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What types of GACC registration are required for overseas exporters and producers?

Tags: | GACC | Food | Food | 海关总署 | 食品 | 食品 |



We often receive urgent calls from overseas exporters:

"I have obtained the GACC registration number of the overseas exporter,  but why my goods still cannot be cleared,  the reason for the Customs rejection is the lack of the GACC registration number."

The reason for rejection by the customs is that the exporter only provided the exporter's GACC registration number, but did not provide the manufacturer's GACC registration number and the product list number.
GACC-2 overseas exporter registration is only one of the most basic GACC registration types that all traders must apply for when food is exported to China.
Only with the GACC-2 overseas exporter registration number, it does not mean that the exporter can freely export all food products to China.

Let's use an analogy:
GACC-2-1 overseas exporter registration number is equivalent to the primary school graduation certificate number,
The export food category (meat, seafood, grain products, etc.) that the exporter fills in when apply GACC registration, is just equivalent to the wish list of primary school students who want to work in the future:
"I'm going to be a doctor, I'm going to be a lawyer",

This does not mean that a primary school student can be a doctor or a lawyer only with a primary school graduation certificate number and a career wish list; if do so, he will definitely be rejected.
To be a doctor or a lawyer, he also needs other qualification certificates, such as a university diploma, a license to practice as a doctor and lawyer, before he can be a doctor or a lawyer;

In the same way, only with the GACC registration number, the overseas exporter cannot go through customs clearance procedures.

For products of different food categories, their overseas producers and exporters also need to apply for different types of GACC registration before they can be exported to China;

Overseas manufacturers and exporters must apply for at least the following three basic GACC registrations:

1 GACC-2 registration of overseas exporter;
2. GACC-1 registration of overseas producer;
3. GACC-5 product listing of imported food;

All of these 3 type GACC registration are indispensable,In the process of customs clearance, you need to fill in the 3 kinds GACC registration number,


   ☼  The GACC registration number need to fill in the China Customs system when apply for Customs clearance

Exporter:*** GACC-2 Exporter Registration number: ***(11 Digits)     Importer: *** GACC-3 Importer Registration number: ***(10 Digits)
Goods Name Producer GACC-1 Producer Registration number GACC-5 Product listing
HS-CIQ number
License No.
(If need)
*** ***
Product 1 Producer 1 C***1111***(18 Digits) ***(13 Digits) ***    
Product 2 Producer 2 C***2222***(18 Digits) ***(13 Digits) ***    
Product 3 Producer 3 C***3333***(18 Digits) ***(13 Digits) ***    
*** *** *** *** ***    
Product N Producer N C***9999***(18 Digits) ***(13 Digits) ***    
Tips:
In the process of customs clearance, when filling in the information of customs declaration, you only need to fill in the GACC registration number, and the customs system will automatically retrieve the corresponding company and product information;
If you do not enter the GACC registration number, you will not be able to fill in and submit the customs form later.

   ☼  GACC-2 registration of overseas exporter;


1. All Overseas exporters/traders , need to apply for GACC-2-1 General registration for overseas exporters;

2. For Medium-high risk animal and plant products, in addition to the GACC-2-1 type registration, their producers/exporters/traders need to apply for the GACC-2-2 type registration, after be included in “The list of enterprises allowed to import in China” (white list), then can be exported into China.

GACC register types GACC-2-1 GACC-2-2
GACC registration item General GACC registration for all Overseas Exporter  Special Exporter or Producer GACC Permit
(White-list of enterprises exporting to China)
Type of enterprise
  • Overseas exporters, shippers, traders, agents, consignor,etc.;
  • For GACC-1-2 & GACC-1-3 food categories, exporter’s CS-cold storage or DS-dry storage facilities need appy GACC register of CS or DS .
  • Overseas exporters /traders
  • Overseas producers
  • Risk level All level For Medium-high risk animal and plant products categories
    Category of GACC registration
  • Meat **
  • Aquatic Products And Preserved Aquatic Products **
  • Pelagic Fishery ** **
  • Dairy Products **
  • Bird Nest Products **
  • Food for Special Dietary Use *
  • Processed Flavorings Of Plant Origin *
  • Bee Products *
  • Egg And Egg Products *
  • Grains And Grain Products *
  • Dried Fruits And Nuts *
  • Vegetable And Vegetable Products *
  • Oil And Oil Seeds *
  • Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials Of Animal And Plant Origin *
  • Processed Flavorings
  • Cigarette
  • Soft Drinks And Drinking Water
  • Canned Foods
  • Tea
  • Other Processed Foods
  • Other Plant Origin Food
  • Pastry Biscuits And Crackers
  • Candied (Preserved) Fruits
  • Sugar
  • Alcoholic Beverage
  • Other foods  
  • Live land animals (cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, bird etc.)
  • Living aquatic organisms (fish, shells, shrimp, crabs, seaweed, etc.)
  • Living plants (plant spices, green coffee beans cocoa beans, raw nuts, etc.)
  • Grains (including seeds and tubers, oilseeds) (soybeans, corn, wheat, rice, potatoes, etc.)
  • Fresh Fruit
  • Oilseeds,
  • Unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans
  • Natural plant spices
  • Egg
  • Bee
  • Chinese herbal medicine
  • Feed (plant source feed, animal source feed and feed additives, etc.);
  • Other non-edibl animal products (animal fur, leather and bone, bird feathers, etc.)
  • Other non-edible plant products (bamboo, wood ,grass,flowers,seedlings, etc.)

     
  • GACC registration valid eriod 5 years 5 years
    GACC registration process GACC register process flow chart GACC register process flow chart
    GACC registration process time 2-4 weeks 3-12 months
    GACC register price, cost, service fee
    Note
  • If the manufacturer wants to directly export to China, it also needs to apply GACC registration for exporter ;
  • GACC-2-2 Registration is required for the above categories, whether for food or for other purposes (ornamental, cultivation, processing, etc.)
    List of GACC approved enterprises >
    GACC-2-1 Exporter
    >
    GACC-2-2 Exporter (White-list)

       ☼  GACC-1 registration of overseas producer

    For all food products, before exported to China, the overseas producers need to apply for GACC registration according to the food categories.

    There are “32 Food categories for GACC registration”, 14 of which are low risk categories and 18 of which are medium and high risk categories; Under each category group, different subcategories are subdivided. each food subcategory requires a separate GACC registration number;

    For different food categories, the producer GACC registration process, application documents requirements, time and cost are different.

    GACC register types GACC-1-1 GACC-1-2 GACC-1-3
    GACC registration item General GACC registration for Overseas Manufacturers GACC registration for Overseas Producer of Medium risk Food GACC registration for Overseas Producer of High risk Food
    Type of enterprise
  • Food Processing plants,
  • manufacturers,
  • producers, processors,
  • packers, re-packers,
  • cold stores, storage operations,
  • Food Processing plants,
  • manufacturers,
  • producers, processors,
  • packers, re-packers,
  • cold stores, storage operations,
  • Food Processing plants,
  • manufacturers,
  • producers, processors,
  • packers, re-packers,
  • cold stores, storage operations,
  • Fishing Vessels of Freezing or Transporting or Factory, etc.
  • Risk level Low risk level Medium risk llevel High risk llevel
    Food category of GACC registration
  • Vegetables and their products (except fresh and dehydrated vegetables)
  • Processed grain and their products
  • Tea
  • Processed Nuts and seed products
  • Liquor
  • Beverages and frozen drinks
  • Biscuits, pastries, bread
  • Sugars (including raw sugar, table sugar, lactose, syrup, etc.)
  • Candy, chocolate (including chocolate, cocoa butter substitute chocolate and its products)
  • Condiments (not including sugar)
  • Roasted coffee beans, cocoa beans and their products (excluding chocolate)
  • Fruit products (excluding dried fruits)
  • Other processed food
  • bee products,
  • egg products,
  • edible oils and fats,
  • oilseeds,
  • stuffed wheaten products,
  • edible grains,
  • milled grain industry products and malt,
  • fresh and dehydrated vegetables and dried beans,
  • condiments,
  • nuts and seeds,
  • dried fruits,
  • unroasted coffee beans and cocoa beans,
  • Meat products,
  • Aquatic products,
  • Dairy products,
  • Bird nest products,
  • foods for special dietary purposes,
  • Health foods,
  • GACC registration valid eriod 5 years 5 years 5 years
    GACC registration process GACC register process flow chart GACC register process flow chart GACC register process flow chart
    GACC registration process time 1-2 months 2-4 months 6-12 months
    GACC register price, cost, service fee
    Note  
  • Require an additional recommend registration procedure by the competent authority of the country of origin
  • This type GACC registration process is very complicated, and the cost depends on the type of Facility and foods, usually be quoted by staff;
  • Require producers have food safety management system (such as, HACCP, GMP,BRC, SQF, Freshcare, ISO 22000,etc.)
  • For some production facilities, GACC-CNCA maybe arrange site-inspection;
  • Each production facility and cold storage facility needs to apply for a separate GACC registration number;
  • List of GACC approved enterprises >
    GACC-1-1 Manufacturers
    >
    GACC-1-2 Manufacturers
    >
    GACC-1-3 Manufacturers
    From 2022, the GACC registration number for oversears manufacturer is upgraded to 18 digits,

    This GACC register No. needs to be printed on the Chinese label of imported food , then can pass the China Customs Clearance.

    The old 10-digit registration number for overseas food manufacturers (also known as the old AQSIQ registration number), has been invalidated  

       ☼  GACC-5 product listing of imported food


    For all food products exported to China, in addition to applying for category registration, the producers also need to apply for GACC-5 product listing ( obtain permit of 13-digit HS-CIQ code ) Then can be exported to China.

    Important note:
    It is very important to correctly register the Chinese HS code and CIQ code of the product.
    If the Chinese HS code and CIQ code registration is incorrect, Will result in customs clearance failure..
    It is recommended to confirm the correct Chinese HS code and CIQ code with your Chinese importer or customs broker,
    Then submit the GACC product listing application with correct Chinese HS code and CIQ code ;

    Like the GACC-1 producer registration, GACC-5 product listing is also classified into three risk levels (GACC-5-1 low risk, GACC-5-2 medium risk, GACC-5-3 High risk)

    For different food categories, the GACC-5 product listing process, application documents requirements, time and cost are different.

       ☼  GACC registration typical examples

    Example 1:
    Brief introduction:
    Exporter: "A trading company" purchases wine products from " B Chateau Winery", then exports them to China.
    Products involved:
    Brand A: Red wine, White wine, whiskey,
    Brand B: Red wine, White wine, whiskey,

    GACC registrations Types that need to be applied for:

    1. "A trading company" need to apply for GACC-2-1 general exporter registration;

    2. " B Chateau Winery" need to apply for two categories of GACC-1-1 manufacturer registration, namely:
    GACC-1-1-2301 Fermented wines and prepared Fermented wines ;
    GACC-1-1-2302 Distilled spirits and prepared Distilled spirits:

    3. " B Chateau Winery" need to apply for the GACC product listing for 6 products, namely:
    GACC-5-1-2301: 4 wine products;
    GACC-5-1-2302: 2 whiskey products;

    Example 2:
    Brief introduction:

    The exporter "A trading company" purchases primary agricultural products from farmers , then exports them to China.
    Products involved:
    Wheat, sesame, green coffee beans, pepper.

    GACC registrations Types that need to be applied for:

    "A trading company" need to apply for 4 categories of GACC-2-2 type export China white list enterprise registration, namely:

    Wheat: GACC-2-2-2211 Edible grains (rice, wheat, barley, corn, etc.),:
    Sesame: GACC-2-2-2212 Oilseeds (soybeans, linseeds, Rapeseeds, sunflower seeds, etc.)
    Green coffee beans: GACC-2-2-2250 Unroasted coffee beans, unroasted cocoa beans
    Pepper: GACC-2-2-2230 Natural plant spices