Updated framework of administrative penalties in the chemicals sector — effective from 25 August 2026
| QUICK SUMMARY
• Decree 275/2026/ND-CP takes effect from 25 August 2026, replacing Decree 71/2019/ND-CP. • Maximum fine for an individual: 50 million VND (chemicals) and 100 million VND (industrial explosives). Organizations are fined double. • Importing/conducting chemical activities without a permit: individual 20 – 50 million VND → organization 40 – 100 million VND. • Items to review before 25 August 2026: permits, import declarations, use-purpose disclosures, and chemical safety data sheets. |
From 25 August 2026, the framework of administrative penalties in the chemicals sector is significantly tightened compared with the previous rules. Many fine levels increase considerably, with an organization potentially facing a fine of up to 100 million VND for a single violation. Now is the time for businesses to proactively review their entire legal documentation, avoiding procedural errors that can cause substantial financial consequences.
1. What is Decree 275/2026/ND-CP and what does it change?
On 8 July 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 275/2026/ND-CP providing for administrative penalties in the field of chemicals and industrial explosives. The Decree takes effect from 25 August 2026, replacing Decree 71/2019/ND-CP (as amended and supplemented by Decree 17/2022/ND-CP).
The Decree applies to domestic and foreign organizations and individuals that commit violations within the territory of Vietnam. Compared with the previous rules, a range of acts relating to permits, import declarations, use-purpose disclosures, and chemical safety data sheets are penalized at higher levels; at the same time, many new categories of acts are added — including, for the first time, sanctions for violations of green chemistry principles (maximum 20 million VND).
2. Penalty principles: why are businesses fined twice as heavily as individuals?
The maximum fine for each violation by an individual is 50 million VND in the chemicals sector and 100 million VND in the industrial explosives sector.
A point businesses must pay special attention to: the fine for an organization is 02 times the fine for an individual for the same act. This means that every figure cited in this article (applicable to individuals) is doubled when the violating party is a business.
(According to Article 4 of Decree 275/2026/ND-CP)
3. How much is a business fined for importing chemicals without a permit?
This is the question most businesses care about the most. It is necessary to distinguish two situations that are often confused:
- No Permit / Certificate of Eligibility (or continuing to operate while suspended): fined 20 – 50 million VND for an individual, i.e. 40 – 100 million VND for an organization (Articles 16–18).
- Failure to declare imported chemicals or declaring incorrect information to obtain a declaration exemption: fined 20 – 30 million VND for an individual, i.e. 40 – 60 million VND for an organization (Article 21).
In addition to monetary fines, a business may also be subject to additional penalties such as partial suspension of operations. All categories of acts and detailed fine levels are summarized in the table below.
| Not sure whether your chemical documentation meets the standard of Decree 275/2026? UNI Customs Consulting quickly reviews permits, import declarations, and chemical safety data sheets — helping you resolve issues before you are fined. Contact us for consultation. |
4. Summary table of fines businesses must pay special attention to
Below are the categories of violations relating to chemical legal procedures that businesses manufacturing, trading, and importing chemicals should note. The fines stated in the table apply to individuals; for organizations, the fines are doubled.
| Category of act | Specific violation | Fine (Individual) | Legal basis |
| Permits, Certificates
(Certificate of Eligibility for manufacturing/trading and Permit for chemicals subject to special control/banned chemicals) |
Erasing or altering the content | 5,000,000 – 15,000,000 VND (depending on the type of permit) | Articles 16, 17, 18
Decree 275/2026/ND-CP |
| Leasing, lending, buying, or selling a permit | 8,000,000 – 20,000,000 VND | ||
| Failure to carry out re-issuance procedures when business information changes | 10,000,000 – 25,000,000 VND | ||
| Manufacturing or trading at the wrong location or exceeding the permitted scale | 15,000,000 – 40,000,000 VND | ||
| Operating without a Permit or Certificate, or operating while suspended | 20,000,000 – 50,000,000 VND | ||
| Declaration of imported chemicals | Declaring inaccurate information | 3,000,000 – 5,000,000 VND | Article 21
Decree 275/2026/ND-CP |
| Missing attached documents (invoice, Chemical Safety Data Sheet) | 5,000,000 – 10,000,000 VND | ||
| Failure to update data on the specialized database after importation | 5,000,000 – 10,000,000 VND | ||
| Failure to declare imported chemicals, or declaring incorrect information to obtain a declaration exemption | 20,000,000 – 30,000,000 VND | ||
| Disclosure of use purpose | Disclosing the wrong purpose or missing information | 5,000,000 – 10,000,000 VND | Article 24
Decree 275/2026/ND-CP |
| Failure to disclose the use purpose on the Database | 15,000,000 – 20,000,000 VND | ||
| Late disclosure (more than 30 days from the date of first use) | 5,000,000 – 10,000,000 VND | ||
| Additional penalty | (Partial) suspension of the use of the violating chemical for 03 – 06 months | ||
| Chemical Safety Data Sheet | Preparing it without mandatory content | Warning | Article 27
Decree 275/2026/ND-CP |
| Providing false information | 3,000,000 – 5,000,000 VND | ||
| Failure to provide the Chemical Safety Data Sheet to the buyer/user | 10,000,000 – 15,000,000 VND | ||
| Failure to prepare the Chemical Safety Data Sheet in Vietnamese | 15,000,000 – 20,000,000 VND | ||
| Reporting and data-updating regime | Late annual report (after 15 February each year) | 5,000,000 – 10,000,000 VND | Article 25
Decree 275/2026/ND-CP |
| Updating incomplete/inaccurate information in the annual report | 10,000,000 – 15,000,000 VND | ||
| Failure to report on the previous year’s chemical operations | 15,000,000 – 20,000,000 VND | ||
| Failure to update the situation upon an incident or cessation of operations | 15,000,000 – 20,000,000 VND |
Note: these are the fines applicable to individuals. For organizations, the fine is 02 times the individual fine for the same violation.
(According to Decree No. 275/2026/ND-CP dated 8 July 2026)
5. UNI Customs Consulting supports businesses in complying with chemical regulations
In light of the changes brought by Decree 275/2026/ND-CP, this is the right time for businesses to proactively reassess their entire chemical management process, rather than reacting only after violations arise. UNI Customs Consulting provides a comprehensive compliance solution, including:
- In-depth legal consulting: the UNI team helps review documentation, permits, declaration procedures, and chemical use-purpose disclosures, ensuring conformity with the latest regulations.
- Chemical management application: closely tracks permit deadlines, periodic reporting schedules, import declaration status, and use-purpose disclosures — helping businesses avoid missing any important deadline.
- Automated document generation: the system helps generate applications for chemical import-export permits and related documents accurately and in line with regulatory standards, minimizing the risk of manual errors.
If your business needs to review its chemical procedures to adapt to Decree 275/2026/ND-CP, please contact UNI Customs Consulting for detailed and timely advice before the Decree officially takes effect.
6. Representative Successful Cases Supported by UNI
January 2026: Following the issuance of the new Chemical Law, many businesses faced customs clearance difficulties as import licenses could not be obtained in time. UNI supported major enterprises in completing the licensing procedures under the urgent process, significantly reducing storage, yard storage, and vessel detention costs, which could amount to thousands of USD per day.
May 2026: A shipment was temporarily suspended from customs clearance pending clarification and declaration of its intended use. With UNI’s support, the company promptly developed an appropriate handling solution, enabling the shipment to be cleared on time without having to complete the additional declaration procedure initially requested.
From January 2026 to present: UNI has successfully supported the licensing and customs clearance of more than 300 shipments for over 20 clients.
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When does Decree 275/2026/ND-CP take effect?
The Decree takes effect from 25 August 2026, replacing Decree 71/2019/ND-CP (as amended and supplemented by Decree 17/2022/ND-CP).
How much is a business fined for importing/conducting chemical activities without a permit?
Operating without a Permit or Certificate of Eligibility, or operating while suspended, is fined 20,000,000 – 50,000,000 VND for an individual. For an organization (business), the fine is doubled, i.e. 40,000,000 – 100,000,000 VND.
What is the penalty for failing to declare imported chemicals?
Failure to declare imported chemicals, or declaring incorrect information to obtain a declaration exemption, is fined 20,000,000 – 30,000,000 VND for an individual, i.e. 40,000,000 – 60,000,000 VND for an organization.
How do the fines for organizations and individuals differ?
For the same violation, the fine for an organization is 02 times the fine for an individual (Article 4 of Decree 275/2026/ND-CP).
What is the maximum fine in the chemicals sector?
The maximum fine for each act by an individual is 50,000,000 VND in the chemicals sector and 100,000,000 VND in the industrial explosives sector; for organizations, the corresponding maximums are 100,000,000 and 200,000,000 VND.
Related service: Chemical import procedures
📞 Contact UNI Customs Consulting for free consultation:📧 Email: uni@eximuni.com📱 Hotline: (+84) 24-7308-7988 (Hanoi) | (+84) 28-7301-8910 (HCM)