Under 21 CFR 1.232(a)(2), domestic and foreign facilities must submit a unique facility identifier (UFI) recognized as acceptable to FDA in the facility’s registration (see also section F.2 of this document for further discussion of the UFI requirement). Please note, however, that the requirement for providing a UFI in food facility registration submissions will not begin until October 1, 2020. As outlined in 21 CFR 1.231(a)(3) and (b)(5), beginning October 1, 2020, FDA intends to conduct the verification process for the UFI as follows:
- For electronic registrations, after you submit your registration, FDA will verify the accuracy of your UFI recognized as acceptable by FDA and will also verify that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration. FDA will not confirm your registration or provide you with a registration number until FDA verifies the accuracy of your facility’s UFI and verifies that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration.
- For electronic registration renewals, after you submit your electronic registration renewal, FDA will provide you with an electronic confirmation of your registration renewal. When you add or update your facility’s UFI as part of the registration renewal, FDA will verify the accuracy of your facility’s UFI and will also verify that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration. FDA will not provide you with a confirmation of your registration renewal until FDA verifies the accuracy of your UFI and verifies that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration.
- For registrations submitted by mail or fax, after you submit your registration, FDA will verify the accuracy of your facility’s UFI and will also verify that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration. FDA will not confirm your registration or provide you with a registration number until FDA verifies the accuracy of your facility’s UFI and verifies that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration.
- For registration renewals submitted by mail or fax, after you submit your registration renewal, FDA will provide you with a confirmation of your registration renewal. When you add or update your facility’s UFI as part of your registration renewal, FDA will verify the accuracy of your facility’s UFI and will also verify that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration. FDA will not provide you with a confirmation of your registration renewal until FDA verifies the accuracy of your UFI and verifies that the facility-specific address associated with the UFI is the same address associated with your registration.
