Vietnam CR Mark (Conformity Registration)

Vietnam has been steadily expanding its mandatory product conformity registration programme under the framework established by the Law on Product and Goods Quality and reinforced by Decree 74/2018/ND-CP. Under this system, products in regulated categories must undergo conformity assessment — either self-declaration or third-party certification by a notified body — against applicable Vietnamese Technical Regulations (QCVN) and register the results with STAMEQ or a designated notified certification body before being allowed to clear customs. The CR registration number obtained through this process must be cited on import documentation.

The range of product categories requiring CR registration has grown to include consumer electronics (televisions, monitors, audio equipment), IT and telecommunications equipment, toys, batteries and chargers, textiles, helmets, construction materials, steel, fertilisers, and food contact articles. Test reports from laboratories accredited by VILAS (Vietnam Laboratory Accreditation Scheme) are the most straightforward route, but Vietnam has entered mutual recognition arrangements that allow test reports from internationally accredited bodies — ILAC members, for example — to be accepted for many product categories, which is useful for exporters who have already tested their products for CE or KC.

A practical point that frequently delays first-time exporters is that the Vietnamese importer is the registrant of record for CR purposes, not the foreign manufacturer. This means the registration is held by the importer's entity and must be updated whenever the importer changes or when the product model is modified. Sustalium supports importer coordination by generating a ready-to-submit registration dossier that the Vietnamese importer can use directly with the certification body, reducing back-and-forth and minimising customs delays.