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Drug Registration and Listing

Welcome to CDER's web page on drug registration and listing. CDER has created this page so readers can follow the Agency's activities as it implements section 510 of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Additional documents and information will be added as they become available.

Section 510 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act requires manufacturers, repackers, and relabelers that engage in the manufacture, preparation, propagation, compounding, or processing of human or veterinary drugs and human biological products to register their establishment(s) and submit a listing of every product in commercial distribution with the FDA. This information helps FDA maintain a catalog of all human and veterinary drugs and biologics in commercial distribution in the United States.

The Act

Section 510 of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act - Registration of Producers of Drugs and Devices.

The Regulations

Federal Register Notices

  • Proposed 21 CFR 207 - Registration of Producers of Drugs and Listing of Drugs in Commercial Distribution: Federal Register Notice, 71FR51276:  [Text] [PDF]
  • Foreign Establishment Registration and Listing; Final Rule. [Text] [PDF]  Effective February 11, 2002

Forms Needed to Register and List

Form FDA 2656 - Registration of Drug Establishment/Labeler Code Assignment

This form is used by manufacturers, repackers, and relabelers to register establishments and by private label distributors to obtain a labeler code. This form is also used to provide updates in registration information annually or at the discretion of the registrant, when any changes occur.

Form FDA 2657 – Drug Product Listing

This form is used by registrants to report within 5 days of beginning the manufacturing, repackaging, or relabeling of drug or biological products a listing for every product in commercial distribution, and private label distributors who elect to submit listing information to FDA for products they distribute. This form is also used to provide updates to product listing information every June and December or at the discretion of the registrant, when any change occurs.

Form FDA 2658 – Registered Establishment’s Report of Private Label Distributors

This form is used by manufacturers to report product listing information for those private label distributors who do not elect to list the products they distribute, and to update product listing information for private label distributors, every June and December or, at the discretion of the registrant, when any change occurs.

Guidance Documents

Forms for Registration of Producers of Drugs and Listing of Drugs in Commercial Distribution [HTML] or [PDF] (5/14/2001)

Foreign Establishment Registration
(Effective May 24, 2002)

According to the Federal Register Notice, November 27, 2001 (Vol. 6, No. 228), http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/98fr/112701a.htm, effective May 24, 2002, all foreign drug establishments (registrants) are required to register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and identify a United States agent.

  1. The United States agent must be included as part of their initial and updated registration information. 
  2. Each registrant will designate only one United States agent and this agent should represent the registrant and all products that will be imported or offered for import into the United States by the registrant. 
  3. The registrant shall report changes in the United States agent’s name, address, or phone number to FDA within 10-business days of the change.
  4. All drug registration and listing deficiencies will be mailed back to the US agent, irrespective of who submitted the forms.

To designate a United States agent, the registrant should submit a letter, on the registrant's letterhead to the FDA that includes the following information:

  1. Name, street address, telephone phone number, fax number and e-mail address of the United States agent
  2. Signed by a senior corporate official located at the foreign establishment
  3. Include the telephone number of an registrant's official contact or senior corporate official

The United States Agent:  (from CFR 207.40)

  1. May be an individual, firm or company
  2. Must be physically located in the United States but may not be a Post Office Box
  3. Shall assist FDA in communications with the registrant
  4. Respond to questions concerning the registrant's  products that are imported or offered for import into the United States
  5. Assist FDA in scheduling inspections of the registrant's foreign establishment

You may obtain forms for registering a foreign establishment from www.hhs.gov/forms. A copy of the guidance documents for annual registration of foreign establishments is available at http://www.fda.gov/cder/drls/registration_listing.htm.

Submit the forms (Form FDA 2656, Registration of Drug Establishment/Labeler Code Assignment and Form FDA 2657, Drug Product Listing), and the United States Agent letter to:

CDER/Drug Registration and Listing HFD-337
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Publications

National Drug Code (NDC) Directory.

The National Drug Code (NDC) System was originally established as an essential part of an out-of-hospital drug reimbursement program under Medicare. The NDC serves as a universal product identifier for human drugs. The current edition of the National Drug Code Directory is limited to prescription drugs and insulin products.

Drug Registration and Listing System Instruction Booklet

The Drug Registration and Listing Instructions provide guidance on how to complete drug registration and listing forms efficiently and correctly. Please review before completing the forms. The instructions provide detailed explanation of the procedures for submitting information to the FDA, a copy of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) pertaining to the Drug Listing Act of 1972, a glossary of terms, a list of FDA District Offices, and several tables listing abbreviations to be used in completing the forms.


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FDA/Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Last Updated: January 23, 2007
Originator: OTCOM/DLIS