Complete fee schedule and processing timeline for COS-1 and COS-2 import registration under the Cosmetics Rules 2020. Covers category, site, and variant fees; Rule 14 retention obligations; Rule 15 amendment fees; and statutory timeline mechanics.
Every cosmetics import registration application filed with CDSCO carries a defined fee structure under the Third Schedule of the Cosmetics Rules 2020 and a statutory decision deadline under Rule 13(1). Neither is negotiable, and neither is fixed per application in the way most applicants assume. Fees scale with your product portfolio — specifically, the number of categories, variants, and manufacturing sites you declare. The statutory timeline is six months from submission, but the clock stops each time CDSCO raises a query. Incomplete submissions routinely extend timelines to nine months or beyond.
This page sets out the complete fee structure, the retention obligations under Rule 14, the amendment fee schedule under Rule 15, and the mechanics of how CDSCO measures processing time. It is the only reference you need before filing Form COS-1.
CDSCO does not charge a single flat fee per application. Under Rule 12(5), the fee accompanies the application as a copy of the Bharatkosh payment receipt, deposited under Head of Account "0210041040000-00-1". Rule 12(6) specifies that the fee is calculated per category, per manufacturing site, and per variant. These three variables determine your total outlay before you file a single document.
All fees are denominated in USD and paid via the Bharatkosh gateway regardless of the applicant's nationality or country of origin. There are no INR alternatives for import registration fees. There are no concessional rates for MSMEs, small-scale importers, or applicants from any specific country. The Third Schedule applies uniformly.
Fee Component | Amount (USD)
Per product category | $1,000
Per manufacturing site | $500
Per variant | $50
Category is the primary cost driver. If your portfolio spans three CDSCO-defined cosmetics categories — for example, skin care preparations, hair care preparations, and colour cosmetics — you pay $3,000 in category fees before variants are counted.
Manufacturing site is each facility producing products under the registration. A single manufacturer producing across two plants incurs $1,000 in site fees. Four categories across two sites: $4,000 + $1,000 = $5,000 before variant fees.
Variant means each distinct formulation or SKU within a category. A skincare portfolio with 20 variants under one category at one site: $1,000 + $500 + ($50 × 20) = $2,500.
The 50-product ceiling per COS-1 application introduced in 2024 means portfolios exceeding 50 variants require multiple applications, each with its own fee calculation.
Form COS-2 is the Import Registration Certificate issued by CDSCO under Rule 13 upon approval of the COS-1 application. COS-2 is valid in perpetuity — there is no fixed term — subject to payment of the retention fee under Rule 14 before the completion of every five-year period from the date of issue.
The retention fee mirrors the grant fee structure exactly:
Retention Component | Amount (USD)
Per category | $1,000
Per manufacturing site | $500
Per variant | $50
Rule 14(1) is unambiguous: payment is required before the five-year mark, not upon renewal request. There is no grace period for payment before the due date. After the due date, Rule 14(2) permits continued payment with a late fee calculated at two per cent of the retention fee per month or part thereof, for up to 180 days. On the 181st day of non-payment, the registration certificate is deemed cancelled by operation of law, with no requirement for CDSCO to issue a separate cancellation order.
A cancelled COS-2 does not revert to pending status. Re-registration requires a fresh COS-1 application at full fees.
Endorsements add scope to an existing COS-2 without issuing a new registration. Amendment addresses changes to registration particulars. The Third Schedule specifies the following:
Transaction | Fee
Adding a new category | $1,000
Adding a new manufacturing site | $500
Adding a new variant (existing category and site) | $50
Administrative amendment (name or address change) | No fee; Rule 15(3) requires online application within 60 days
Where a new variant falls within a category and manufacturing site already covered by the existing COS-2, no category or site fee applies — only the $50 variant fee. This is the most cost-efficient path for portfolio expansion once the base registration is in place.
Administrative amendments — changes to the registration holder's name, address, or the overseas manufacturer's registered details — are governed by Rule 15(3). The 60-day filing window runs from the date of the change, not the date of discovery.
Rule 13(1) sets the statutory outer limit: CDSCO must grant or reject the application within six months of the date of application. The rule text requires that reasons for rejection are recorded in writing within that period.
In practice, the six-month clock operates differently from a simple countdown. CDSCO raises queries on the SUGAM portal when documents are deficient or require clarification. There is no statutory time limit within which an applicant must respond to a query. The Cosmetics Rules 2020 do not provide for a formal stop-clock mechanism, but query-response cycles functionally pause substantive review.
Observed timelines for COS-1 to COS-2 issuance based on consultant-reported data from 2024–2025:
Application Quality | Observed Timeline
Complete application, no deficiencies | 90–180 days
One query round | 6–9 months
Two or more query rounds | 9–12 months or beyond
The single largest controllable variable is application completeness at first submission. Every deficiency that triggers a SUGAM query adds a full cycle: query issuance, applicant response, re-examination. Applications filed with incomplete Second Schedule documents, mismatched signatory authority, or missing SUGAM-specific declarations routinely enter multi-query cycles.
Under Rule 12(4), an application is complete when it includes all information and documents specified in Part I of the Second Schedule. The documents most frequently cited in CDSCO queries are:
Signatory authority mismatches. The Letter of Authorization from the foreign manufacturer and from the applicant business must be signed by individuals whose signing authority is verifiable against registered company records. Any divergence between the signatory named in the letter and the registered representative on file at CDSCO will generate a query.
Second Schedule completeness. Part I of the Second Schedule specifies each document required for import registration. Omitting any item — including the notarized undertaking, the GST registration copy, or the product-specific technical dossier — constitutes an incomplete application.
Category and variant declaration accuracy. CDSCO cross-checks declared categories against the product formulations submitted. Products straddling category definitions, or variants whose formulations suggest classification under a different schedule, generate clarification queries.
Manufacturing site documentation. Each declared site requires its own supporting documentation. Multi-site applications with incomplete documentation for one facility cause the entire application to be queried.
The COS-1 fee calculation is straightforward once you map your portfolio against the three variables: categories, manufacturing sites, and variants. The retention obligation under Rule 14 is perpetual — missing the five-year payment window risks cancellation with no administrative recovery path beyond 180 days. File complete applications against the full Second Schedule document list; every deficiency that generates a SUGAM query adds months to your timeline.
Cosmetics Consultants India prepares and files COS-1 applications for foreign manufacturers, Indian importers, and foreign brands. Contact us to receive a fee calculation and timeline projection for your specific product portfolio before you file.
COS-1 is the mandatory import Registration Certificate for all cosmetics from non-SAARC countries under Rule 12(1) of the Cosmetics Rules 2020. We manage the full application — Second Schedule, Letter of Authorization, fee calculation, and SUGAM portal filing.
Learn more →Rule 3(d) of the Cosmetics Rules, 2020 requires every COS-1 applicant to appoint an Authorised Agent — a person in India fully responsible for the manufacturer's regulatory compliance. We act as Authorised Agent for foreign manufacturers across all product categories.
Learn more →Rule 15 of the Cosmetics Rules 2020 governs all post-approval changes to COS-1 and COS-2. Three distinct tracks apply: endorsement of additional products, amendment of name or address, and change in constitution requiring fresh registration.
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