How to Prepare a Certificate of Free Sale (CFS) for Indonesia: A Guide for Korean Companies

If you’re a Korean company planning to register or distribute your products in Indonesia for the first time, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to prepare a Certificate of Free Sale (CFS). It’s one of the most routine documents in cross-border regulatory submissions, and also one of the easiest to get wrong.

Preparing a CFS looks straightforward on paper, but small differences in company names, addresses, product information, or exact document wording can trigger clarification requests or delays once it reaches Indonesian authorities. This guide explains what a CFS is, who typically issues it in Korea, what information to check before requesting the final version, and why a quick review step can save weeks of rework later.

1. Introduction

Indonesia requires a CFS as part of the registration process for several regulated product categories, including food, cosmetics, medical devices, and health supplements. The document serves a simple purpose: it confirms, on the record of a competent authority in the country of origin, that a product is legally sold there without restriction.

For Korean companies entering Indonesia for the first time, the CFS process often runs in parallel with other registration steps, which makes it easy to treat as a formality. In practice, it deserves the same level of attention as any other regulatory document, since even minor inconsistencies can hold up an otherwise complete submission.

2. What Is a Certificate of Free Sale?

A Certificate of Free Sale is an official document issued by a competent authority to confirm the regulatory status of a product in its country of origin. In simple terms, it demonstrates that the product is legally marketed or permitted for sale under the applicable regulations in Korea.

3. Who Issues the CFS in Korea?

The issuing authority for a CFS depends entirely on the type of product involved. Companies shouldn’t assume that one authority covers every product category, since Korea splits this responsibility across several institutions.

For medical devices specifically, the exact issuing body can vary depending on the applicable document and issuance procedure, so it’s worth confirming which authority applies to your product before starting the request.

4. What to Check Before Requesting the Final CFS

The exact information required on a CFS differs by product category. Reviewing each field carefully before requesting the final document helps avoid a second round with the issuing authority later.

Food Products

• Certificate number — must be clearly stated on the CFS
• Required statement — must include one of the standard free-sale statements under Korea’s Food Sanitation Act
• Name and address of the production establishment — the facility where the product is manufactured
• Country of destination — must be stated as Indonesia
• Name and address of the consignor/exporter — consistent with the Indonesian registration documents
• Name and address of the consignee/importer — consistent with the Indonesian registration documents
• Product name and product type — matching the products intended for registration in Indonesia

Medical Devices

• Certificate number — clearly stated on the CFS
• Exporting country — Republic of Korea
• Importing country — must be stated as Indonesia
• Required statement — confirming the manufacturer is authorized to manufacture medical devices, and that the listed products are permitted to be freely sold domestically and overseas
• Manufacturer name and address — consistent with the registration documents
• Product classification — clearly stated, where applicable
• Brand and product name — matching the products intended for registration in Indonesia
• Product model or reference number — matching the registration documents, where applicable
• Issued date — clearly stated on the CFS

Cosmetic Products

• Certificate number — clearly stated on the CFS
• Manufacturer name and address — consistent with the registration documents
• Required statement — confirming the product has been freely sold in the Republic of Korea
• Manufacturer/principal name and address — consistent with the registration documents
• Brand and product name, or product list — matching the products intended for cosmetic notification in Indonesia; if multiple products appear on one certificate, a complete product list should be included
• Country to be exported to — must be stated as Indonesia
• Date of issue — clearly stated

Supplement Products

• Issuing authority — must be the competent government authority in the country of origin
• Required statement — confirming the products are freely sold in domestic and overseas markets without restriction under Korea’s Health Functional Food Act
• Certificate number — clearly stated on the CFS
• Exporting country — Republic of Korea
• Importing country — must be stated as Indonesia
• Manufacturer name and address — consistent with the registration documents
• Brand and product name — matching the products intended for registration in Indonesia
• Type of product or reference number — matching the registration documents, where applicable

5. Why the Draft CFS Should Be Reviewed First

Reviewing a draft CFS is significantly easier than correcting a final, government-issued document. If the final CFS has already been issued and the company name, address, product name, or other key detail turns out to be incorrect, the company typically needs to request an entirely new certificate from the issuing authority.

The stakes get higher once the document has already gone through authentication, legalization, or apostille. At that point, correcting an error usually requires additional procedures, extra time, and added cost, on top of whatever delay the original mistake already caused.

6. The Recommended Process

Following a consistent process for every CFS request reduces the risk of surprises once the document is finalized.

• 1Prepare Draft CFS: Work with the relevant Korean issuing authority to prepare a draft based on the correct format for your product category.
• 2Send for Review: Share the draft CFS with your Indonesian regulatory partner before requesting the final document.
• 3Make Corrections (if required): Address any inconsistencies or missing information identified during review.
• 4Issue Final CFS: Request the final certificate from the issuing authority once the draft has been confirmed correct.
• 5Legalization/Apostille (if required): Complete any additional authentication steps needed for the certificate to be accepted in Indonesia.

7. Conclusion

A Certificate of Free Sale might look like a routine document, but the exact wording, issuing authority, and required details differ across food, medical device, cosmetic, and supplement categories, and Indonesian reviewers expect every detail to match your other registration documents precisely.

For Korean companies entering the Indonesian market, the safest approach is straightforward: confirm the correct issuing authority for your product category, prepare the draft CFS carefully, and have it reviewed before requesting the final, legalized version. That single review step is consistently the fastest way to avoid costly corrections and delays later in the process.

Frequently Asked Questions