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🇺🇸 How to Submit an FDA Prior Notice for US Food Shipments

If you're shipping food products, vitamins/supplements, medicines, or cosmetics to the United States — including coffee, honey, oils, or any other edible or regulated items — the FDA requires a Prior Notice to be submitted before your shipment arrives. Without it, your parcel can be held or refused at the US border. 🚫


This guide walks you through the full process using the FDA's Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI).



📋 Before You Start

Book your shipment on TUNL first. You'll need your tracking number (AWB) before you can complete the Prior Notice.


Also have the following ready:


  • 📁 Register for an FDA account 
  • 🔐 Your FDA account login (username + password) and access to your 2FA email
  • 📦 Your shipment's tracking number
  • 🏠 The recipient's full name and US address (street, city, state, zip)
  • 🏭 Your Food Facility Registration (FFR) number (if applicable)
  • 🍯 Product details: name, net weight, quantity, and packaging type



Step 1: 🔑 Log In to the FDA

Go to www.access.fda.gov and log in with your Account ID and password. You'll be sent a verification code to your registered email — enter it to proceed.


💡 Tip: Don't click "Send code" more than once, as this can cause issues.


When prompted about passkeys, you can choose either Continue password or set up a passkey — both options work fine.



Step 2: 🖥️ Open the Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI)

From the FDA dashboard, scroll to Other FDA Systems and click Prior Notice System Interface (PNSI). You should see a green tick next to it confirming your access. ✅



Step 3: ➕ Create a New Prior Notice

  1. Click Create New Prior Notice
  2. Select Consumption – Express Courier as the shipment type
  3. When asked if you have a customs entry number, select No, I want the system to generate a number
  4. Click Save and Continue



Step 4: ✈️ Carrier & Shipment Details


  • Mode of transport: Express Courier Air
  • IATA carrier code:
    • FX for FedEx
    • 5X for UPS
  • Enter your tracking number exactly as it appears on your TUNL booking
  • 🗺️ Port of arrival: Select the US state and closest port based on the recipient's address. If unsure, enter the delivery address into ChatGPT/Google and ask: "What would the anticipated state and port of arrival be for this address, sent via express air courier via FedEx/UPS?"
  • 📅 Anticipated arrival date: Use approximately 3 days after your booking date
  • 🕛 Anticipated time: Enter 00:00:00


Click Save and Continue.



Step 5: 🏢 Submitter Details (Your Business)

  1. Select Creating for myself
  2. Choose I have the submitter's food facility registration number
  3. Enter your FFR number — your business name and address should auto-fill


💡 Note: Your Food Facility Registration (FFR) number is issued when you register your facility with the FDA. If you don't have one yet, you'll need to complete that registration before proceeding.



  1. Confirm your contact name, phone, and email
  2. Click Save and Continue


💡 If your facility doesn't auto-populate, use the Favorites/Search function and search for your business name, then select the correct entity.



Step 6: 👤 Importer Details (Your US Recipient)

  1. Select I am not the importer
  2. Country: United States
  3. Identification method: Name and full address (individual customers won't have FFR numbers)
  4. Enter the recipient's full name, street address, city, state, and zip code
  5. Tick Add to my favourites to save time on future submissions ⭐
  6. Click Save and Continue



Step 7: 🍵 Add Your Food Product(s)

On the summary page, click Add Food Article.


New product (first time)

  1. Select Create New Food Article
  2. Enter the product's common name and market name (e.g., "Honey Oak Blend")
  3. Click Product Code Search and search for your product type (e.g., "coffee", "honey")
  4. Select the closest industry, class, and processing category, then click Select to populate the FDA product code
  5. Click Save and Continue
  6. Select Packaged Shipment, set package count and type (usually Box)
  7. Enter quantity in kilograms
  8. Click Save and Continue
  9. When asked about refused entry: select No


Manufacturer details

  • Select Yes for FFR number
  • Search your favourites and select your business
  • Shipped from country: South Africa 🇿🇦
  • Select the shipper from the dropdown (usually the same as manufacturer)


Owner & Consignee

  • Owner: select Importer (no FFR for individual customers)
  • Ultimate consignee: select Importer
  • Review all fields, then click Add this article to my prior notice submission ✅


Shipping multiple products? 📦📦

Click Yes to add another food article and repeat the steps above.


Repeat product (copy from previous)

If you've submitted a Prior Notice for the same product before:


  1. Select Copy from previous food article
  2. Choose the closest match and click Copy
  3. Update the quantity and confirm the importer/owner/consignee fields match the new recipient (not an old saved contact) ⚠️
  4. Complete the remaining steps and add the article



Step 8: 📤 Submit & Save Your PDF


Once all food articles are added, click Submit to FDA, then Generate PDF.


Save the PDF for your records using a clear naming format, for example: FDA_Prior_Notice_2025_06_[TrackingNumber]_[RecipientName].pdf



Step 9: 🖨️ Attach the PDF to Your Parcel


Print the FDA Prior Notice PDF and attach it to your parcel in a separate sleeve, clearly marked so customs officials can access it at the US port of arrival. 📎



✅ Quick Checklist Before Submitting

Before you click Submit, run through this:




👩‍💻 Need help?


If you have questions about FDA Prior Notice, need help with your submission, or want to follow up on a customs hold, our support team is happy to help 💬


Reach out to our Support Team on WhatsApp or Email 💙


Keywords: FDA prior notice, FDA PNSI, prior notice submission, food shipment to USA, FDA customs hold, FDA food regulations, tunl FDA, shipping food to US, coffee honey supplements FDA, edible items customs, FDA prior notice number, US food import requirements, tunl customs, tunl support FDA

Updated on: 29/06/2026

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