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Health Canada Cosmetic Notification Form (CNF): How to File Under Cosmetic Regulation in Canada

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Cosmetic products and Health Canada cosmetic notification requirements in Canada.

Selling a cosmetic product in Canada involves more than creating a product and putting it on the market. Cosmetic manufacturers and importers must understand the requirements that apply to cosmetics, including product classification, ingredients, labelling, safety, and notification to Health Canada.

The Health Canada cosmetic notification process is an important compliance requirement for businesses that manufacture or import cosmetics for sale in Canada. Manufacturers and importers are required by section 30 of the Cosmetic Regulations to notify Health Canada within ten days of the first sale of a cosmetic in Canada. A revised notification is also required when certain information becomes inaccurate or changes. Health Canada may refuse entry or remove a product from the market if the notification requirements are not met.

In this article, we explain how the Cosmetic Notification Form (CNF) works, what information businesses need to provide, how to handle ingredients and bilingual labels, and what to do when product information changes.

For businesses bringing cosmetics into the Canadian market, accurate documentation is especially important. Our professional translation team can assist with the translation and preparation of business and regulatory documents when supporting documentation needs to be provided in English or French. Contact us for a quote!

What Is a Health Canada Cosmetic Notification?

Assortment of cosmetic and personal care products for sale in Canada.

A cosmetic notification is a submission to Health Canada containing information about a cosmetic product being sold in Canada. The notification allows Health Canada to monitor cosmetics on the Canadian market and address potential safety concerns or compliance issues.

A cosmetic is defined under section 2 of the Food and Drugs Act as a substance or mixture of substances manufactured, sold, or represented for use in cleansing, improving, or altering the complexion, skin, hair, or teeth. The definition also includes deodorants and perfumes.

This can cover a wide range of products, including:

However, not every product used on the body is automatically classified as a cosmetic.

A product may instead be classified as a drug or natural health product if its composition, representation, claims, or intended method of action falls under another regulatory category. Health Canada considers factors such as how the product is represented, its composition, and its level of action when determining classification.

Why Is the Health Canada Cosmetic Notification Important Under Cosmetic Regulation?

The notification process allows Health Canada to monitor cosmetic products sold in Canada. Manufacturers and importers remain responsible for ensuring that their products meet the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act and Cosmetic Regulations.

It is important to understand that submitting a CNF does not mean Health Canada has approved the cosmetic for sale. The notification does not constitute approval, confirmation of classification as a cosmetic, or confirmation that all legislative requirements have been satisfied.

Health Canada may contact the notifier if there are concerns about the submitted notification, ingredients, product classification, safety, labelling, or other information.

Health Canada Cosmetic Notification Process & Requirements

Cosmetic product formulation and preparation for Health Canada requirements in Canada.

If you manufacture or import a cosmetic for sale in Canada, you must determine whether a Health Canada cosmetic notification is required and gather the information necessary to complete the CNF.

Who Must Notify Health Canada?

The notification process applies to manufacturers and importers of cosmetics sold in Canada. A third party may complete the notification on behalf of a manufacturer or importer, but the manufacturer or importer remains responsible for meeting the applicable regulatory requirements.

As of March 5, 2025, the CNF requires a Canadian address for the manufacturer or importer in the relevant section of the form.

Businesses should also maintain accurate contact information for the notifier, manufacturer, importer, formulator or third-party manufacturer, label contact, and any applicable agent.

When Must You Notify Health Canada?

For a new cosmetic, the manufacturer or importer must notify Health Canada within 10 days after the first sale of the cosmetic in Canada.

The notification requirement is not limited to Canadian-made products. Businesses importing cosmetics for sale in Canada must also comply with the notification requirements.

If required notification information is not provided, the product may be denied entry into Canada or removed from sale.

What Happens When Product Information Changes?

A revised Cosmetic Notification Form must be submitted when information previously provided becomes inaccurate.

Examples can include:

A revised notification must generally be submitted within 10 days after the information becomes inaccurate. Businesses should therefore have a process for monitoring changes to products and regulatory information rather than treating the CNF as a one-time filing.

How to Complete a Cosmetic Notification Form

Business professional preparing documents for a Health Canada cosmetic notification.

Before submitting a cosmetic notification form, businesses should gather all information relating to the product. Health Canada's guide recommends confirming the product's classification, formulation, intended use, ingredients, concentrations, labels, contact information, and supporting documentation before completing the form.

The CNF contains several sections covering the product, notifier, manufacturing and importing information, ingredients, documents, and submission details.

Section 1: Notification Type

The first step is to select the appropriate notification type.

There are three main options:

For an amendment or discontinuation, the existing Cosmetic Number should be included when available.

Businesses should save copies of submitted CNFs because these records can make future amendments and discontinuations much easier.

Section 2: Product Information

The product section requires information such as:

The primary product brand and name should match the name appearing on the product label.

Businesses should also make sure that product names are entered consistently across their internal records, labels, supporting documents, and the CNF.

Section 3: Notifier Information

The notifier is the person completing the notification.

This may be:

The form requires the notifier's legal business name, mailing address, telephone number, email address, and preferred language of correspondence.

Section 4: Manufacturing, Importing and Label Contacts

This section identifies the relevant parties involved in manufacturing, importing, formulation, processing, labelling, and regulatory communication.

Depending on the business arrangement, information may be required for:

The label contact is particularly important because consumers need a way to direct questions about the cosmetic to the responsible business.

Businesses importing products manufactured outside Canada should carefully review this section to make sure the Canadian contact information is accurate and complete.

Cosmetic Product Ingredients and Labelling

Cosmetic hair care products and product labelling for cosmetics in Canada.

Ingredients are one of the most important parts of a Health Canada cosmetic notification. The CNF requires businesses to provide the complete ingredient information and the applicable concentration or concentration range for each ingredient.

Health Canada requires cosmetic ingredients to be entered using International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) names where available. Using the correct terminology helps reduce confusion and potential processing delays.

Check the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist

Before submitting a cosmetic notification, businesses should review the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist.

The Hotlist identifies substances that are prohibited or restricted in cosmetics in Canada. However, the Hotlist is not exhaustive, and manufacturers and importers remain responsible for ensuring that their products comply with the Food and Drugs Act and Cosmetic Regulations.

An ingredient may be identified as:

Where an ingredient is restricted, businesses should carefully review the applicable conditions of use, including concentration limits and labelling requirements.

Provide Ingredient Concentrations

The CNF allows businesses to provide either an exact concentration or an applicable concentration range code.

The concentration ranges include:

For restricted ingredients, providing the exact concentration can help avoid unnecessary delays.

New Fragrance Allergen Information

As of April 12, 2026, certain fragrance allergens must be disclosed in the CNF when present above the applicable threshold.

The threshold is:

The applicable fragrance allergens must be entered individually rather than being hidden within a general "parfum" or "fragrance" entry where disclosure is required.

Businesses should review the current requirements before submitting a new notification or updating an existing cosmetic notification.

Bilingual Cosmetic Labels in Canada

Businesses selling cosmetics in Canada must also pay close attention to labelling requirements.

Cosmetic labels generally require information such as the product identity, contact information, warnings or cautions, and directions for safe use in English and French, while the ingredient list uses the INCI system.

This is particularly important for international cosmetic brands entering the Canadian market. Packaging originally prepared for another country may require additional language work before the product is sold in Canada.

Our professional translators can assist businesses with English-French translations and other language requirements for supporting documents, product information, labels, instructions, and regulatory materials.

How to Submit Your Cosmetic Notification for Cosmetic Products in Canada

Business professional reviewing documents for a cosmetic notification submission in Canada.

Once the information has been prepared, the completed CNF can be submitted to Health Canada online.

Before submitting, the person completing the form should carefully review the information and confirm that it is accurate, current, and complete.

The declaration requires the notifier to confirm that the information submitted is, to the best of their knowledge, true, accurate, current, and complete.

The name entered in the signature field must match the first and last name of the contact person identified in the notifier section.

Supporting Documents and Labels

Depending on the cosmetic and its requirements, businesses may need to provide additional documents with the notification.

These can include:

If a product has a specific labelling requirement or an avoidable hazard, Health Canada may require copies of labels or inserts.

Businesses should provide required documentation as early as possible rather than waiting for Health Canada to request it.

Save Your CNF Records

After completing the form, businesses should save a copy of the CNF for their records.

Health Canada uses an .hcxs file to save the information entered into the online form. Saving this file can make future amendments or discontinuations easier because the information can be uploaded again instead of being manually re-entered.

Health Canada also recommends saving a PDF version of the completed form so the submitted information can be reviewed later.

After successful submission, the business will receive Case and Submission numbers. The notification will also receive a unique Cosmetic Number (CN) once it has been processed.

The Cosmetic Number is an eight-digit identifier used for record-keeping and future correspondence. Receiving a Cosmetic Number does not mean that Health Canada has approved the product.

Health Canada Cosmetic Notification Amendments and Compliance

Health Canada cosmetic regulation and compliance requirements for Canadian businesses.

A cosmetic notification should be treated as an ongoing compliance record rather than a filing that businesses can forget after submission.

Changes to a cosmetic may require an amendment within 10 days.

When Should a Business Submit an Amendment?

An amendment may be required when there are changes to:

Businesses should maintain internal records of formulation changes, packaging updates, company changes, and other information that could affect their CNF.

When Should a Business Discontinue a Cosmetic?

If a business stops selling a cosmetic in Canada, it should submit a Discontinue Sale notification.

The appropriate timing depends on the business's circumstances. This may occur when:

What If Health Canada Requests More Information?

Health Canada may request additional information if there are concerns about a cosmetic or its notification.

Depending on the circumstances, the department may request information relating to:

If requested information is not provided within the applicable 10-day period, the cosmetic may no longer be permitted to be sold after that period.

For businesses operating internationally, responding to these requests may also involve gathering documents from manufacturers, laboratories, suppliers, distributors, or overseas offices. Accurate translation can be an important part of that process.

Apostille, Legalization and Translation Support for Cosmetic Businesses

Business professional signing documents for translation, apostille and legalization services.

A Health Canada cosmetic notification is a regulatory filing and should not be confused with an apostille or document legalization process. However, businesses selling cosmetics internationally may need Canadian corporate documents, powers of attorney, certificates, declarations, or other supporting records for use abroad. Depending on the destination country, these documents may require authentication, an apostille, or legalization. Canada’s Apostille Convention process has been in effect since January 11, 2024, and translation requirements may also apply when documents contain content in a language other than English or French.

Our team provides professional translation and document services for businesses handling Canadian and international documentation, including certified translations, product and regulatory materials, corporate documents, contracts, powers of attorney, notarized translations, and apostille or legalization support. We work with documents in a wide range of languages and can help ensure your materials are prepared appropriately for their intended use.

Need Help With Cosmetic Documents for the Canadian Market?

Whether you are preparing to sell cosmetics in Canada, importing cosmetic products, updating documentation, or preparing supporting documents for international use, our team can help with the applicable translation and document requirements. Send us a message with your requirements, and our team will review your documents and provide a tailored quote.