Foreign food facilities must renew their FDA registration during the October 1–December 31, 2026 renewal period. Secure your U.S. Agent and renewal support before the deadline — there is no grace period, and no FDA fee for renewing.
Start My Renewal → Renewal FAQQuick answer: If your facility manufactures, processes, packs, or holds food for the U.S. market and is currently FDA-registered, you must renew that registration between October 1 and December 31, 2026. The FDA does not charge a fee for renewal. Foreign facilities must also have a valid U.S. Agent on file to complete the process.
Any domestic or foreign facility that manufactures, processes, packs, or holds food or animal food for consumption in the United States and is currently registered with the FDA must renew that registration during the 2026 biennial window. This is required every even-numbered year — 2022, 2024, and now 2026.
The 2026 renewal window opens October 1, 2026 and closes December 31, 2026. Renewal cannot be submitted before October 1. Renewal is completed electronically through the FDA Industry Systems (FIS) account associated with the facility's existing registration.
No grace period. If registration is not renewed by December 31, 2026, the FDA considers it expired — not paused. Resuming shipments then requires a full new registration, not a simple renewal.
Food from a facility with an expired registration can be refused entry at the U.S. border and held or destroyed.
Lapsed registration can trigger increased FDA scrutiny of future shipments, even after the facility re-registers.
An expired registration cannot simply be reactivated — the facility must complete a brand-new registration, which takes longer than renewal.
Delays and blocked shipments can mean lost clients and revenue while the new registration is processed.
Every food facility registration and renewal must include a Unique Facility Identifier (UFI). The only UFI currently accepted by the FDA is a DUNS number, issued free of charge by Dun & Bradstreet. If your facility doesn't have a current DUNS number, or the one on file is outdated, this should be resolved before renewing — an invalid or mismatched DUNS number is one of the most common causes of renewal delays.
Renewal is also the required moment to review and correct your registration details. Common items that need updating between renewal cycles:
Every foreign food facility registered with the FDA must have a valid, reachable U.S. Agent on file to complete renewal. Communication the FDA sends to your U.S. Agent is legally treated as communication sent directly to you — so an unreliable or unresponsive agent puts your renewal, and your ongoing compliance, at risk. See our guide to choosing a U.S. Agent for what to look for.
One service, everything included — no separate line items for renewal, U.S. Agent, or certificate.
October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Renewal cannot be submitted before October 1, and registrations not renewed by December 31 are considered expired.
No. The FDA does not charge a fee for food facility registration or renewal. Any cost you pay comes from a service provider assisting with the process, not the FDA itself.
The registration is considered expired, with no grace period. Products from the facility can be refused entry into the U.S., and a full new registration — not a simple renewal — is required to resume shipping.
A Unique Facility Identifier is required with every registration and renewal. The only UFI currently accepted by the FDA is a DUNS number, available free from Dun & Bradstreet.
Yes — a valid, reachable U.S. Agent must be on file to complete renewal for any foreign food facility.
Work begins within one business day of payment. No hidden fees, no FDA fee markup.
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