas, so check formulas against the current ASEAN annexes, last updated in June 2026.

Filing in CamPORS: documents, and what is not published

The DDF runs the Cambodia Pharmaceutical Online Registration System (CamPORS), launched on 1 August 2019. It covers cosmetics as well as drugs, health supplements and medical devices. The importer files; DDF officers check the documents.

Article 6 of the sub-decree asks for the formula with ingredient names and quantities, quality control specifications and test methods, microbiological limits, manufacture under good manufacturing practice (GMP), a safety assessment, and information on side effects and effectiveness. Technical documents must be in Khmer and English or French. An ASEAN review of Cambodia's system in 2013 listed the letter of authorisation, labels, a GMP certificate and a Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) for products made outside ASEAN, a sample or artwork, and a certificate of analysis.

The MOH does not publish current fees, processing times or validity periods for cosmetic notifications online, and the sub-decree sets no validity period. Ask your importer for DDF's current document list and costs, and record any expiry date shown on the notification.

GMP, Certificate of Free Sale and legalisation

Article 8 requires cosmetics sold in Cambodia to be made in factories that follow GMP, or minimum GMP, acceptable to the authorities that control cosmetics. Ask your manufacturer for a current GMP certificate before you start.

Order the CFS from the competent authority in the country of manufacture, with product names exactly as they will be notified, and check that it is still valid when the importer files.

Cambodia is not a party to the Apostille Convention. If DDF or your importer asks for notarised or legalised documents, that usually means certification in your country followed by legalisation at a Cambodian embassy or consulate. Confirm what is needed before you order.

Khmer labels and the MOH number

Ministry of Commerce Prakas No. 0064 of 24 February 2022 on the requirements for the distribution of cosmetics covers imported and local products, wholesale, retail and online sales. Cosmetics on the market must carry an MOH notification or registration number, labels must not mislead, and the label must give the following in Khmer:

A notice of 23 September 2022 from the Ministry of Commerce's consumer protection directorate (CCF, formerly CamControl) requires Khmer information on all local and imported products, on the label or attached to it. Other languages may appear as well. Online sellers also need Ministry of Commerce approval and a certificate from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.

• Product name and function
• Directions for use
• Ingredients
• Country of origin
• Net quantity and batch number
• Manufacturing date, and expiry date if the product expires within 30 months
• Name and address of the distributor in Cambodia
• Warnings, where needed

Import and customs clearance

The importer registers with the Ministry of Commerce, for VAT and a tax identification number (TIN) with the General Department of Taxation, and in ASYCUDA, the customs system of the General Department of Customs and Excise. It lodges the declaration in ASYCUDA itself or through a customs broker, with the commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, and any licences or certificates the goods need.

Keep product names identical on the invoice, packing list, label and MOH notification. Triplicate's free generator makes the commercial invoice and packing list, and its HS code lookup helps with classification. We could not confirm from official sources whether DDF also requires a separate permit for each cosmetics shipment, so ask your importer before you ship.

Goods from Thailand and Vietnam, and enforcement

Cosmetics from neighbouring countries follow the same rules as any other import: an MOH number, Khmer labelling and a customs declaration. Being on sale in Thailand or Vietnam does not replace the Cambodian notification.

The land crossings between Thailand and Cambodia closed during the 2025 border conflict and were still closed in mid-2026. A June 2026 report on a CCF seizure of smuggled Thai goods noted that importing goods from Thailand by land is illegal while the land borders are closed. Check the current situation and plan sea or air transport for Thai-made goods.

The CCF and local authorities inspect markets and seize products that are unregistered, counterfeit, relabelled or past their expiry date. Rules and their enforcement change, so confirm current requirements with the DDF or a licensed Cambodian regulatory consultant before you ship.