AICIS Registration for Skincare Brands: Do You Need It?

You need AICIS registration if you import cosmetics or cosmetic ingredients into Australia, or manufacture industrial chemicals here, for a commercial purpose. If you buy finished products from an Australian supplier and sell them under your own brand, or blend ingredients bought only from Australian suppliers without a chemical reaction, AICIS says you generally don't need to register. Registration is for your business, not your products, and for 2026-27 it starts at $85 a year.

What is AICIS?

AICIS is the Australian Government regulator for industrial chemicals. Under the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019, a business that imports or manufactures them is an "introducer". AICIS regulates the ingredients in cosmetics that aren't medicines or marketed with therapeutic effects, and says almost all cosmetic ingredients are industrial chemicals, including most "natural" or "organic" oils, extracts and plant essences. Therapeutic products are a TGA matter instead. Our guide to cosmetic or therapeutic claims explains where that line sits.

Who must register with AICIS?

According to AICIS, you must register your business before you:

• import industrial chemicals, or products that release them, into Australia;
• import finished and packaged products such as labelled soap, shampoo or lotion;
• import industrial chemicals and reformulate them in Australia;
• manufacture industrial chemicals in Australia.

This includes sole traders, start-ups and low volumes, even if someone else already imports the same product or your supplier says it's "approved" overseas. Giving away free samples to promote your business also counts as commercial.

Blending vs manufacturing

AICIS defines blending as mixing chemicals without a chemical reaction that creates more industrial chemicals. In AICIS's words: "You don't need to be registered with us to blend industrial chemicals, as long as the ingredients are purchased from an Australian supplier."

AICIS's examples of blending include mixing moisturisers or essential oils from Australian-sourced ingredients, and cold emulsifying. If mixing causes a reaction, such as making soap with lye, it's manufacturing and you generally must register (AICIS has a narrow exclusion for soap made with no more than 10 kg of fat or oil a year). Buying even one ingredient from overseas, including online, generally means registering too.

White label vs importing finished product

AICIS states that you don't need to register if you buy products from an Australian supplier "to re-sell or re-label as your own brand". The business that originally imported them must register.

So buying Australian-made white label skincare generally doesn't need AICIS registration. Importing a private label range from an overseas factory does: you become the importer, so you must register before the first shipment and meet the obligations below.

Do I need to register with AICIS? A quick guide

Your situation	Need to register?
You buy finished white label products from an Australian manufacturer and sell them under your brand	Generally no
You buy bulk product from an Australian supplier, then fill and label it yourself without adding anything	Generally no
You blend your own formulas using only ingredients bought from Australian suppliers, with no chemical reaction	No
You add even one ingredient bought from overseas, such as a fragrance or oil	Generally yes
Your process causes a chemical reaction, such as cold or hot process soap	Generally yes (see the soap exclusion above)
You import finished cosmetics from an overseas manufacturer to sell, even a small quantity	Yes, before you import
You buy cosmetics from overseas only for your own personal use	No
Your product is a medicine or presented for a therapeutic use	Not an AICIS matter: TGA rules apply

If you're unsure, use AICIS's free "Do I need to register?" decision tool.

AICIS registration fees for 2026-27

Your cost is a flat fee plus a levy based on the value of industrial chemicals you introduced in the previous financial year (1 July to 30 June), not your sales. For imports, that's customs value plus insurance, freight and duty. If you're registering for the first time and introduced no industrial chemicals last financial year, you're Level 1.

Level	Value introduced last financial year	2026-27 total	2025-26 total
1	$0 to $49,999	$85	$80
2	$50,000 to $99,999	$95	$145
3	$100,000 to $249,999	$105	$260
4	$250,000 to $499,999	$120	$430
5	$500,000 to $2,999,999	$295	$2,180
6	$3,000,000 to $4,999,999	$460	$3,830
7	$5,000,000 to $14,999,999	$2,535	$24,580
8	$15,000,000 or higher	$3,585	$35,080

AICIS figures in AUD; GST does not apply. 2026-27 totals are the $85 fee plus the levy for each level. The 2026-27 levy for Levels 2 to 8 includes a one-off 90% discount; AICIS says levies return to 2025-26 levels, with indexation, from 2027-28.

There's no pro rata: register part way through the year and you still pay the full amount. Renew by 31 August each year.

After you register: categorise, declare, keep records

Categorise each introduction

Every industrial chemical you introduce must be authorised under one of AICIS's five main categories. The four most cosmetic brands meet are:

• Listed: the chemical is on the Inventory, and you follow any terms of its listing.
• Exempted: very low risk. Some types need a once-off declaration by 30 November.
• Reported: low risk. You submit a pre-introduction report before you import or manufacture.
• Assessed: medium to high risk. You need an assessment certificate first; standard 2026-27 certificate application fees range from $14,530 to $40,740.

AICIS's categorisation guide walks you through each step.

Annual declaration

Every registered introducer must submit a free annual declaration by 30 November, confirming its introductions in the previous registration year were authorised. It applies even if you only imported finished cosmetics, and an agent or consultant can't submit it for you.

Record keeping

Keep invoices, receipts and import declarations showing the value of chemicals you introduced, plus category records. AICIS requires them for 5 years, and you must provide them within 20 working days if asked.

What happens if you don't register?

AICIS says it's an offence under the Industrial Chemicals Act 2019 to introduce an industrial chemical without an active registration, and it's a strict liability offence. Its options include infringement notices and, for serious non-compliance, civil penalties that may exceed $600,000 for a corporation. In 2023 it issued a Melbourne cosmetic distributor a $16,500 infringement notice for allegedly importing without registration. A non-compliant business must also stop supplying the products and bear re-export or disposal costs.

What AICIS doesn't regulate

AICIS says it doesn't set or enforce labelling requirements for cosmetics, and it doesn't test or approve products. Ingredient labelling is covered by the ACCC's mandatory standard for cosmetics ingredients labelling, and your claims fall under the Australian Consumer Law: the ACCC says any claim on packaging, websites or social media must be accurate, truthful and based on reasonable grounds, and that you must be able to prove it. See our guide to cosmetic labelling requirements in Australia.

How this works with Cellular Cosmetics

We're an Australian manufacturer on the Gold Coast. Our white label products are made here, from 10 units per product, with your label printed and applied, and come with a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and Certificate of Analysis (CoA). For custom formulas, we review your brief against AICIS and Poisons Standard rules before development starts. If you plan to export, see our regulatory guide by market. For the bigger picture, see our guide to starting a skincare brand in Australia.

If you add an ingredient you imported yourself to our bulk products, such as an overseas fragrance, AICIS rules apply to that import.

Frequently asked questions

How much does AICIS registration cost?

For 2026-27, Level 1 (under $50,000 of chemicals introduced in the previous financial year) costs $85. Levels 2 to 8 cost $95 to $3,585 after a one-off 90% levy discount. GST does not apply.

Do I need to register with AICIS if I use an Australian white label manufacturer?

Generally no. AICIS says you don't need to register if you buy products from an Australian supplier to re-sell or re-label as your own brand. You would need to register if you also import products or ingredients yourself.

Does AICIS approve my products or labels?

No. You register your business, not your products. AICIS doesn't test or approve products and doesn't set labelling rules. Labels and claims fall under the ACCC and the Australian Consumer Law.

My ingredients are natural. Do I still need to register if I import them?

Probably. AICIS says many 'natural' or 'organic' ingredients, such as oils and extracts, are still industrial chemicals. Only a narrow legal definition of naturally occurring chemicals is excluded.

When is the AICIS annual declaration due?

By 30 November after the end of each registration year (1 September to 31 August). It's free and is required even if you only imported finished cosmetics.

This article is general information, not legal advice. AICIS fees and rules change; check the AICIS website before you register.

Sources: AICIS, What is registration and who must register? (updated 24 July 2026); AICIS, Personal care, skincare, make-up and other cosmetic products (updated 7 February 2025); AICIS, Difference between blending and manufacturing chemicals (updated 9 May 2023); AICIS, Making products to sell using imported or local ingredients (updated 5 March 2021); AICIS, Fees and charges (updated 1 September 2026); AICIS, Fees and charges for 2026-27 (13 July 2026); AICIS, How much is my registration cost? (updated 30 September 2026); AICIS, Annual declaration for all introducers (updated 4 August 2025); AICIS, Records to prove that you are registered at the correct level; AICIS, Our powers and the enforcement measures we can take (updated 16 February 2026); AICIS, Register now for 2026-27 (13 July 2026); AICIS, Introductions that don't require categorisation and registration (updated 10 September 2024); AICIS, Guide to categorising your chemical importation and manufacture (updated 1 September 2026); AICIS, Melbourne business issued $16,500 infringement for unlawful cosmetic imports (13 October 2023); ACCC, False or misleading claims; ACCC Product Safety, Cosmetics ingredients labelling mandatory standard.

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