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Electronic Drug Registration and Listing Instructions | FDA

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There are three steps, or submissions, that are needed to register an establishment and list a drug with FDA. Each of these steps requires an initial submission followed by periodic updates to maintain an accurate and current status:

FDA has adopted extensible markup language (XML) files in the structured product labeling (SPL) format for users to submit registration and listing data. Users may transmit the SPL-formatted submission through FDA’s electronic submission gateway (ESG).

Any SPL authoring software may be used to create registration and listing SPL files including CDER Direct and Xforms. Xforms and other third-party tools used to create SPL files require the creation of a FDA WebTrader account in order to submit the files. All registration and listing submissions, regardless of the source and tool used to create and submit, must pass the same rigorous set of validation rules.

Any establishment, with certain exemptions, engaged in manufacturing, repacking, relabeling or salvaging drug products for U.S. distribution is required to register with FDA. Some exemptions include:

Registration is required within five days of introducing drugs into commercial distribution. Annual registration renewal must occur between October 1 and December 31 each year.

Create and submit an establishment registration SPL document to register with FDA. Be sure to save a copy of your submission. Remember to include:

How do I renew a registration with no changes?   

How do I update establishment registration information?

How do I de-register or submit an out of business notification?

How do I know if my registration notification was successful? 

Labeler codes are only used for generating National Drug Code (NDC) numbers for drugs. Generally, if you do not have to list any drugs with FDA, you do not need to apply for a labeler code. Under most circumstances, an assigned labeler code that does not have any NDCs listed with FDA within two years will be deactivated.

A company is not required to obtain a different labeler code for each manufacturing establishment under the same ownership since the labeler code identifies a company marketing a product.

If a labeler code transfers to another company through a merger or acquisition, or if there’s a name change, all product listings under that labeler code must be updated with the new labeler name.

The new information captured in the labeler code request submission does not automatically populate or propagate to drug listing files under that labeler code.

Requesting Label Coder using CDER Direct

All registered establishments must list all drugs they produce for U.S. commercial distribution under their own labeler code. This includes active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturers, other bulk drug manufacturers, contract manufacturers, repackers and relabelers.

A single product listing SPL may include multiple NDCs (products and packages) provided that they all use the same content of labeling/package insert.

When creating a product listing, be sure to include:

Initial drug listings should be submitted within three days after initial registration of the establishment. Updates to listing data are required to be made no later than June or December following a change in the information. However, FDA requests they be made as soon as possible.

A company may submit a single “blanket” no changes certification once a year during the October 1 to December 31 renewal period for products that do not require any updates.

There is an annual requirement to either update listings or certify that no changes have occurred for drugs that were not initially listed or updated during the current calendar year. The period for product listing certification is October 1 through December 31 each year.

Any drug listing that is required to be certified but is not certified may be considered inactive and removed from the NDC Directory and other publications of listing data. Outside this three-month window an update of the listing SPL submission for each NDC is required to certify the product.

See step by step instructions to submit a Blanket No Changes Certification of Product Listing using CDER Direct.

Drugs are identified and reported using a unique, three-segment number, called the National Drug Code (NDC), which serves as the FDA’s universal product identifier for drugs. NDCs should not be assigned to non-drug products such as medical devices and medical foods. Submission of NDC is required at the time of drug listing with FDA.

office wholesale Registration of a drug establishment or drug wholesaler or assignment of a registration number or assignment of NDC number does not in any way denote approval of the company or its products. Any representation that creates an impression of official approval because of registration or possession of registration number or NDC number is misleading and violates federal law.