Every food facility registered with FDA must renew between October 1 and December 31 of each even-numbered year. The current window ends on December 31, 2026, and FDA has said it will consider the registration of any facility that has not renewed by then to be expired. Many foreign facilities also use the window to review their US Agent. Some are paying an annual fee to an agent they never hear from. Others have lost contact with the consultant who registered them years ago. Renewal and an Agent change can be done together, but they are two separate actions, and you need both.
Renewal and an Agent change are different filings
Renewal confirms or updates the whole registration: facility name and address, the DUNS number used as the unique facility identifier (UFI), owner and operator details, emergency contact, food product categories, activities and the US Agent. An Agent change replaces one field in that record. If you only update the US Agent in December, your registration is still not renewed. If you renew without fixing an Agent who no longer acts for you, you have a current registration that names a contact FDA cannot rely on.
The cleanest approach is to submit the renewal with the new US Agent already named in it, after the new agent has agreed to the appointment. FDA checks US Agent information with the agent, so the agent you name has to expect your filing and confirm it.
Signs it is time to change your US Agent
- You cannot name the person or company that acts as your agent, or you do not know how they contact you.
- You have never received a renewal reminder, FDA correspondence or regulatory update from them.
- The agent's annual invoice arrives automatically, but questions to them go unanswered.
- They will not tell you who holds your FDA Industry Systems (FIS) account, or will not share your registration details.
- They cannot communicate with you in a language your team works in.
A US Agent is FDA's communication link with your facility, for routine questions and for emergencies. Our guide to why every foreign food facility needs a US Agent explains the role in detail.
How a combined renewal and transfer works
- Confirm the facility still needs to be registered, and gather the current registration number.
- Make sure an authorized person at your company can sign in to the FIS account that holds the registration. If you cannot, read our guide to renewing when you are locked out of your FDA account before December.
- Check that the DUNS record shows the same legal name and physical address as the facility registration. Mismatches are a common reason a renewal stalls. See what a UFI number is for the rules.
- Agree the appointment with the new US Agent in writing, including the start date and what the coverage includes.
- Submit the renewal with the new agent's details, and update product categories, contacts and activities at the same time.
- Keep the renewal confirmation and the agent's acceptance together in your compliance file. Then tell your previous agent, your importer and your customs broker.
What it costs
FDA charges no fee to register or renew a food facility. Any amount you pay is a professional fee. FDABridge publishes its price: the Food Facility Renew + US Agent Transfer service is $349 and includes 12 months of US Agent coverage from the date the designation is accepted in the FDA record. Coverage does not renew automatically. Once complete information and account access are in place, our turnaround for the filing is 2 days, and FDA's validation is separate.
Do not leave it to the last week
Account access problems, DUNS corrections and agent confirmations can each take time that is not under your control. Starting in November leaves room to fix them before December 31. If the registration lapses, food from that facility can be held when it arrives in the United States until a valid registration is in place. Our article on renewal deadlines and penalties explains what happens after the deadline, and the 2026 renewal guide walks through the whole process.
Sources
- FDA, FDA Reminds Food Facilities of Biennial Renewal Requirements (September 29, 2026): https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-reminds-food-facilities-biennial-renewal-requirements
- 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart H, Registration of Food Facilities: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-A/part-1/subpart-H