FDA Food Facility Registration Fee & Cost (2026)
What the FDA actually charges (nothing), what a service costs, the 2026 renewal deadline, and how to spot fake-fee scams.
Key Takeaways
- FDA fee = $0 — registration, updates, renewal, and cancellation are all free.
- Our service is optional — $858/year for registration and renewal support, including U.S. Agent representation for foreign facilities.
- DUNS/UFI is free — issued by Dun & Bradstreet at no charge.
- 2026 is a renewal year — renew (free) Oct 1–Dec 31, 2026, or it expires.
- Expired ≠ paused — you'd need a brand-new registration, with border-refusal risk.
- FDA issues a number, not a certificate — beware fake certificates and "government fees."
The FDA Fee Is $0 — Really
There is no FDA fee for food facility registration. FDA's own guidance is explicit that there's no fee for:
- Initial registration — $0
- Updates to a registration — $0
- Biennial renewal — $0
- Cancellation — $0
Official source: FDA guidance on food-facility registration fees and private services.
What You Might Actually Pay
| Item | Cost | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| FDA registration / renewal (government fee) | $0 | — |
| DUNS number / UFI (Dun & Bradstreet) | Free | Required (but free) |
| Our registration + biennial renewal service (optional) | $858/year | Optional professional service |
| U.S. Agent representation (foreign facilities) | Included in our $858/year package | Agent required; included when using our package |
2026 Is a Biennial Renewal Year
Food facility registration renews every even-numbered year, during October 1–December 31 (FD&C §415 / 21 CFR 1.230(b)). 2026 is even, so the renewal window is October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 — and renewal, like registration, is free.
- Every registered facility must renew — even if you first registered earlier in 2026 (a March 2026 registration does not carry you to 2028)
- Abbreviated process if nothing changed — faster when facility, products, owner/operator, and U.S. Agent are unchanged
- UFI/DUNS must match — the DUNS record has to match your facility name/address exactly; verify in September, not late December
- Foreign facilities — confirm a current U.S. Agent as part of renewing
Fake Fees & Fake Certificates
Because the real FDA cost is $0, the "fee" question attracts bad actors. Two things to know:
- There is no government fee — anyone charging or implying a mandatory "FDA fee"/"government fee" for food facility registration is misrepresenting it
- FDA issues a registration number, not a certificate — it does not issue, or recognize, an "FDA registration certificate"; third-party "certificates" are not FDA-endorsed
Do Other FDA Registrations Have Fees?
"FDA registration fee" depends entirely on the program — don't assume:
| Program | Registration fee |
|---|---|
| Food facility | $0 (no fee) |
| Cosmetic facility (MoCRA) | $0 (no fee) |
| Medical device establishment | Annual FDA establishment fee: $11,423 (FY 2026, through Sept 30, 2026); $13,785 (FY 2027, Oct 1, 2026–Sept 30, 2027) |
| OTC drug facility | OMUFA facility fee |
Medical-device figures: FDA's official MDUFA fee schedule. These are government medical-device establishment fees, not food-facility registration fees.
Handle Your Food Facility Registration & Renewal
The FDA fee is $0 — but the 2026 biennial renewal (Oct 1–Dec 31) is mandatory, and a lapse means a brand-new registration. FDA Registration Assistance completes your food facility registration and manages the biennial renewal, handles the DUNS/UFI, and provides U.S. Agent representation for foreign facilities — so nothing lapses. Our bundled service is $858/year, including U.S. Agent representation for foreign facilities; the FDA government fee remains $0.
Contact us at info@fdaregistrationassistance.com or call +1 (928) 275-8333. An independent compliance firm serving 1,000+ companies across 135+ countries, with 15+ years of experience.
Frequently Asked Questions — Food Registration Fee & Cost
1. Is there an FDA fee for food facility registration?
No. FDA does not charge a fee for food facility registration - and that's true for initial registration, updates, the biennial renewal, and cancellation. FDA's own guidance states plainly there is no fee for registration or renewal. So the government cost is $0. If a service tells you there's an "FDA fee" or "government fee" for food facility registration, that's a red flag - the only FDA-side cost is $0.
2. Then what does food facility registration actually cost?
FDA registration itself is free. Our optional food facility registration and biennial renewal service is $858/year, including U.S. Agent representation for foreign facilities; we do not add a separate U.S. Agent fee to this package. A DUNS number is issued free of charge by Dun & Bradstreet. The FDA government fee is $0.
3. Is 2026 a food facility registration renewal year?
Yes. Food facility registration renews biennially - every even-numbered year - during the October 1 to December 31 window, and 2026 is an even year. So the 2026 biennial renewal period runs October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026 (set by section 415 of the FD&C Act and 21 CFR 1.230(b)). Every facility required to register must renew during this window, and renewal, like registration, is free.
4. Do I still renew in 2026 if I just registered this year?
Yes. Even if you registered (or updated your registration) earlier in 2026, you still must renew during the October 1-December 31, 2026 window. A first registration in, say, March 2026 does not carry you through to 2028 - the biennial renewal applies to every registered facility in the even year. This catches many new registrants off guard, so build the October-December even-year window into your compliance calendar.
5. What happens if I miss the 2026 renewal?
If you don't renew by 11:59 PM on December 31, 2026, FDA considers the registration expired and removes it from your account. Expired is not "paused" - to resume you generally must submit a brand-new registration (and your previous registration number may not be restored), which takes longer than a simple renewal. Food from a facility with an expired registration can be refused entry at the U.S. border, and a lapse can trigger increased FDA scrutiny of future shipments. Renew before the deadline.
6. Does FDA issue a registration certificate?
No. FDA issues a registration number for a registered food facility - it does not issue a "certificate of registration," and it does not recognize a registration certificate issued by a third party. Be wary of anyone selling an official-looking "FDA registration certificate," especially bundled with a "government fee." What you legitimately receive is a registration number, which also does not mean FDA has approved your facility - registration is not approval.
7. Why do some services charge a "fee" for a free registration?
Legitimately, a service fee pays for a firm to do the work - complete the registration correctly, manage the DUNS/UFI, act as your U.S. Agent (if foreign), and handle the biennial renewal on time. That's a real, optional service. The problem is when a provider blurs the line and implies part of the charge is a mandatory "FDA fee" or "government fee" - there is none. A trustworthy provider is clear that the FDA cost is $0 and their fee is for the service, not a government charge.
8. Is the renewal process shorter if nothing changed?
Yes. FDA provides an abbreviated registration renewal process for facilities that have no information changes since the preceding registration, renewal, or update. If your facility details, products, owner/operator, and U.S. Agent are unchanged, renewal is quicker. If something has changed (address, U.S. Agent, ownership), you update it as part of renewing. Either way, it's done through your FDA Industry Systems (FURLS) account, and either way it's free.
9. Do I need a DUNS number, and does it cost anything?
Yes - every food facility registration and renewal must include a Unique Facility Identifier (UFI), and the only UFI FDA currently accepts is a DUNS number. A DUNS number is issued free of charge by Dun & Bradstreet. The common snag is that the DUNS record must match your facility's name and physical address exactly as they appear in the registration - mismatches stall renewals, so verify it in September, not the last week of December.
10. Do foreign facilities pay a fee?
FDA registration and renewal are free for foreign facilities too. A foreign facility must designate a U.S. Agent, which may involve a private service charge. Our optional $858/year food facility registration and renewal package includes U.S. Agent representation for foreign facilities, with no separate U.S. Agent fee for that package. The DUNS/UFI remains free.
11. Is food facility registration the same as an FDA fee for devices or drugs?
No - fees differ by program. Food facility registration has no FDA fee. Medical device establishment registration has an annual government fee of $11,423 for FY 2026 (through September 30, 2026) and $13,785 for FY 2027 (October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027). OTC drug facilities may owe OMUFA fees. Food and cosmetic facility registrations have no FDA registration fee; do not assume the same fee applies across programs.
12. Can I register and renew myself for free?
Yes. You can register and renew directly with FDA at no cost through the FDA Industry Systems (FURLS) portal - many facilities do. The value of a service is convenience and accuracy: correct facility/product coding, DUNS/UFI matching, U.S. Agent designation (if foreign), and not missing the biennial renewal window. But if you have the time and know the requirements, the do-it-yourself path is genuinely $0. A service fee is a choice, not a requirement.
13. What does your $858 food facility registration service include?
Our $858/year service includes completing FDA food facility registration, keeping registration information current, and managing the biennial renewal when due (including the October 1-December 31, 2026 window). For foreign facilities, U.S. Agent representation is included in that price, not billed as an extra fee for this package. It is an optional professional service fee; the FDA government fee remains $0.
14. When should I start my 2026 renewal?
The window opens October 1 and closes December 31, 2026 - you can't submit before October 1, but you should prepare in September. Verify your DUNS record matches your registration exactly (fixing it with Dun & Bradstreet takes days, not minutes), confirm your U.S. Agent is current (if foreign), and note any changes to include. Don't wait until the last week of December - FDA's systems and support get heavily backlogged during the renewal surge.
15. What are the most common food registration fee/cost mistakes?
Paying a "government fee" that doesn't exist (FDA's fee is $0); buying a fake "FDA registration certificate"; assuming a first-time 2026 registration means no renewal is due until 2028 (it's still due this window); letting the registration expire and needing a brand-new one; a DUNS/UFI mismatch stalling renewal; and, for foreign facilities, an out-of-date or missing U.S. Agent. Know the FDA cost is $0, treat any charge as an optional service, and renew on time.
16. How does FDA Registration Assistance help — and what's the cost?
We complete your FDA food facility registration and manage the biennial renewal (including the 2026 window), handle the DUNS/UFI, and provide U.S. Agent service for foreign facilities - so nothing lapses. Our food facility registration service is $858/year; the FDA government fee is $0, and we keep that distinction clear. We're an independent compliance firm serving 1,000+ companies across 135+ countries with 15+ years of experience. Contact info@fdaregistrationassistance.com or +1 (928) 275-8333.
