Providing detailed regulations and guidance on certain Articles of the Law on Chemicals and Decree No. 26/2026/ND-CP of the Government providing detailed regulations and guidance on certain Articles of the Law on Chemicals regarding the management of chemical-related operations and hazardous chemicals in products and goods

1. Regulated scope:

This Circular provides detailed regulations and guidance on:

a) Delegation of authority to carry out procedures for issuing, reissuing, and amending licences for manufacturing and trading, licences for manufacturing and trading of group 1 or group 2 chemicals requiring special control; issuing, reissuing, amending, and renewing licences for export and import of group 1 or group 2 chemicals requiring special control;

b) Content and form of a safety data sheet (SDS);

c) Logging of the manufacture, import, use, and storage of chemicals under the state management by the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

d) Forms, deadlines, methods and procedures for creating slips, checking items and selling chemicals requiring special control in the Chemical Industry Database;

dd) List of hazardous chemicals in products and goods that must be publicly disclosed within the management scope of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

e) Forms used in administrative procedures include: issuance, reissuance or amendment to the licence to import prohibited chemicals; issuance, reissuance or amendment to the licence to manufacture prohibited chemicals; plan for controlling and preventing the loss of prohibited chemicals; logbook for monitoring the manufacture, import, use, and storage of prohibited chemicals; issuance, reissuance or amendment to the licence to manufacture and trade chemicals requiring special control; issuance, reissuance, amendment and renewal of the licence to export or import chemicals requiring special control; plan for controlling and preventing the loss of chemicals requiring special control; record of purchase and sale of chemicals requiring special control; issuance, reissuance, and amendment of the Certificate of eligibility for conditional manufacturing and trading of chemicals; issuance, reissuance or amendment of the Certificate of eligibility for providing chemical storage services; registration of new chemicals; declaration information and feedback on the declaration of imported chemicals via the Vietnam National Single Window.

g) Forms of registration and notification of successful registration in the Chemical Industry Database;

h) Form serving sharing of chemical management data from the Chemical Industry Database;

i) Principles of chemical classification;

k) Regulations on chemicals that are not permitted for use in industries and fields under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

l) Digital transformation in state management of chemicals.

2. This Circular applies to:

This Circular applies to domestic agencies, organizations and individuals and foreign organizations and individuals performing chemical-related operations in the territory of Vietnam.

1. Group 1 chemicals requiring special control include Group 1 chemicals specified in Appendix III of Decree No. 24/2026/ND-CP.

2. Group 2 chemicals requiring special control include Group 2 chemicals specified in Appendix III of Decree No. 24/2026/ND-CP.

1. The People's Committee of the province where the organization or individual has its headquarters shall:

a) Receive applications, organize appraisals, issue, reissue or amend licences to manufacture, licences to trade, licences to manufacture and trade chemicals requiring special control for organizations engaged in the manufacturing and trading of Group 2 chemicals requiring special control, and that do not manufacture or trade Group 1 chemicals requiring special control;

b) Receive applications, issue, reissue, amend or renew export or import licences for chemicals requiring special control for organizations or individuals exporting or importing group 2 chemicals requiring special control.

2. Vietnam Chemicals agency shall

a) Receive applications, appraise or assess the actual conditions for procedures related to the issuance, reissuance and amendment to licences to manufacture prohibited chemicals in the industrial field; receive and appraise applications for the issuance, reissuance or amendment to licences to import prohibited chemicals under the state management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

b) Receive applications, organize appraisals, issue, reissue or amend licences to manufacture, licences to trade, licences to manufacture and trade chemicals requiring special control for organizations engaged in the manufacturing and trading of Group 1 chemicals requiring special control, and organizations engaged in the manufacturing and trading of both group 1 chemicals and group 2 chemicals;

c) Receive applications, issue, reissue, amend or renew export or import licences for group 1 chemicals requiring special control;

d) Receive applications, organize appraisals, issue, reissue or amend Certificates of eligibility for providing chemical storage services for storage facilities required to develop a Chemical incident prevention and response plan (accidental release plan) as appraised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

dd) Receive applications, organize appraisals of new chemicals;

e) Receive declared information on imported chemicals.

1. The People's Committee of the province where the headquarters is located, upon receiving an application, shall carry out the following procedures:

a) In the case where the organization conducts manufacture, trading or storage activities only in the administrative division where its headquarters are located and does not conduct manufacture, trading or storage activities in any other division:

The Provincial People's Committee shall carry out the procedures for issuing the Licence in accordance with the provisions specified in Clause 5, Article 13 of Decree No. 26/2026/ND-CP.

b) In the case where the organization conducts manufacture, trading or storage activities in the administrative division different from the division where its headquarters are located:

Within 03 working days from the date of receiving a complete and valid application, the Provincial People’s Committee where the organization submitted their application is responsible for sending a copy of the application for a licence to manufacture and trade group 2 chemicals requiring special control to the People’s Committee of the province where the organization’s chemical manufacturing and trading facility is located to obtain their opinion.

Within 10 working days from the date of receiving the copy of the application, the People's Committee of the province where the chemical manufacturing and trading facility is located shall be responsible for inspecting the actual conditions of chemical manufacturing and trading facilities under its management and providing a written confirmation of the compliance with the prescribed conditions.

The provincial People's Committee where the organization submitted its application is responsible for reviewing, evaluating the application, and issuing a Certificate of eligibility to the organization within 03 working days from the date of receipt of the written confirmation of the compliance with the prescribed conditions from the People's Committee of the province where the chemical manufacturing and trading facility is located, and simultaneously sending it to relevant units for coordinated management. In case the licensing is rejected, the licensing authority must provide explanation in writing.

2. In the case where an organization that has already been granted a licence to manufacture and trade Group 2 chemicals requiring special control by the Provincial People's Committee which is still valid intends to manufacture and trade Group 1 chemicals requiring special control, the organization shall prepare and submit an application for issuance of a new licence to Vietnam Chemicals Agency. Vietnam Chemicals Agency shall carry out the procedures for issuing the Licence in accordance with the provisions specified in Clause 5, Article 13 of Decree No. 26/2026/ND-CP.

3. After issuing the licence, within 7 working days, the competent authority shall update the Licence in the relevant database for coordinated monitoring and management.

1. A chemical safety sheet must consist of the following fundamental contents:

a) Identification of chemical and supplier;

b) Hazard identification;

c) Information on composition of substances;

d) First aid measures;

e) Fire-fighting measures;

f) Accidental release measures;

g) Handling and storage requirements;

h) Exposure control/personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements;

i) Physical and chemical properties of chemicals;

k) Chemical stability and reactivity;

l) Toxicological information;

m) Ecological information;

n) Disposal considerations;

o) Transport information;

p) Regulatory information;

q) Other necessary information.

2. The SDS is enclosed with this Circular in Appendix I.

1. The forms used in the procedure for issuance, reissuance, and amendment to a licence to import prohibited chemicals are prescribed in Appendix II enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 02a: Written request for issuance of a licence to import prohibited chemicals;

b) Form No. 02b: Written request for reissuance or amendment to a licence to import prohibited chemicals;

c) Form No. 02c: Form of a licence to import prohibited chemicals.

2. The forms used for applying for issuance, reissuance, and amendment to a licence to manufacture prohibited chemicals are prescribed in Appendix III enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 03a: Written request for issuance of a licence to manufacture prohibited chemicals;

b) Form No. 03b: Written request for reissuance or amendment to a licence to manufacture prohibited chemicals;

c) Form No. 03c: Form of a licence to manufacture prohibited chemicals.

3. The plan for controlling and preventing the loss of prohibited chemicals is prescribed in Appendix IV enclosed herewith.

4. The register for monitoring the manufacture, import, use, and storage of prohibited chemicals is prescribed in Appendix V enclosed herewith.

5. The forms related to the procedures for issuing, reissuing, and amending licences to manufacture and trade chemicals requiring special control are prescribed in Appendix VI enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 06a: Written request for issuance of a licence to manufacture and trade chemicals requiring special control;

b) Form No. 06b: Written request for reissuance or amendment to a licence to manufacture and trade chemicals requiring special control;

c) Form No. 06c: Form of a licence to manufacture and trade chemicals requiring special control;

6. The forms related to the issuance, reissuance and amendment to a licence to export or import chemicals requiring special control are prescribed in Appendix VIII enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 07a: Written request for issuance of a licence to export or import chemicals requiring special control;

b) Form No. 07b: Written request for reissuance or amendment to a licence to export or import chemicals requiring special control;

c) Form No. 07c: Form of a licence to export or import chemicals requiring special control;

7. The plan for controlling and preventing the loss of chemicals requiring special control is prescribed in Appendix VIII enclosed herewith.

8. Record of purchase and sale of chemicals requiring special control is specified in Appendix IX enclosed herewith.

9. The forms used during the procedures for issuing, reissuing, and amending a certificate of eligibility for conditional manufacturing and trading of chemicals are prescribed in Appendix X enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 10a: Written request for issuance of a Certificate of eligibility for conditional manufacturing and trading of chemicals;

b) Form No. 10b: Written request for reissuance or amendment to a Certificate of eligibility for conditional manufacturing and trading of chemicals;

c) Form No. 10c: Form of a Certificate of eligibility for conditional manufacturing and trading of chemicals;

10. The forms used during the procedures for issuing, reissuing, and amending a certificate of eligibility for providing chemical storage services are prescribed in Appendix XI enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 11a: Written request for issuance of a Certificate of eligibility for providing chemical storage services;

b) Form No. 11b: Written request for reissuance or amendment to a Certificate of eligibility for providing chemical storage services;

c) Form No. 11c: From of a Certificate of eligibility for providing chemical storage services;

11. Forms of registration of new chemicals are stipulated in Appendix XII enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 12a: Registration of new chemicals;

b) Form No. 12b: Summary report on the evaluation of new chemicals;

c) Form No. 12c: Confirmation of new chemicals.

12. Forms of declaration and response to the declaration of imported chemicals through Vietnam National Single Window is stipulated in Appendix XIII enclosed herewith, including:

a) Form No. 13a: Form of declaration of imported chemicals through Vietnam National Single Window;

b) Form No. 13b: Form of response to the declaration of imported chemicals through Vietnam National Single Window;

13. Forms of registration and notification of the enterprise’s successful registration in the Chemical Industry Database are specified in Appendix XIV enclosed herewith.

Organizations and individuals that manufacture or import chemicals are obliged to classify chemicals in accordance with the guidelines in Appendix XV enclosed herewith or in accordance with the classification principles of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) from version 2 of 2007 onwards.

1. From January 1, 2026, within 10 days from the date of delivery, the organization trading chemicals included in the list of chemicals requiring special control must prepare a record of purchase and sale of chemicals requiring special control using the form in Appendix IX enclosed herewith through the System for chemical identification and origin tracking of chemicals requiring special control on the electronic identification and authentication platform managed by the Ministry of Public Security.

2. Vietnam Chemicals Agency is responsible for ensuring the infrastructure to facilitate the entry of information on the records of purchase and sale of chemicals requiring special control in the Chemical Industry Database from the date the System for chemical identification and origin tracking of chemicals requiring special control is officially announced.

Chemicals banned for use in the industry and trade sector include prohibited chemicals prescribed in the Investment Law, except in cases where competent authorities grant permission.

1. The Chemical Industry Database includes the following data:

a) Data on chemicals, chemical-related activities, the chemical industry, and hazardous chemicals in products and goods;

b) Data on the National chemical list and the Foreign chemical list recognized by the competent regulatory authorities of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam;

c) Data on the implementation of chemical-related administrative procedures.

d) Data provided annually by organizations and individuals;

dd) Data on the content of a record of purchase and sale of chemicals requiring special control.

2. The information shall be shared on the relevant database using the information form prescribed in Appendix XVI enclosed herewith.

3. The information in the Chemical Industry Database of organizations and individuals engaged in chemical-related activities is updated according to the form prescribed in Appendix XVII enclosed herewith.

4. Information on chemical types and intended uses of chemicals requiring special control is published on the Chemical Industry Database in accordance with the form in Appendix XVIII enclosed herewith.

5. Vietnam Chemicals Agency is responsible for developing, operating, maintaining, updating, upgrading and enhancing a comprehensive and modern database, ensuring information security and cybersecurity, with the capability to connect with the Ministry of Industry and Trade's public service portals and other relevant databases; developing mechanisms for sharing and using information from the Chemical Industry Database; leading the development of the function of disclosing information on hazardous chemical content in products and goods; leading the development of the function of disclosing the chemical types and intended uses of chemicals requiring special control based on the Chemical Industry Database.

6. Vietnam E-commerce and Digital Economy Agency (iDEA) shall take charge and cooperate with Vietnam Chemicals Agency in developing functions of issuing, reissuing, amending and revoking Certificates and Licences (for certificates of conditional manufacturing and trading of chemicals, licences to manufacture, trade, export and import chemicals requiring special control, and certificates of eligibility for providing chemical storage services) through the Ministry of Industry and Trade's public service portal, as well as to share and synchronize data with the Chemical Industry Database.

1. The list of hazardous chemicals in products and goods requiring information disclosure in the industry is issued in Appendix XIX enclosed herewith.

2. Vietnam Chemicals Agency shall receive feedback on the list specified in clause 1 of this Article, review and assess the necessity and propose to the Minister of Industry and Trade to update and supplement the list of hazardous chemicals requiring information disclosure under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

1. This Circular comes into force from January 17, 2026.

2. Circular No. 32/2017/TT-BCT and Circular No. 17/2022/TT-BCT shall be invalid from the day on which this Circular comes into force.

3. Article 7 of Circular No. 38/2025/TT-BCT shall be annulled.

4. Any difficulties arising during the implementation of this Circular should be reported to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (via Vietnam Chemicals Agency) for prompt consideration, amendment, supplementation or guidance.