Every foreign food, cosmetic, drug and medical device facility that registers with FDA must name a US Agent. FDA uses that agent to reach the facility, for routine questions, emergencies and, in some programs, inspection scheduling. Because the role sits quietly in the background, many exporters keep the agent they were given years ago without ever checking whether it works. When it does not, the consequences arrive at the worst moment: an FDA message nobody forwarded, or a renewal nobody reminded you about.
Why exporters switch to FDABridge
You can see the scope before you sign
FDABridge publishes what Agent coverage includes and excludes, how long it lasts and what happens when it ends. Year 1 coverage in our listed packages runs 12 months from the accepted designation, and it never renews automatically. You decide whether to continue, with a new written scope and quote. No surprise invoice arrives for a service you forgot you had.
The agent and the filings sit in one place
Many exporters have one company for the DUNS number, another for registration and a third as US Agent. When the data in those records disagree, renewals stall and shipments get questioned. FDABridge can handle the registration, renewal, DUNS or FEI work and the Agent role together, so the details stay consistent.
You hear back, in your language
When you send an enquiry, our team contacts you within 24 hours. FDABridge publishes its service information in 27 languages, so your team can check scope, exclusions and next steps in the language it uses every day.
The prices are published
For food facilities, the Food Facility Renew + US Agent Transfer service is $349 and includes 12 months of Agent coverage. Standalone Agent appointments and transfers for other categories are quoted after we check the facility and its FDA record, so the quote matches the actual work. See our pricing page.
How the transfer works
- Tell us the product category, the facility and the current registration status. Food, cosmetic, drug and device records each name the US Agent in a different FDA system.
- We check the record: is the registration current, who holds account access, and does the DUNS or FEI match the facility?
- We confirm the scope, the effective date and the price in writing. If an existing agent is named, we agree the changeover date with you before anything is replaced.
- An authorized person at your company, or a provider you authorize, updates the facility record to name FDABridge. You never need to send us your FDA password.
- FDABridge accepts the designation, and you receive the updated FDA record and the accepted designation as completion evidence.
- Tell your previous agent, importer and customs broker about the change.
Timing it with renewal
For food facilities, the October 1 to December 31, 2026 renewal window is the natural moment to change agents, because the renewal can name the new agent directly. Remember that an Agent change alone does not complete the renewal. Our guide to renewing and changing your US Agent at the same time explains how to do both. Cosmetic facilities renew every two years from their own initial registration date, and drug and device establishments update their records every year, so an Agent change for those categories can be planned around their own cycles.
What a US Agent does not do
Being clear about limits is part of choosing well. A US Agent is a communication link. It is not your importer, your FSVP importer, your customs broker or your lawyer, and appointing one does not mean FDA has approved anything. FDABridge's Agent coverage excludes Prior Notice, FSVP, laboratory, customs, legal, inspection response and detention work unless they are agreed separately in writing. Our guide to what an FDA US Agent is covers the role across all programs.
Ready to check your current record? Start on our US Agent page, or read our honest comparison of FDABridge and other registration services.