title fda food facility registration — FDA Reader

Do I Need to Register as an FDA Food Facility?

You must register as a Food Facility if you own or operate a facility that manufactures, processes, packs, or holds food for consumption in the US. You must register regardless of whether or not the food enters interstate commerce

Some products will require supplemental registrations (See Supplemental Registrations and Notifications).

You do not need to register as a food facility if you are a:

Farm
Restaurant - Businesses that serve food for immediate consumption
Retail Food Establishment- Grocery Stores, Convenience Stores, A business that sells food to consumers as the business's primary function. The value of food it sells from that establishment must exceed the value of sales to all other customers (i.e. businesses)
Non-profit food establishments in which the food is served directly to the customer
Fishing Vessels
Facilities that are regulated exclusively by the USDA.
Home-operator: You do not need to register if you are processing food in your private residence

Still unclear about the requirements for Food Facility Registration? Check out this FDA Guidance Document, linked below

What Does it Mean to Be a Registered Food Facility?

Don't worry, it doesn't mean that the FDA is going to inspect you immediately. The FDA is typically a reactive agency and won't bust down the door just because you have registered.

Instead, registering allows the FDA to know that you are producing food in case something goes wrong, such as a widespread health risk associated with your food category.

How to Register as an FDA Food Facility

Create an Account on the FDA Website
Login and choose "Food Facility Registration
Complete the registration process online. You can use this step-by-step guide if you need additional support
Record the following information:
- Registration #
- PIN
- Registration Expiration Date (I recommend putting this date into your calendar so you will don't miss it)

Note: If someone other than the owner/operator is registering the facility, then a verification email will be sent to the owner/operator requiring them to confirm the registration.