BPOM vs HSA
🇸🇬 SingaporeBPOM vs HSA: what carries over to Singapore
BPOM and HSA both use notification, and both follow the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive. But a BPOM number does not carry over to Singapore, and the two check at different moments. Here is the difference, and what you can reuse.
What this guide covers
- →Why a BPOM number doesn't carry over
- →BPOM and HSA, side by side
- →The real difference: when anyone looks
- →What you can reuse
- →What to do if you're already BPOM notified
A BPOM number does not carry over to Singapore. Both regulators use notification and both follow the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, but each needs its own filing by a company in its own country. The main difference is when anyone looks: BPOM checks your submitted data before issuing a number, and HSA does not evaluate the product before you can sell.
- You need both if you sell in both countries: BPOM for Indonesia, HSA for Singapore.
- BPOM reviews your data first, in up to 14 working days, or 3 for fragrance.
- HSA's acknowledgement is automatic. That does not make it a lighter duty.
- Neither regulator's number proves the product meets the other's rules.
- Your DIP and your testing are a head start, even though the number is not.
Why a BPOM number doesn't carry over
Each regulator's system covers its own market, with its own responsible company. Singapore requires a filing by a company in Singapore, whose name and address go on the pack. An Indonesian notification cannot do that.
The ASEAN Cosmetic Directive gives the two systems a shared base, but it does not make one country's notification valid in another.
BPOM and HSA, side by side
| BPOM (Indonesia) | HSA (Singapore) | |
|---|---|---|
| Who files | A company in Indonesia: a manufacturer, an importer or a brand with a production contract | A company registered in Singapore |
| Before you can sell | BPOM checks the submitted data and accepts it, rejects it or asks for clarification | Automatic acknowledgement when the filing succeeds |
| How long that takes | Up to 14 working days, or 3 for fragrance | Immediate, once your label and file are ready |
| Valid for | 3 years | 1 year |
| Government fee | Rp500,000 per ASEAN-made product. Rp0 for micro and small businesses producing in Indonesia | S$13 or S$28 per product (S$8 from the fourth variant), every year |
| The evidence file | The DIP: must exist before filing, is not submitted, and is audited after launch | The PIF: not submitted, and HSA can ask for the information in it |
| After launch | Routine checks, and BPOM can revoke a notification | Sampling, testing and reaction monitoring, and HSA can direct a recall |
The real difference: when anyone looks
BPOM has a checkpoint before you sell. HSA does not. That can make Singapore look easier, and on paper it is faster. But it means nobody has looked at your Singapore product by the time it is on the shelf. Getting it right is on the company selling it.
BPOM's checkpoint is also not a guarantee. In August 2025 it revoked the notifications of 21 cosmetics that did not match what had been registered, and ordered them withdrawn and destroyed. Both regulators do their serious checking after launch.
For the Singapore side in full, see what HSA notification actually means.
What you can reuse
Your number won't transfer, but much of your work will.
| From your BPOM work | In Singapore |
|---|---|
| Your DIP | The right starting point for your PIF, checked item by item |
| Microbial and heavy-metal results | Useful evidence, but a whitening or brightening product needs a result for the batch being supplied |
| Your good manufacturing practice certificate | Useful evidence of how the product is made |
| Your formula | Still has to be checked against Singapore's lists |
| Your label | Almost always needs changing, to carry the Singapore company's name and address. See labelling |
What to do if you're already BPOM notified
You are ahead of most brands, and five steps remain.
- Check your ingredient list against Singapore's lists with the checker.
- Gather your DIP, and ask your manufacturer who signed the safety assessment.
- Find a Singapore company to take responsibility: your own, or ours.
- Fix the label before you print, with the Singapore name and address on it.
- File with HSA, and renew every year.
FAQ
Does Singapore accept BPOM as proof of safety? No. HSA has its own process, and a BPOM number does not replace it.
Is HSA stricter or looser than BPOM? Neither word fits. HSA checks later and leaves more to the company selling. BPOM checks earlier and also checks later.
Why is HSA's filing so much faster? Because HSA does not evaluate the product at that stage. See why the fee is so low.
Do I need BPOM to sell in Singapore? A BPOM number is not what Singapore's filing rests on. If you also sell in Indonesia, you still need one there.
Which do I do first? If you already sell in Indonesia, you have BPOM. If you are starting from scratch, talk to us about where you want to sell first.
Ready?
Check your ingredients → · Talk to us →
Sources: BPOM Regulation 21 of 2022 on cosmetic notification, BPOM's guide to notification, Government Regulation 15 of 2026 on BPOM fees, BPOM's August 2025 announcement, HSA notification and responsibilities, HSA fees. Updated November 2026. Operational guidance, not legal advice.