FDA Food Facility Registration Renewal Period

The FDA has issued a Constituent Update reminding Food Facilities of Biennial Renewal Requirements. Please see the update below this DACF general overview:

Food facilities are facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold food for human or animal consumption. FDA has jurisdiction over food that enters interstate commerce, but the food facility registration requirement may apply to facilities operating solely in intrastate commerce unless exempted.

When is food facility registration not required? For specifics, see resources below.

• Farms devoted to the growing and harvesting of crops or the raising of animals that may also pack and hold food. This includes farms that dry/dehydrate raw agricultural commodities without additional processing such as slicing, ripening treatment, and packaging/labeling of raw agricultural commodities.
• When the processing occurs at an individual's private residence within space that is also used for residential purposes.
• Food transportation businesses with no storage other than within the vehicle.
• Retail food establishments with predominance of sales direct to consumers.
• Nonprofits.
• Meat, poultry, and eggs, which fall under USDA jurisdiction.

Resources

• FDA website with resources on Producing a Food Product that is Regulated by FDA: Producing a Food Product that is Regulated by FDA
• FDA Food Facility Registration information: Online Registration of Food Facilities | FDA

From the FDA

Constituent Update

September 29, 2026

Every two years between October 1 and December 31, owners, operators, or agents in charge of a domestic or foreign facility that manufactures, processes, packs, or holds food for consumption by humans or animals in the United States are required to renew their registration with the FDA. Additionally, facilities that are qualified facilities must submit an attestation supporting their qualified facility status during the same time period. 

Food Facility Registration (FFR)

Food facilities must submit their renewal information electronically through their FDA Industry Systems (FIS) account, unless FDA has granted them a waiver that allows for registration by mail or by fax. There is no fee associated with registration or renewal. FDA will consider the registration to be expired for any facility that fails to renew by December 31, 2026. For guidance on the renewal process, see:

• Food Facility Registration User Guide: Biennial Registration Renewal

To register, facilities must include a unique facility identifier (UFI) recognized as acceptable to the FDA with the food facility registration (FFR) submission. The UFI is used to verify that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with the facility’s registration. Currently, the FDA recognizes the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as an acceptable UFI for food facility registration. The DUNS number is assigned and managed by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) and can be obtained or verified by visiting Dun & Bradstreet’sExternal Link Disclaimer website. 

For questions contact FDA staff by phone at 1-240-247-8804 or by email at FURLS@fda.gov 

Qualified Facility Attestations

During the same biennial renewal period, qualified facilities must complete and submit their qualified facility attestation (QFA). A qualified facility is generally a business that, because of its very small size, is required to meet only modified requirements under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). A facility may meet the definition of a qualified facility in either the Preventive Controls for Human Food (PC Human Food) or Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PC Animal Food) Rule.

To submit their attestation, a facility must have a valid food facility registration.  Attestation forms can be submitted electronically via the Qualified Facility Attestation Module at https://www.access.fda.gov/.

While electronic submission via the QFA module is preferred, if you must complete your form manually, please email the form directly to FDA using the following address: FDA-QFA-Program@fda.hhs.gov. Additional information on qualified facilities and submitting attestations can be found in the links below:

• Guidance for Industry: Determination of Status as a Qualified Facility under Part 117: Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food and Part 507: Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals
• Instructions for Submitting Your Attestation: Qualified Facility Attestation Using Form FDA 3942a (for Human Food) or Form FDA 3942b (for Animal Food)
• FSMA Inflation Adjusted Cut Offs