FDA Registration Verification Help
How to check an FDA registration is real — program by program — and how to tell a genuine registration from a fake certificate.
Key Takeaways
- Verification is program-specific — there's no single unified public lookup.
- Device & drug = public — searchable in FDA's databases by name or FEI.
- Food & cosmetic = confidential — no public database; only the account holder can view.
- A real registration is a number in FDA's system, not a certificate.
- Distrust third-party "FDA certificates" — verify the number yourself where you can.
- Verified ≠ FDA-approved; public databases show only current registrations.
How to Verify — by FDA Program
| Program | Public? | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Medical device | Public | FDA Establishment Registration & Listing database — search by name/FEI (updated weekly; only current show) |
| Drug | Public | FDA drug establishment database + NDC Directory (products) |
| Food / supplement | Confidential | No public database (Bioterrorism Act) — only the account holder via FURLS; or FDA support |
| Cosmetic (MoCRA) | Confidential | No public database — owner views own via Cosmetics Direct; request FDA-system proof from a supplier |
A Number in FDA's System — Not a Certificate
Whatever the program, the thing that makes a registration real is that it exists as a number in FDA's electronic system. FDA does not issue a "certificate of registration," and it doesn't recognize certificates from third parties.
Verifying Your Own vs a Third Party's
- Your own registration — log in to your FDA account: FURLS (food, drug, device) or Cosmetics Direct (cosmetics). That's the authoritative source for your status/number — not a certificate. If you can't access it or aren't sure it's current, resolve that fast (a lapsed registration bites at import)
- A device/drug supplier — search FDA's public database by their name or FEI
- A food/cosmetic supplier — there's no public lookup, so request their FDA registration confirmation / correspondence (in food imports this is part of your FSVP supplier verification)
What Verification Does — and Doesn't — Tell You
- Registered ≠ approved — verifying a registration confirms the facility is in FDA's system, not that any product is FDA-cleared or approved
- Only current shows — public device/drug databases display only currently-registered establishments; a lapsed one simply disappears
- No public food/cosmetic result is normal — it's confidential by design, not a red flag about the company
- The real import test is validity, not searchability — FDA can check a food facility's registration in its own systems even though you can't; the goal is a genuine, current registration, not a public number
Common Verification Mistakes
- Trying to look up a food/cosmetic number publicly — there's no such database
- Accepting a third-party "certificate" as proof — verify the number in FDA's system instead
- Paying a "fee" to verify — checking your own registration is free via your FDA account
- Reading a device/drug "no result" as fraud — it may have lapsed, or you searched the wrong field (try the FEI)
- Treating a verified registration as "FDA approved"
- Assuming one database covers everything — it's program-by-program
Get Help Verifying an FDA Registration
FDA Registration Assistance helps you confirm a registration correctly for its program — searching FDA's public databases for device and drug establishments, confirming your own food/cosmetic registration through your FDA account (FURLS/Cosmetics Direct), and advising how to request legitimate FDA-system proof from a supplier rather than a third-party certificate. We can also confirm your registration is current and fix it if it's lapsed.
Contact us at info@fdaregistrationassistance.com or call +1 (928) 275-8333 for a quote. An independent compliance firm serving 1,000+ companies across 135+ countries, with 15+ years of experience.
Frequently Asked Questions — FDA Registration Verification
1. How do I verify an FDA registration?
It depends entirely on the program. Device and drug establishment registrations are public - you can search FDA's own databases (the Establishment Registration & Listing database for devices; the drug establishment database and the NDC Directory for drugs) by name or FEI number. Food facility and cosmetic (MoCRA) registrations are confidential by law - there is no public database, so you generally can't look up a food or cosmetic registration number, even a trade partner's. The universal rule: a real registration is a number in FDA's electronic system, not a certificate.
2. Can I look up a food facility's FDA registration number?
No - food facility registration numbers are confidential under federal law (the Bioterrorism Act), and FDA does not provide any public database to search or verify them. This is true whether you're the facility owner or a trade partner. Only the person authorized to log in to that facility's FDA account can view its registration number. So the absence of a public food lookup is normal and expected - not a sign that something is wrong. If you need to confirm your own food registration, use your FDA Industry Systems (FURLS) account.
3. Can I verify a medical device registration publicly?
Yes. FDA maintains a public Establishment Registration & Listing database for devices, which contains the releasable information under the Freedom of Information Act and is updated weekly (usually Mondays). You can search by establishment name, city, state, or FEI number, and results show the facility's location, its operational role (manufacturer, repacker, etc.), and whether the registration is current. Note the database only displays currently registered facilities - if a registration lapses or is deactivated, it disappears from results.
4. How do I verify a drug establishment registration?
Drug establishment registrations are searchable through FDA's drug establishment registration database, and drug products (listings) appear in the NDC Directory. So for drugs you can generally confirm both the establishment and the listed products through FDA's own public tools. As with devices, use the establishment name or FEI to search, and remember that being registered/listed identifies the firm and product to FDA - it does not by itself mean the drug is FDA-approved.
5. How do I verify a cosmetic (MoCRA) registration?
You generally can't verify it publicly. FDA does not offer a public database for cosmetic facility registration or product listing under MoCRA - the information is confidential, like food. If you're the facility owner or authorized agent, you can view your own registration and listings by logging into FDA's Cosmetics Direct portal. To confirm a supplier's cosmetic registration, you'd request documentation from them (ideally FDA correspondence), since there's no public lookup.
6. What is the difference between a registration number and an FEI?
A registration number is the program-specific identifier assigned when a facility registers (a food facility number is an 11-digit string, for example). An FEI (FDA Establishment Identifier) is a separate, FDA system-generated number used to identify a firm - notably for inspections - and a single firm can hold one FEI while being registered across multiple FDA centers (food, drug, device). In public device/drug searches, the FEI is often the surest field to search by. Both live in FDA's systems.
7. How do I know if an "FDA registration certificate" is fake?
Start from this fact: FDA issues a registration number in its electronic system - it does not issue a "certificate of registration," and it doesn't recognize certificates issued by third parties. So any certificate, letter, or document offered as "proof of FDA registration" that didn't come from FDA's own systems should be treated with suspicion. Don't rely on the certificate - go verify the underlying number yourself in the appropriate FDA database (for devices/drugs), or ask for FDA correspondence (for food/cosmetic). A slick certificate is not verification.
8. How do I verify my OWN registration?
Log in to your FDA account: FDA Industry Systems (FURLS) for food, drug, and device registrations, or Cosmetics Direct for cosmetics. There you can see your registration status, number, and details, and confirm it's active and current. This is the authoritative source for your own registration - not a third-party certificate. If you can't access your account or aren't sure it's current, that's worth resolving quickly, because a lapsed or inaccessible registration causes real problems (especially at import).
9. How do I verify a supplier's or partner's registration?
For a device or drug supplier, search FDA's public database by their name or FEI. For a food or cosmetic supplier, there's no public lookup, so you request proof from them - ideally their FDA registration confirmation or correspondence from FDA's systems, not a third-party "certificate." In food imports, confirming your foreign supplier is registered is part of your FSVP supplier verification. If a supplier can only produce a purchased certificate and won't show FDA-system evidence, treat that as a warning sign.
10. Does a verified registration mean the product is FDA-approved?
No. Verifying that a facility is registered confirms it's in FDA's system - it does not mean FDA reviewed, cleared, or approved the product. Most establishments are simply registered, not "approved," and for devices, using registration to imply approval is specifically prohibited. So even a correctly verified registration tells you the facility is registered, nothing more. For approval/clearance, you'd look for the specific authorization (e.g., a device 510(k) number, a drug approval).
11. Why can't I find a registration that I know exists?
A few reasons: it's a food or cosmetic registration (confidential - not publicly searchable at all); it's a device/drug registration that has lapsed or been deactivated (the public databases only show currently registered establishments); you're searching the wrong field or spelling (try the FEI); or the database updates on a lag (the device database refreshes weekly). If it's food/cosmetic, you won't find it publicly no matter what - confirm through the account holder or FDA support instead.
12. Is there one database for all FDA registrations?
No - there isn't a single unified public lookup. Devices have the Establishment Registration & Listing database; drugs have the drug establishment database and the NDC Directory; food and cosmetic registrations have no public database at all (confidential). So "verifying an FDA registration" isn't one action - it's program-specific, and for two of the four programs there's no public verification route by design. Knowing which program you're dealing with is the first step.
13. Can I be refused at import if my registration can't be verified?
The issue at import isn't public verifiability - it's whether the registration is actually valid in FDA's system. FDA (and CBP) can refuse admission to products from unregistered facilities. For food, FDA can check the facility's registration in its own (non-public) systems even though you can't. So the goal isn't to have a publicly searchable number - it's to have a genuine, current registration on file. A fake certificate provides neither, and won't help at the border.
14. What should I do if I suspect a fake registration?
For a device or drug, search FDA's public database directly - if it's not there (and shouldn't have lapsed), be skeptical. For food or cosmetic, ask the party for FDA-system evidence (a registration confirmation/correspondence) rather than a certificate, and note that reputable firms can provide this. You can also contact FDA's registration support (for food, FDA Food Facility Registration Support Services). Don't accept a third-party certificate as proof, and don't pay a "government fee" to "verify" - FDA verification of your own registration is free via your account.
15. Is it normal that food/cosmetic registrations aren't public?
Yes - it's by design, not a loophole. Food facility registration confidentiality comes from the Bioterrorism Act, and cosmetic registration under MoCRA is similarly not publicly disclosed. FDA still has and uses this information internally (for inspections, imports, outbreak response); it's just not exposed to the public. So don't read the lack of a public food/cosmetic lookup as a red flag about a company - the red flag is a purchased "certificate" presented as public-style proof.
16. How does FDA Registration Assistance help with verification?
We help you confirm a registration the right way for its program: searching FDA's public databases for device and drug establishments, confirming your own food/cosmetic registration through your FDA account (FURLS/Cosmetics Direct), and advising on how to request legitimate proof from a supplier (FDA-system evidence, not a third-party certificate). We can also confirm your registration is current and fix it if it's lapsed. 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.
