DOOSIGAN / Pet Food & Pet Products / REGULATORY SERVICES
DLD pet food registration and pet product compliance, handled in one place.
Pet food is a specifically controlled feed under the DLD, requiring both an import licence and product registration. Registration cannot be transferred between companies, so the holder structure itself becomes a regulatory asset. Non-food pet products are split by function between TISI, NBTC, Thai FDA and DLD hazardous substances, so a single product is assessed authority by authority.
01 / SERVICE SCOPE
DLD registration files are assembled by product type: complete food, treats, therapeutic supplementary food, supplements and premixes. Whether the ingredients are on the positive list is the first decision.
The specifically controlled feed import licence is issued to the Thai importer and is linked to a storage site. Product registration is only possible on top of that licence.
Electric feeders, GPS collars, veterinary medical devices and anti-parasitic shampoos fall respectively under TISI, NBTC, Thai FDA and DLD hazardous substances. Each is assessed by function.
+ / PLAN YOUR MARKET ENTRY
DLD checks 100% of the ingredients on the Certificate of Formula (COF) against the positive and negative lists to decide whether the product needs registration, notification, or is prohibited. The ingredients set the route, not the product name or marketing category.
The Nutrient Profiles and Certificate of Complete Pet Food for complete food must be issued by a government agency of the country of origin or a body delegated by that government. The manufacturer's own documents cannot substitute, so the issuing schedule is arranged first.
DLD registration cannot be transferred between companies. Register under the first distributor's name and that relationship becomes the product's fate. Settle the holder structure before the contract.
Electrical to TISI, wireless to NBTC, veterinary medical devices to Thai FDA, insecticidal or anti-parasitic ingredients to DLD hazardous substances. One product with several functions runs several procedures at once.
02 / EXECUTION
Every ingredient on the Certificate of Formula (COF) is checked against the positive and negative lists. If the active ingredient is on the specifically controlled feed list, the route is licence plus registration; if it is non-specifically controlled, notification; if any prohibited substance is present, the product cannot proceed.
The Thai importer's specifically controlled feed import licence and storage site are confirmed. Who holds the registration is decided before the contract — registration cannot be transferred.
COA, process flow diagram, raw material specifications, metabolisable energy, additive list, Certificate of Formula, F0 for retort products, shelf-life study, and the Nutrient Profiles and Certificate of Complete Pet Food issued by a government agency of the country of origin.
Product registration is filed, with responses to committee review (therapeutic diets) and requests for additional documents. Label content and advertising copy are reviewed at the same time.
Electrical and wireless functions go to TISI and NBTC, veterinary medical devices to Thai FDA, and insecticidal or anti-parasitic ingredients to DLD hazardous substance registration, each as a separate procedure.
03 / REGULATORY INSIGHT
Pet food is a specifically controlled feed (อาหารสัตว์ควบคุมเฉพาะ) regulated by the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) under the Animal Feed Quality Control Act B.E. 2558 (2015) (พ.ร.บ.ควบคุมคุณภาพอาหารสัตว์ พ.ศ. 2558). The authority, the law and the documents are all different from food. Importing for sale requires a specifically controlled feed import licence, each product requires registration, and the registration is tied to a licensed Thai business.
The first thing to confirm is that registration cannot be transferred between companies. Changing the distribution partner means registering again under a new name, so whose name goes on the registration decides who holds the product's regulatory asset. Brands that intend to work with several distributors consider license holding under our name before registering.
04 / REGULATORY INSIGHT
DLD's product screening guideline starts by checking 100% of the ingredients on the Certificate of Formula. Each ingredient is classified by role (active ingredient, flavouring, preservative, binder, emulsifier, carrier), and the active ingredient is checked against the lists of permitted and prohibited substances.
| Finding | Result |
|---|---|
| Active ingredient is a specifically controlled feed on the positive list (feed raw materials, milk products, additive groups) | Manufacturing or import licence + product registration |
| On the positive list but not a specifically controlled feed | Manufacturing or import notification only (no licence or registration) |
| Any substance on the negative list | Manufacture, import, sale and use prohibited |
| On neither list | Checked against the EU feed materials and additives lists and AAFCO references. If the intended use falls outside the definition of specifically controlled feed and no positive-list active ingredient is present, no licence or registration is required |
New ingredients on neither list go through the new-product screening procedure. Because the ingredients set the route rather than the product name or marketing category, no answer can be confirmed without the Certificate of Formula.
05 / REGULATORY INSIGHT
DLD divides pet food into complete and balanced food, treats and snacks, therapeutic supplementary food, supplements and premixes, with document criteria for each type. The core file is the same.
Complete food additionally needs Nutrient Profiles and a Certificate of Complete Pet Food, and imported products further need a Product Information sheet, a Certificate of Health where animal-derived ingredients are present, and a Certificate of Free Sale from the country of origin. The Nutrient Profiles and the Certificate of Complete Pet Food must be issued by a government agency of the country of origin or a body delegated by that government; the manufacturer's own documents cannot substitute. The issuing schedule often governs the overall timeline. Therapeutic supplementary food requires experimental or academic evidence and goes through committee review.
06 / REGULATORY INSIGHT
The specifically controlled feed import licence is issued to the Thai importer and is linked to a storage site. Product registration alone does not complete import readiness; the importer's and storage facility's licences have to be arranged separately. After registration, label changes, formula changes and changes of manufacturer are handled through amendment forms, and advertising that makes quality or efficacy claims has its own application form.
Quality evidence from the overseas manufacturing site, such as GHP and HACCP, is checked to confirm it actually covers the product and process scope in question. Products containing animal-derived ingredients meet the Certificate of Health and veterinary quarantine at customs, so quarantine conditions are confirmed before shipment.
07 / REGULATORY INSIGHT
A product does not follow the same route just because it is "for pets". Its function decides the authority, and one product with several functions runs several procedures at once.
| Product example | Authority | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic feeders, heating mats, dryers | TISI | Whether a mains-powered product falls under a compulsory standard |
| GPS collars, pet cameras, smart water dispensers | NBTC | Class A, Class B or SDoC depending on radio frequency and output |
| Veterinary thermometers, braces and other veterinary medical devices | Thai FDA | Medical devices for animals are Class 1 as a rule |
| Shampoos, sprays and collars with insecticidal or anti-parasitic ingredients | DLD livestock hazardous substances | Hazardous substance registration, manufacturing, import and sale licences, and a sample import permit |
| Nutritional supplements | DLD | Registered as the feed supplement type |
| Ordinary toys, bowls, leads | Judged by material and claims | Wording that implies sterilisation, anti-parasitic or therapeutic effect triggers the relevant authority's procedure |
Products with insecticidal or anti-parasitic ingredients go through DLD's livestock hazardous substances system. There is a hazardous substance registration certificate and manufacturing, import and sale licences, a separate permit form for importing samples, and manufacturers have an annual production reporting obligation. Whether a pet shampoo that looks like a cosmetic falls into this system can only be known from its ingredient list.
08 / REGULATORY INSIGHT
09 / EXPERTISE × AX
Your project is led by specialists with more than ten years managing global accounts in the Thai entities of global regulatory and testing firms.
We combine regulatory evidence retrieved through Doosigan RAG with specialist judgment. Comparing source notifications with product documents helps establish the applicable requirements and reasoning for authority responses. Our specialists review formulas, manufacturing processes and importer documentation, organize requirements and prepare documentation more efficiently. Your specialist manages the product-specific issues, testing coordination and filing work within the agreed scope.
Product Screening file: Certificate of Formula and formulation ratios, product type and feeding method, COA and test data by process stage, overseas manufacturing-site information, and proposed Thai import and storage structure
10 / REGULATORY INSIGHT
For this product category, we coordinate overseas manufacturer documents with the Thai applicant's existing licenses, product scope and distribution plan. We review new products, label changes and renewal or amendment needs before filing. The applicant and permit scope are assessed for each project.
Where needed, explore Thailand license holding or Importer of Record services alongside your product requirements.
+ / DOCUMENTS
+ / FAQ
No. Pet food is a specifically controlled feed regulated by the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) under the Animal Feed Quality Control Act. It is a different authority, a different law and a different set of documents from food.
The active ingredient on the Certificate of Formula is checked against the positive list. If it falls under the specifically controlled feed list (feed raw materials, milk products, additive groups), a manufacturing or import licence and product registration are required. If it is on the positive list but is not a specifically controlled feed, only a manufacturing or import notification is filed. If even one substance on the negative list is present, manufacture, import and sale are prohibited. Ingredients on neither list are checked against EU and AAFCO references.
The core file is the same, but complete food additionally needs Nutrient Profiles and a Certificate of Complete Pet Food, and both must be issued by a government agency of the country of origin or a body delegated by that government. Therapeutic supplementary food requires experimental or academic evidence and goes through committee review.
DLD registration cannot be transferred between companies. Changing partners means registering again under the new name, so choosing a distribution partner is the same as deciding who controls the regulatory asset. Brands that plan to work with several distributors consider license holding under our name before registering.
Mains-powered feeders and heating mats are checked for compulsory TIS standards; collars and cameras with wireless functions are checked with NBTC. Veterinary medical devices are, as a rule, classified as Class 1 by the Thai FDA, and shampoos and sprays containing insecticidal or anti-parasitic ingredients are registered as DLD livestock hazardous substances. Ordinary toys and bowls are judged on material and claims.
Label artwork and wording are reviewed at registration, and advertising that makes quality or efficacy claims has a separate application form. Rather than translating the overseas label as it is, the Thai label is drafted to match the registered content.
DOOSIGAN / LET’S CONNECT
Send your Certificate of Formula, product type, feeding method, manufacturing-site documents and Thai import plan. We will confirm the ingredient screening result and the registration route first.
Discuss your product and approval requirements ↗Share your product, models, launch plan and available evidence on our contact page, or email us directly.
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