How are imported ordinary cosmetics treated regarding animal testing in China?

Imported ordinary cosmetics may be exempt from submitting a product toxicology test report when the manufacturer holds a relevant production quality-management certificate issued by the competent government authority of the country or region of manufacture and the safety assessment can fully confirm product safety, and when the product is not excluded. Children’s cosmetics are a usual exclusion. This is not a statement that China has ended animal testing for every cosmetic, and it is not a cruelty-free certificate issued by NMPA.

Published 11 November 2026 · Updated 11 November 2026

How to judge the path

Since the dossier rules that accompanied the Cosmetics Supervision and Administration Regulation, imported ordinary cosmetics have been able to use that conditional exemption. Special cosmetics such as sunscreen, oxidative hair dye and anti-hair-loss products are not covered by a blanket exemption.

Announcement No. 70 of 2026 expanded the toxicology-report waiver, subject to the same kind of government-issued quality-system certificate and a safety assessment that can fully confirm safety, to perm products, non-oxidative hair-dye products, whitening products whose effect is achieved solely through physical covering, and ordinary cosmetics that use new ingredients (except children’s cosmetics). Apply the announcement as written; the authority may later adjust the scope through technical guidelines.

Typical documents, tests and labels

A certificate issued only by a private association is generally not what the exemption language describes as a government competent-authority document. Multi-site manufacture usually requires each site to be covered.

See when toxicology is required or may be waived. Jinshang Testing organizes the compliance work. Testing is coordinated with partner laboratories, and those laboratories issue the reports they perform.

Cautions

Do not tell customers that “China no longer requires animal testing” or that a 10–20 day ordinary filing guarantees an exemption. The exemption depends on documents and product type.

Questions we are often asked

Does a European GMP private certificate suffice?

The exemption language points to a quality-system document issued by the competent government authority of the manufacturing country or region. Private or industry-only certificates are often accepted for other dossier purposes but not described as sufficient for this waiver. Follow the current review practice.

Are children’s imported lotions included?

Children’s cosmetics are excluded from the usual ordinary-cosmetics waiver and from the Announcement No. 70 expansion that applies to ordinary cosmetics using new ingredients. Do not assume an exemption.