Vietnam Abolishes Cosmetic Advertising Licenses: What Changes?

Do cosmetic businesses in Vietnam still need to obtain Cosmetic Advertising Licenses before launching marketing campaigns? Has this procedure, once considered mandatory for many years, been completely abolished? And how will this change impact cosmetic brands currently operating or preparing to enter the Vietnamese market?

These questions have been of great interest to many businesses since the Ministry of Health issued Circular No. 03/2026/TT-BYT, marking a significant change in cosmetic advertising regulations in Vietnam.

This article by Green NRJ will summarise the main points of the new regulations and the issues businesses need to consider when promoting cosmetic products in the Vietnamese market.

How have regulations on cosmetic advertising in Vietnam changed?

According to the previous regulations of Circular 09/2025/TT-BYT, businesses wishing to advertise cosmetics had to apply for a Certificate of Advertising Content Confirmation — often referred to as an Advertising Permit. Businesses would submit their application and advertising content to the local health management agency for review and approval before being allowed to promote their products. This procedure applied to various forms of advertising, from television and newspaper ads to outdoor billboards, website content, social media, and other communication materials.

However, from February 15, 2026, with the issuance of Circular 03/2026/TT-BYT, this pre-approval mechanism has been abolished. This means that businesses no longer have to apply for a cosmetic advertising license before carrying out marketing activities.

In addition to cosmetics, this regulation also applies to chemicals and insecticides and disinfectants used in households and healthcare, showing a broader adjustment in the way advertising of products in the healthcare sector is managed.

After the Circular came into effect, local authorities also began implementing guidelines. On March 3, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health issued Official Letter No. 2742/SYT-NVD to announce the application of the new regulation. This is considered a step forward in simplifying administrative procedures and creating more favourable conditions for business operations.

Why were regulations on cosmetic advertising licenses abolished?

In recent years, Vietnam has been gradually adjusting its legal regulations to reduce pre-approval procedures while strengthening post-approval mechanisms. The cosmetic industry, with its rapid development and increasing participation of domestic and international brands, is also part of this adjustment trend.

Previously, the process of obtaining advertising content approval sometimes caused businesses to wait 3 to 4 weeks before they could launch marketing campaigns, or even longer, requiring them to revise labels and resubmit cosmetic product declaration forms. This could affect the launch of new products or seasonal promotional campaigns.

With the abolition of this procedure, businesses can be more proactive in implementing communication and marketing activities. At the same time, regulatory agencies can shift their focus to monitoring and inspecting advertising content after it has been released to the market.

Does abolishing advertising licenses mean that cosmetic advertising is no longer regulated?

The abolition of the advertising content approval certificate for cosmetics does not mean that businesses can advertise products freely without complying with legal regulations.

In fact, cosmetic advertising activities still have to comply with many important legal regulations such as the 2012 Advertising Law, the Law amending and supplementing certain articles of the Advertising Law in 2025, as well as the latest regulations on cosmetic advertising from February 15, 2026, according to Decree 342/2025/ND-CP.

According to these regulations, advertising content must ensure honesty, accuracy, and not mislead consumers. A particularly important principle in cosmetic advertising is that products must not be advertised with therapeutic effects. According to legal definitions, cosmetics are only permitted for use in cleansing, beautifying, protecting, or improving the external condition of the body.

If the advertising content leads consumers to believe that the product has the ability to treat or prevent disease like medicine, the business may still be penalised according to current laws.

With the elimination of pre-approval advertising mechanisms, businesses need to proactively review their marketing content to ensure that product claims do not exceed the stated scope of use.

Promotional content on websites, social media, or information used by KOLs and KOCs also needs to be strictly controlled to avoid conveying misleading information to consumers.

Furthermore, preparing a complete Product Information File (PIF) and technical documentation demonstrating the product’s effectiveness is crucial in minimising legal risks during inspections or post-audits by regulatory authorities.

How will previously issued advertising approval certificates be handled?

Besides abolishing the advertising approval procedure, Circular 03/2026/TT-BYT also clearly stipulates the handling of advertising approval certificates issued before the new regulations take effect.

Accordingly, advertising content approval certificates issued before February 15, 2026, will continue to be used until they expire, are replaced, or are revoked according to the law.

For applications for advertising approval submitted before the Circular takes effect but are still being processed, the management agency will continue to handle them according to the law in effect at the time of receipt.

This transitional provision helps ensure stability during the policy change and avoids affecting businesses that have followed the procedures under the old regulations.

Conclusion

The abolition of the procedure for issuing certificates of approval for cosmetic advertising content under Circular 03/2026/TT-BYT marks a significant change in the way advertising activities are managed in Vietnam. The new regulation simplifies administrative procedures and creates more favourable conditions for businesses to implement marketing campaigns.

However, even though they no longer need to apply for cosmetic advertising licenses, businesses still need to ensure that advertising content complies with relevant legal regulations and accurately reflects the product’s uses.

For businesses currently operating or planning to enter the Vietnamese cosmetic market, a thorough understanding of legal regulations regarding cosmetic product declaration, advertising, and product management remains crucial to ensuring stable and sustainable business operations. Green NRJ is ready to assist businesses in reviewing advertising content, preparing cosmetic product registration documents, product information files (PIFs), and ensuring compliance with legal regulations when bringing products to the Vietnamese market.