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The cosmetic notification form (CNF) is how a cosmetic gets on Health Canada’s records. Under section 30 of the Cosmetic Regulations, the manufacturer or importer must file it no later than 10 days after the first sale in Canada. It lists the product name, function, form, full ingredient list with concentrations, and the Canadian contact. Filing it is not an approval.
Key takeaways
- The cosmetic notification form is due within 10 days after you first sell the product in Canada.
- In a private label deal, the brand that sells under its own name in Canada usually counts as the “manufacturer” and files the CNF.
- Every ingredient goes on the form by its INCI name, with an exact concentration or one of 13 range codes.
- Any change that makes the notification inaccurate needs a revised form within 10 days.
New skincare founders often assume their manufacturer handles the paperwork. Sometimes it helps, but the legal duty usually sits with your brand. This guide explains who files the cosmetic notification form, what Health Canada asks for, and the order of steps that keeps you from scrambling after launch.
Who files the cosmetic notification form?
The Cosmetic Regulations put the duty on “every manufacturer and importer”. The definition of manufacturer is the part founders miss. It means a person in Canada who sells the cosmetic under their own name, or under a trademark or brand name they own or control.
So if Welsdom makes a cream and you sell it under your brand, your company is the manufacturer for CNF purposes. The form then also asks for the name and address of the company that actually made or formulated it, if that’s someone else. If your brand sits outside Canada, a person in Canada who acts on your behalf can fill the manufacturer role, or the importer files.
When the cosmetic notification form is due
The deadline is short. Section 30 says the form is due “at the latest 10 days after” the first sale. Because the deadline runs from the sale, many brands file before launch day so the clock never becomes a problem.
After that, three more deadlines apply:
- Changes. Under section 31, if any information on the form becomes inaccurate, you must send a revised notification within 10 days.
- Requests. If Health Canada asks for more information, you have 10 days to reply.
- Discontinuation. A product you no longer sell counts as inaccurate information, so tell Health Canada when you stop selling it.
Health Canada’s Guide for Cosmetic Notifications warns that failure to notify may lead to a product being denied entry into Canada or removed from sale.
What the cosmetic notification form asks for
Section 30(2) of the regulations sets out the content. In plain terms, you will need:
| Field | What to prepare |
|---|---|
| Contact | The contact details printed on the inner label |
| Product name | The name the product sells under, as on the label |
| Function | What it does, and whether it’s leave-on or rinse-off |
| Ingredients | Every ingredient by INCI name, with exact concentration or range code |
| Form | Cream, lotion, serum, gel, powder and so on |
| Canadian address | Name and address in Canada of the manufacturer or importer |
| Maker | Name and address of who made or formulated it, if different |
| Signer | Name and title of the person who signed |
The Canadian address field matters for brands based abroad. Health Canada’s guide says a Canadian address for the manufacturer or importer has been required since March 5, 2025.
Concentration ranges and fragrance allergens
You can give each ingredient’s exact concentration, or one of 13 range codes. Code 1 covers more than 80% up to 100%. Code 13 covers more than 0% up to 0.001%. Health Canada encourages exact figures, especially for restricted ingredients, so ask your formulator for them.
Fragrance needs extra care. Health Canada’s guide says fragrance allergens must be disclosed on the form when present above 0.01% in rinse-off products or above 0.001% in leave-on products. Those rules took effect on April 12, 2026. So “parfum” alone is no longer enough on the form for allergens above those levels. Ask your fragrance supplier for an allergen breakdown before you file.
Your formulator should also check every ingredient against the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist, which lists prohibited and restricted ingredients. Health Canada says to consult it each time you submit a CNF.
One form or many?
You don’t need a new form for every container size. Health Canada’s guide says different sizes of the same product don’t need separate notifications. Products that share one base formula and differ only in shade, scent or flavour can also share one notification, with the variations listed in the product name field.
A different formula, however, is a different product. If your day cream and night cream use different bases, each needs its own cosmetic notification form. A reformulation that changes the ingredient list triggers a revised form within 10 days.
A 7-step CNF checklist for a private label launch
This is the order we suggest to skincare clients. It keeps the cosmetic notification form in step with your formula and label.
- Lock the formula. Get the final ingredient list with concentrations from your formulator after stability work is done.
- Screen the Hotlist. Check every ingredient, including those inside fragrance and botanical blends.
- Get the allergen breakdown. Ask your fragrance supplier for allergen levels so you can compare them with the 0.01% and 0.001% thresholds.
- Finalize the label contact. The contact on the form must match the inner label.
- Confirm the Canadian address. If your company is outside Canada, settle who acts for you in Canada.
- File and save copies. Submit the online form, then save the file and a PDF copy so you can amend it later.
- Diary the 10-day rules. Set a reminder to revise the form whenever the formula, name or contact changes.
Health Canada emails an eight-digit Cosmetic Number once it processes the form. Quote that number in any amendment or discontinuation. It’s a record-keeping number only, so don’t present it as an approval on your label or website.
What the CNF does not cover
The cosmetic notification form doesn’t decide whether your product is a cosmetic in the first place. Claims about treating a skin condition can move a product into drug or natural health product rules. Keep claims to cleansing, moisturizing and appearance. For US sales, the rules are different again; our post on MoCRA compliance basics covers registration and listing south of the border.
Related guides
- Private label skincare, step by step in Canada: where the CNF fits in the full launch.
- Custom skincare formulation guide: what to settle with your formulator before the ingredient list is final.
- MoCRA compliance basics for skincare brands: the US counterpart to the Canadian notification.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a cosmetic notification form?
You must file it no later than 10 days after you first sell the cosmetic in Canada. Many brands file before launch so the deadline never becomes an issue.
Who files the CNF for a private label product?
Usually the brand. The Cosmetic Regulations define the manufacturer as the person in Canada who sells the cosmetic under their own name or brand. The form also asks for the company that actually made or formulated the product.
Does Health Canada approve my product when I file a CNF?
No. Health Canada says a notification number is not an approval. It’s a record that lets the department track cosmetics sold in Canada.
Do I need a new cosmetic notification form for each size or shade?
Not for sizes, and often not for shades. Different container sizes don’t need separate forms, and shades or scents that share one base formula can share a notification. A different base formula needs its own form.
What happens if I change the formula after filing?
Send a revised notification within 10 days after the information becomes inaccurate. The same rule applies to a new product name or new contact details.
If you’re ready to build a formula with the paperwork in mind from day one, start with our custom formulation services.