U.S. FDA Prior Notices Made Simple
Do you know what the Food and Drug Administration prior notices are? If you’ve read or heard about prior notices, they may seem like a bureaucratic nightmare. But fear not – we’re here to explain them to you in an easy-to-understand way.
So, what exactly is U.S. FDA prior notice? Prior notice, or PN for short, is a crucial step in bringing certain FDA-regulated products such as food and beverages into the United States. With prior notices, the U.S. government authorities can be prepared to review and potentially inspect the shipment when it arrives at the American border.
You might wonder why prior notice is necessary. Think of a prior notice like a party and invitations. Imagine you’re hosting a party with friends from around the world, Canada, Japan, France, the UK, and Mexico for instance. You need to plan for the event – arrange your schedule, organize the party’s preparations, schedule and reserve the event space, organize the food and beverages, select the appropriate music, etc.
You cannot complete these activities instantly, correct? And you wouldn’t just surprise the festivities on your friends, right? You’d give yourself time to prepare for the party and give your friends notice so they can prepare–block their calendars, book flights, and choose and pack clothing –all to have a great time.
The same goes for your food and beverage shipment entering the United States – the FDA needs your RSVP and needs to plan for your attendees’ arrival. The FDA wants and needs to know what’s coming into the country so they can ensure the shipment meets all the necessary safety and security requirements.
How do you submit FDA prior notice? You can do it online through the FDA’s Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI). This computer system is where you’ll provide all the details about your shipment, like the product’s name, quantity, packaging, and more. It’s like filling out a very detailed RSVP for your goods – you want to make sure the food and beverage shipment is ready to join the party in the United States.
But with prior notice, timing is everything. You need to make sure you submit FDA prior notice at the right time to avoid any delays or issues. For most shipments, this means submitting prior notice at least 4 hours or 2 hours before the goods arrive by rail and land respectively, 8 hours before arrival by water, and before the food is sent if by international mail. The timing is like making sure you RSVP to a party on time – you don’t want your RSVP to not arrive on time and then miss out on the party.
If you don’t submit FDA prior notice correctly or on time, your shipment could be delayed or even refused entry into the United States. So, it’s crucial to double-check all your information and make sure you’re following the rules precisely.
While this may seem overwhelming, do not fear! There is now an app for prior notices: PriorNotify. PriorNotify automates your U.S. FDA prior notices. Not only is PriorNotify cost-effective and easy to use, but PriorNotify integrates with all e-commerce platforms. You can even test the PriorNotify with a free trial. PriorNotify is a game changer for all international food and beverage producers, vendors, and shippers.
FDA prior notices ensure that the FDA is informed in advance of your commercial food and beverage shipments so they can approve your goods to enter the country. While understanding and properly completing prior notice might seem like a hassle, it is worth it to avoid any unwanted surprises at the border. Armed with awareness and PriorNotify, you’re ready to navigate importing and exporting like a pro.
