Cosmetics Registration Tanzania: TBS Products, Premises, Banned Ingredients and Imports

Cosmetics registration in Tanzania is a TBS matter on the Mainland. Older guides still send people to TMDA or its predecessor, TFDA. That route closed on 1 July 2019. Today the Tanzania Bureau of Standards decides whether a cream, soap, perfume or hair product may be imported, made, stored or sold.

This guide covers importers, manufacturers, distributors and shops on the Mainland. Zanzibar has its own regulator, covered briefly below.

What the law says

The change came through the Finance Act, 2019 (Act No. 8 of 2019), as published by TRA, in force on 1 July 2019. Two Parts matter:

• Part VII amended the Standards Act, Cap. 130. It added a definition of "cosmetic", a TBS function to "certify and register food, food products and cosmetics", and a block of new cosmetics sections numbered 21T to 21Y.
• Part VIII amended the Tanzania Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Cap. 219. It removed food and cosmetics from that Act and renamed it, and the authority, as the Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Act and Authority (TMDA).

The new sections of the Standards Act, as inserted in 2019, work as follows:

• Section 21T: no cosmetic may be sold, given, made, imported, stored or exhibited for sale unless it conforms to requirements prescribed by TBS.
• Section 21U: the Minister, on TBS advice, may declare ingredients prohibited, and only approved substances may colour cosmetics.
• Section 21V: bans selling cosmetics with poisonous or harmful substances, or made under insanitary conditions, or imported or made in breach of the Act.
• Section 21W: defines a counterfeit cosmetic, including imitations and products naming a fictitious maker.
• Section 21X: lets the Minister prohibit a named cosmetic by Gazette notice.
• Section 21Y: sets the penalties.
• Section 26A: no one may make for sale, sell, supply or store food or cosmetics except in premises registered under the Act.

The detail sits in two sets of regulations published on 24 September 2021. The Standards (Registration of Premises and Certification of Products) Regulations, 2021, GN 683 of 2021 cover premises and locally made products. The Standards (Imports Registration and Batch Certification) Regulations, 2021, GN 681 of 2021 cover imports.

Under section 20 of the Standards Act, 2009, as enacted, the Minister may also declare a standard compulsory by Gazette notice, and selling goods that fail it is an offence.

The section numbers above are those the Finance Act inserted. The Standards Act has since been consolidated in the Revised Edition 2023, and some TBS function paragraphs moved. Check the current numbering before you cite a section in a letter or a court filing.

Who is affected

• Importers of skin creams, lotions, soaps, perfumes, deodorants, hair relaxers, shampoos, make-up and nail products.
• Local manufacturers, from a small soap maker to a factory filling lotions under contract.
• Distributors, wholesalers and warehouses that store cosmetics for onward sale.
• Supermarkets, pharmacies, beauty shops and salons that sell cosmetics over the counter.
• Online sellers who hold stock in Tanzania, since storage for sale needs registered premises.

If you also handle food, the same premises rules apply. Our guide to food business licensing with TBS, TMDA or the council covers that side.

Is it TBS or TMDA that regulates cosmetics?

TBS. The Finance Act, 2019 stripped cosmetics out of the TMDA statute and placed them in the Standards Act. TMDA kept medicines, medical devices and diagnostics.

The boundary turns on the definition. A "cosmetic" is an article rubbed, poured, sprayed or otherwise applied to the body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering appearance. The definition excludes articles intended to diagnose, treat or prevent disease, and articles intended to affect a structure or function of the body.

A cream that claims to treat eczema, fungal infection or acne is likely to be classed as a medicine, not a cosmetic. A product containing a corticosteroid sold as a "lightening" cream is banned as a cosmetic. Claims on the label and in advertising decide which regime applies. If your product sits near the line, read our guide to registering medicines and medical devices with TMDA and ask both regulators in writing.

How do you register imported cosmetics with TBS?

Imports follow GN 681 of 2021. Regulation 7 bars any person from carrying on an importation business in cosmetics unless registered with TBS. Donated and occasional consignments, and other categories TBS designates, are exempt.

The TBS Products and Premises Registration page says TBS registers food and cosmetics made abroad and imported. The steps are:

1. Register as a user on the TBS Online Application System (OAS) through the e-services portal.
2. Enter the product details and upload the documents.
3. Pay the fee the system generates against a government control number.
4. Deliver samples to a TBS office.
5. TBS evaluates the documents, the laboratory results, the ingredients, the label and the packaging, and replies through OAS.
6. If the product passes, TBS issues the registration certificate electronically.

Regulation 8(2) lists the documents for a cosmetic: a sample, the business licence, a certificate of analysis, a material safety data sheet, a product leaflet where there is one, and the manufacturer's authorisation where relevant. TBS must give reasons within 14 days if it rejects an application.

The certificate lasts five years. Apply to renew at least 60 days before it expires. Any change to the product, such as a new formula or label, must be notified to TBS and approved before the changed product is sold (regulation 21).

Regulation 11 then bars release of an imported product to the market until TBS has approved and certified the batch. The importer applies at least seven days before arrival, with the bill of lading or airway bill, invoice, packing list, tax assessment and proof of premises registration. TBS inspects, may sample, and issues a batch certificate or rejects the consignment with reasons within seven days.

What does a local cosmetics manufacturer need?

Locally made cosmetics follow GN 683 of 2021. Regulation 13(1) says a person shall not manufacture, sell or supply cosmetics unless they are registered and certified and the holder has registered premises.

A manufacturer needs three things from TBS:

• Registered premises for the factory, the store and any outlet.
• Product certification against the Tanzania or East African standard for each product type, which leads to a licence to use the TBS Standards Mark.
• Clean production: regulation 15 bans manufacture under insanitary conditions or packing that may harm safety or quality.

Regulation 18 grants registration where the product conforms to the national or international standard, or other TBS requirements where no standard exists. If TBS asks for more information and you do not supply it within four months without good cause, the application lapses.

A product certification licence runs for no more than twelve months under regulation 26(5). Regulation 27 asks for renewal 60 days before expiry. The certification steps, the audit and the Standards Mark are covered in our guides to TBS certification and product standards certification.

The NEMC annual fee for a pharmaceutical or cosmetics plant is TZS 1,500,000 (register F0509).

Which premises must be registered with TBS?

Every place where cosmetics are made for sale, sold, supplied or stored. The TBS page lists factories, warehouses, supermarkets, and food and cosmetics shops among the premises it registers. A TBS notice to food and cosmetics dealers of 27 May 2020 told sellers to apply for premises registration and permits.

The online application asks for the TIN, photographs or drawings of the building, the business licence and a location map. The fee depends on the activity. After payment, an inspector visits. Regulation 21(2) of GN 683 sets the tests: location, layout, space, lighting, ventilation, protection from pests and cleanable surfaces.

Regulation 23 requires notice to TBS within 14 days of a change in the nature or location of the business. Inspectors may call without notice (regulation 25).

Which ingredients are banned in Tanzania?

Two TBS lists apply, both linked from the TBS banned products page.

The List of Substances Prohibited in Cosmetics, September 2026 runs to several hundred entries. It names, among others, mercury and its compounds, lead and its compounds, glucocorticoids (corticosteroids), hexachlorophene and bithionol. It cross-refers to the East African Standard EAS 377 for certain exceptions.

The List of Banned Cosmetics names more than 200 products by brand. It groups them by the reason for the ban:

• Hydroquinone in creams, lotions and soaps.
• Mercury and its compounds.
• Steroids or hormones.
• Tretinoin and other drug ingredients.
• Butylphenyl methylpropional (Lilial), zinc pyrithione, and isopropyl and isobutyl paraben.

The Daily News reported on 19 March 2025 that TBS would act against sellers of listed products.

Check both lists before each order, because they change. Ask the supplier for a full ingredient list and a certificate of analysis that tests for mercury and hydroquinone.

What must a cosmetics label show?

Regulation 16 of GN 683 requires labels to meet the cosmetics product standards TBS recognises. Regulation 17 bans labels that are false or that mislead about the product's nature, quality or uses.

The general standard is TZS 774:2014, Labelling of cosmetics, General requirements, published by TBS on 18 December 2014. Product standards in the East African series add their own label items. The draft East African Standard for baby oils, notified to the WTO in 2019, is a typical example. It asks for the product name, batch number, ingredients, country of origin, dates of manufacture and expiry, and storage conditions.

Check the current edition of the standard for your product type before printing. A whitening claim invites scrutiny for hydroquinone and steroids.

Does PVoC apply to cosmetics imports?

Pre-Export Verification of Conformity (PVoC) is the TBS programme that inspects regulated goods in the country of supply. A contracted inspection company issues a certificate of conformity (CoC) before shipment. Our guide to PVoC and TBS import conformity sets out the routes and the process.

Whether a cosmetics consignment needs a CoC depends on whether its tariff line is on the current TBS list of PVoC-regulated products. We could not confirm from a published TBS list that cosmetics are within PVoC. The Bureau Veritas Tanzania PVoC data sheet, Rev 14.7 of October 2023, does not list cosmetics as a category. It does list a "TBS product registration certificate/permit for food and cosmetic products" among the documents the inspector asks for.

Ask the PVoC provider and TBS before shipping. Where PVoC applies, three routes carry fees on the FOB value (register F0355 to F0357):

• Route A: 0.50% of FOB, minimum USD 250, maximum USD 5,000.
• Route B: 0.45% of FOB, same minimum and maximum.
• Route C: 0.25% of FOB, same minimum and maximum.

A regulated consignment that arrives without a CoC faces a penalty of 15% of the invoice value plus destination inspection costs (register F0359). SGS reported in December 2025 that TBS introduced an updated CoC template from 1 November 2025. TBS also lists exemptions, including consignments below USD 5,000 and TBS-certified products (register F0366).

Which business licence does a cosmetics business need?

The Business Licensing Act, Cap. 101 sorts businesses into Class A, issued by BRELA on the TNBP portal, and Class B, issued by the council. The class follows the activity, not the product.

Foreign investors should check the reserved activities first. The register records that small industries, general wholesale and retail sale of goods are closed to non-citizens under GN 487A of 2025, with exceptions such as supermarkets and specialised outlets. Our guide to wholesale and retail trade for foreign investors explains what is open.

What does cosmetics registration cost?

TBS does not publish its product registration, product certification or premises registration fees. The fee register records them as "not published" (F0365). The OAS system generates the amount for your application. Other charges are fixed.

The excise rise came in the Finance Act, 2026. The EY analysis of 17 July 2026 lists perfumes, lip and eye make-up, powders, shampoo and deodorants at 15%. Our guide to import duty, VAT and excise shows how the taxes stack.

Government charges are paid at the official rate against the authority's control number. They are separate from Zatra's professional fee.

Worked example: a first consignment of perfumes and lipsticks

A Dar es Salaam company plans to import perfumes and lipsticks from the United Arab Emirates. The facts are illustrative only.

• Consignment FOB value: USD 40,000. Gross weight: 2,500 kg.
• Ten products, none on the TBS banned list, each with a certificate of analysis.
• One warehouse in Ilala and one shop in Kinondoni, both in municipal areas.
• We assume the products are on the PVoC list and use Route A. Confirm this first.

Now change one fact. The consignment ships without a CoC. The PVoC penalty would be 15% of USD 40,000, or USD 6,000, plus the TZS 100,000 destination inspection fee. That is twenty-four times the Route A fee. Ship with the certificate.

The licence rows assume a Tanzanian-owned company.

What happens if you sell without registration?

The penalties are heavy. Under section 21Y, as inserted by the Finance Act, 2019:

• Counterfeit cosmetics: a fine of up to TZS 100 million, or imprisonment of not less than two years, or both.
• Prohibited cosmetics: a fine of not less than TZS 50 million, or imprisonment of not less than two years, or both.

Regulation 30 of GN 681 sets the import offences. A first offence carries imprisonment of at least two years, or a fine of TZS 50 million to 100 million, or both. A repeat offence carries at least three years. The court may also confiscate the goods.

Non-conforming imports must be re-exported or destroyed at the importer's cost (regulation 27). TBS can also cancel a certificate for false information or a suspected health hazard.

A business facing a seizure, a prosecution or a cancellation should brief an advocate at once. Appeals against TBS decisions under both regulations go to the Minister within 14 days.

How does Zanzibar handle cosmetics?

The Standards Act changes of 2019 apply to Mainland Tanzania. In Zanzibar, cosmetics are regulated by the Zanzibar Food and Drug Agency (ZFDA) under the Zanzibar Food, Drugs and Cosmetics Act No. 2 of 2006, listed by the Zanzibar House of Representatives. TradeMark Africa reported in April 2018 that ZFDA launched an online portal covering cosmetics and premises registration.

We do not repeat the Zanzibar procedure here. Our guide to food, drugs and cosmetics in Zanzibar covers it. We could not verify from a ZFDA source the current Zanzibar fees, certificate validity or whether a TBS registration is accepted in Zanzibar. A business selling on both sides should plan for two registrations until ZFDA confirms otherwise.

What to do now

1. Classify each product. Confirm it is a cosmetic and not a medicine, using its ingredients and its claims.
2. Screen the ingredients. Check every formula against both TBS lists and reject anything with mercury, hydroquinone or steroids.
3. Get the licence. Obtain the right Class A or Class B licence for importing, making, wholesaling or retailing.
4. Register the premises. Apply in OAS for every factory, store and shop, and prepare for the inspection.
5. Register or certify the products. Importers register each product; manufacturers certify against the standard.
6. Fix the labels. Check every label against TZS 774 and the product standard before you print.
7. Settle PVoC. Ask TBS and the PVoC provider whether your tariff lines need a CoC, and which route fits.
8. Apply for batch certification. Lodge each consignment at least seven days before it arrives.
9. Diary the renewals. Mark 60 days before each product certificate and licence expires.

Key dates and deadlines

How Zatra helps

Zatra maps your products, premises and import routes, then prepares and files the TBS applications in OAS. Our sector permits service runs premises and product registration with TBS. Our import and export compliance service coordinates PVoC and batch certification with your clearing agent. Our business licensing service obtains the right Class A or Class B licence.

Seizures, prosecutions, disputes with TBS and formal legal opinions go to an advocate, who represents you. Zatra prepares the file and coordinates. Zatra does not decide or guarantee any authority's outcome.

Government charges are paid at the official rate against the authority's control number. They are separate from Zatra's professional fee, which we quote in writing before work starts. To begin, contact Zatra with your product list and supplier details.

Sources and status

Accurate as at 11 November 2026.

• The Finance Act, 2019, Act No. 8 of 2019. Tanzania Revenue Authority copy, 30 June 2019. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Standards (Registration of Premises and Certification of Products) Regulations, 2021, GN 683 of 2021. Tanzania Bureau of Standards, 24 September 2021. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Standards (Imports Registration and Batch Certification) Regulations, 2021, GN 681 of 2021. Tanzania Bureau of Standards, 24 September 2021. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Products and Premises Registration. Tanzania Bureau of Standards, web page, 2026. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Notice to food and cosmetics dealers. Tanzania Bureau of Standards, 27 May 2020. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• List of Substances Prohibited in Cosmetics. Tanzania Bureau of Standards, September 2026. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• List of Banned Cosmetics. Tanzania Bureau of Standards, undated, linked in 2026. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• The Standards Act, 2009, Act No. 2 of 2009, as enacted. TanzLII, 2009. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Tanzania PVoC data sheet, Rev 14.7. Bureau Veritas, October 2023. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Tanzania launches CoC update and system integration. SGS, 11 December 2025. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Tanzanian Finance Act, 2026 analysis. EY Global Tax News, 17 July 2026. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Tanzania bans over 100 cosmetic products amid health concerns. Daily News, 19 March 2025. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.
• Acts of 2006. Zanzibar House of Representatives, web page, 2026. Accessed 11 Nov 2026.

Figures to confirm before you act

• TBS fees for product registration, product certification and premises registration, generated in OAS.
• The Revised Edition 2023 section numbers of the cosmetics provisions inserted in 2019.
• Whether your tariff lines are on the current TBS PVoC regulated list.
• The validity period of a TBS premises registration certificate, which GN 683 does not state.
• Whether the 15% excise applies to locally made cosmetics as well as imports, and to each tariff line you sell.
• Whether any entry on the prohibited ingredients list allows hydroquinone in a restricted use.
• Zanzibar fees, validity and any recognition of TBS registration by ZFDA.

This article is general information based on official sources available at the date of publication. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Laws and notices change. Verify with the issuing authority or consult Zatra before acting.