How a cosmetic product is registered for sale in the UAE

A cosmetic product cannot simply be shipped to Dubai and put on a shelf. It has to clear two checkpoints, one federal and one at emirate level, and the brand has to be able to prove the product is safe and correctly labelled. Brands that understand the sequence before they start save weeks.

Step 1: federal conformity — MoIAT and ECAS

The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) supervises the safety and quality of cosmetics in the UAE. Its mandatory certification scheme, ECAS, produces a Certificate of Conformity, and that certificate is needed for customs clearance. Assessment is carried out through certification bodies that MoIAT has notified.

Step 2: Dubai Municipality registration — Montaji

For the Dubai market, Dubai Municipality requires a product to be registered before it is placed on sale. Registration is filed through its Montaji system and, once granted, is valid for five years. The documents Dubai Municipality asks for typically include:

• A free sale certificate showing the product is legally sold in its country of origin.
• An ingredient report listing the full formula.
• Evidence of good manufacturing practice (GMP) for the factory that makes the product.
• A laboratory test report, plus any other supporting documents requested for the product type.

Labelling

Labels must meet the UAE's cosmetics labelling rules, which are set out in Cabinet Decision No. 18 of 2014 and in the Gulf technical standard GSO 1943. We recommend a label review before artwork is finalised, because a label that has to be reprinted after the goods have been made is the most avoidable delay in the process.

A standard that keeps being revised

GSO 1943 has been revised more than once in recent years. One public source describes the 2021 edition as replacing the 2016 one, and another lists a 2024 edition. The practical point for a brand: confirm which edition is in force with the authority before you finalise ingredient lists, test reports and artwork, rather than relying on a document that is a year or two old.

Where a distributor fits

A brand outside the UAE usually needs a licensed UAE importer to act as the local party for registration, customs and warehousing. At Evergreen Glow Trading we coordinate the UAE side of that process using the brand's own documents, and then supply retail, pharmacy, salon and online channels from Dubai stock. Our UAE market entry guide and brand partners page explain how this works in practice.

This page is a general overview, not legal or regulatory advice. Requirements and fees change, so confirm the current position with MoIAT and Dubai Municipality before you act.

Sources

• Intertek — UAE GSO 1943 regulatory update (article dated 20 October 2022; read 2 November 2026)
• ChemLinked — UAE cosmetic regulation (last updated 22 August 2025; read 2 November 2026)

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