We aim to process Foreign Producer Registrations as quickly as possible, but errors in the registrations can delay processing and, therefore, delay issuance of a TTB Foreign Producer ID. Below are ways to avoid some common errors that we have seen in registrations.
Errors Involving Multiple Registrations
- Each foreign producer can only have one registration. If the myTTB system receives multiple registrations submitted for the same foreign producer, either by the same or different individuals, the more recent registrations will be placed in “pending” status for TTB review. We see multiple submissions, in some cases, by the same individual and, in other cases, by different individuals. See FAQ FP-8.
- A foreign producer may authorize multiple agents to act on their behalf, but each agent must act under the same registration. An agent registering a foreign producer must have authorization by the foreign producer to act on its behalf, including for purposes of registration. See FAQ FP-6 for information on proof of authorization.
- If you are attempting to register and you receive a “registration error” during registration, do not attempt to complete another registration. TTB will review your pending registration and either contact you for additional information or activate the registration.
For information on error messages, see page 28 of the myTTB system user guide. See FAQ FP-10.
To view registrations you have on your myTTB user account, use the drop down:
Errors Involving FDA ID
- You must enter a valid FDA Food Facility Registration (FFR) ID. Ensure that your FFR ID is accurate and valid before registering. See FAQ FP-2.
- If your products are imported into the United States after being further manufactured or bottled at another facility, you should report the other foreign facility’s FFR ID. TTB may follow up with you to request the name of that other facility and its relationship to your products. When you are registering a foreign producer that produces beverage alcohol, do not select the box for “industrial alcohol” under the FFR ID field instead of inputting an FFR ID. See item 8 on page 14 of the myTTB system user guide.
Errors Involving Foreign Producer Contact Information
- When entering the Foreign Producer Contact Information (as shown on the screenshot below), provide information about the foreign producer owner, officer, or employee, including that person’s contact information. Do not provide the contact information for the authorized agent. Even in cases where an authorized agent is registering on behalf of the foreign producer, the agent must still provide all the contact information for the foreign producer owner, officer, or employee.
- If you are an agent registering on behalf of a foreign producer, ensure that you have not incorrectly identified yourself as an owner, officer, or employee of the foreign producer. Make sure that you are selecting the button indicating that you are “not an owner, officer, or employee”.
Errors Identifying Foreign Producer Location as United States
- The “Foreign Producer Information” section requires the foreign producer location. Ensure that you are entering the address of the foreign producer in the foreign country and selecting the country where that foreign producer is located (and not United States) in the “Country” drop-down.
Sharing the Foreign Producer ID with the Importer
- Foreign Producer IDs do not contain the letters O (Oscar) or I (India). However, they may contain the numbers 0 (zero) or 1 (one). Ensure, when you provide your Foreign Producer ID to your importer(s), that you provide them the correct ID.
Page last updated: January 26, 2023
Maintained by: Regulations and Rulings Division