Taiwan Abolishes Legacy Cosmetics Review Fees

On April 8, 2026, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration announced the abolition of the “Fee Standards for Review and Registration of Drugs and Cosmetics Accepted by the Department of Health, Executive Yuan.” The measure removes remaining fee requirements tied to the former pre-market approval system and further aligns Taiwan cosmetics regulation with a notification-based market access model.

Taiwan Cosmetics Regulation Moves Beyond Pre-Market Approval

This regulatory change eliminates a long-standing fee structure tied to the former pre-market approval system for cosmetics and certain drug-related filings.

The abolished regulation — originally issued on September 1, 2006 — governed fees associated with application review and registration. Its removal reflects the authorities’ transition toward a streamlined regulatory model that no longer relies on pre-market approvals for most cosmetics.

Move from Pre-Market Approval to Product Notification

Under the previous system, companies were required to submit products for regulatory review and pay associated fees before market entry.

The new framework removes this requirement for most cosmetics, instead requiring companies to complete a notification process prior to commercialization. This shift is intended to:

• Simplify administrative procedures
• Reduce regulatory burden on companies
• Accelerate product market entry timelines

What the TFDA Fee Abolition Means for Foreign Companies

For overseas manufacturers, brand owners, and importers, the abolition has both cost and operational implications. The direct impact is the removal of review-related fees tied to the former system. The broader impact is a clearer move toward internal compliance accountability.

Lower Administrative Costs

Companies no longer need to budget for application review fees under the abolished fee standards. This may reduce the administrative cost of entering or expanding in the Taiwan cosmetics market.

The financial benefit is especially relevant for companies with broad product portfolios. A notification-based model may make it easier to plan multiple product launches without the same fee exposure associated with formal pre-market review.

Faster Taiwan Market Entry

The notification system may also support faster market entry. Without a prior approval step for most cosmetics, companies can align Taiwan launches more closely with regional product rollout schedules.

This added flexibility may help international companies respond more quickly to consumer demand, seasonal product cycles, and reformulation strategies. Companies should still build sufficient time for documentation review, label verification, and notification preparation before commercialization.

New Compliance Responsibilities and Transitional Risks

The removal of review fees simplifies one part of market access, but it also underscores a more important compliance shift. Without pre-market authority validation, companies need stronger internal controls before products enter the market.

The higher-risk work now moves earlier in the launch process. Companies need to resolve classification, ingredient, claim, labeling, and documentation issues before notification, rather than waiting for authority feedback during review.

Foreign companies should pay particular attention to products developed for multiple Asian markets. A formula, claim, or label that is acceptable elsewhere may still require review against Taiwan-specific requirements.

Recommended Actions for International Stakeholders

Foreign manufacturers, importers, and distributors should use this change as an opportunity to review their Taiwan cosmetics compliance procedures. The fee abolition may simplify market access, but companies still need a clear internal process for notification and post-market compliance.

Review Taiwan Cosmetics Notification Requirements

Companies should confirm whether each product falls under Taiwan’s cosmetics notification framework before commercialization. They should also verify the required product information, supporting documents, and responsible-party obligations.

A structured regulatory review can help overseas applicants identify issues early. This is particularly useful when product formulas, labels, or claims have already been prepared for other Asian markets but have not yet been assessed against Taiwan requirements.

Update Internal Regulatory Workflows

Companies that previously relied on pre-market authority review should replace that step with stronger internal checks. Product safety, ingredient compliance, labeling, and notification documentation should be reviewed before launch.

For international companies managing several Asian markets, consistency is also important. Cisema can help align Taiwan procedures with broader regional compliance workflows, while accounting for local TFDA expectations.

Monitor TFDA Guidance and Adjust Launch Plans

Companies should continue monitoring TFDA updates as the notification-based system develops. Further guidance may affect documentation practices, notification procedures, or post-market expectations.

Product launch plans should remain flexible enough to accommodate these updates. Ongoing regulatory intelligence and bilingual interpretation can help companies respond quickly when new TFDA guidance is issued.

Final Thoughts: Preparing for Taiwan’s Notification-Based Cosmetics Framework

Taiwan’s cosmetics regulatory framework is now clearly centered on company-led compliance rather than pre-market authority review. By abolishing the former review and registration fee standards, the TFDA has removed another legacy element of the old approval-based system. For international companies, this creates a more flexible market-entry pathway — but one that requires stronger internal controls before launch.

The higher-risk work now moves earlier in the launch process. Companies need to resolve classification, ingredient, claim, labeling, and documentation issues before notification, rather than waiting for authority feedback during review.

That is where targeted local regulatory support becomes valuable. Cisema supports international companies with regulatory interpretation, compliance gap analysis, label review, and cosmetic product notification support aligned with current TFDA requirements.

For companies preparing cosmetics notifications, updating Taiwan compliance workflows, or reviewing product labels for market entry, contact Cisema today.

Further Information

•  Explore Cisema's services for Taiwan cosmetics registration.

References

The"Charging Standards for Inspection and Registration Fees for Drugs and Cosmetics Accepted by the Department of Health of the Executive Yuan Is abolished" – Taiwan FDA.