Comprehensive Import Procedures for Water Dispenser in Vietnam

Import procedures for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam must be performed in accordance with regulations to ensure the product meets quality and safety standards when circulating in the Vietnamese market. Phuc Gia Laboratory Corporation provides detailed instructions on import steps, from customs declaration to quality inspection and conformity certification.

See more: Capacity Profile Of Phuc Gia Laboratory Corporation

1. Import dossier for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam

The import dossier for a hot and cold water dispenser is regulated in Circular No. 38/2015/TT-BTC dated March 25, 2015, and Amending Circular No. 39/2018/TT-BTC dated April 20, 2018. List of dossiers to be prepared:

Mandatory import-export document set:

• Customs declaration
• Commercial Invoice for the Water Dispenser in Vietnam
• Bill of Lading
• Packing List for the Water Dispenser in Vietnam
• Sales Contract for the Water Dispenser in Vietnam
• Registration dossier for quality inspection of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam

Supplementary documents (if any):

• Certificate of Origin C/O (mandatory for preferential tax rates)
• Product Catalog for the Water Dispenser in Vietnam
• Other documents related to the Water Dispenser in Vietnam as requested by customs authorities

Important notes on dossiers to prepare when performing import procedures for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam:

• Quality inspection dossiers must be registered via the National Single Window portal. Inspection results are updated directly on this system.
• Original documents such as the Bill of Lading and C/O should be sent before the goods arrive at the port to avoid incurring storage fees.
• Enterprises need to ensure the validity and completeness of the entire dossier before submission so that the customs clearance process takes place smoothly.

2. Procedures for performing import procedures for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam

The import process for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam includes many sequential execution steps. Enterprises need to coordinate with functional agencies, logistics units, and testing laboratories to complete procedures in a timely manner.

2.1. Step 1: Registration for quality inspection

Types of hot and cold water dispensers requiring quality inspection:

A Water Dispenser in Vietnam is a household electrical appliance belonging to the List of goods subject to quality inspection before customs clearance according to regulations. Water Dispenser in Vietnam products must meet technical regulations on electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).

Quality inspection steps:

• Enterprises submit an Registration Form for quality inspection of imported goods to the Department of Quality Management of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries or competent authorities.
• Specialized management agencies review the dossier and request testing if there is no certificate of conformity for the Water Dispenser in Vietnam.
• Enterprises provide samples of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam for testing at a designated testing laboratory.

To perform testing for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam to evaluate conformity with technical regulations, enterprises contact testing laboratories designated by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Phuc Gia is a unit designated for testing activities and conformity certification for household, office, telecommunications, and information technology electrical and electronic equipment.

2.2. Step 2: Opening the customs declaration

After having full customs documents for importing a Water Dispenser in Vietnam: contract, commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, certificate of origin, arrival notice, and determining the HS code for the water dispenser, enterprises can enter declaration information into the customs system via VNACCS/VCIS software.

Declaring customs on the software requires the declarant to have knowledge of the data entry process. You should not declare by yourself if you do not clearly understand the regulations because incorrect declarations can lead to errors that cannot be corrected on the declaration, causing costs and time for rectification.

Declaration deadline: Within 30 days from the date the goods arrive at the port. Beyond this deadline, your enterprise will face administrative penalties.

This is the most important step in the import process for a water dispenser. All declaration content regarding the Water Dispenser in Vietnam will be pushed to the customs system. Errors regarding taxes or the origin of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam can lead to penalties under customs law. Special attention should be paid to information: HS code, tax rate, product name, and origin.

After completing the electronic declaration, the customs system will return channel results. Your enterprise prints the declaration and brings the import dossier to the Customs Branch to open the declaration. Depending on the Green, Yellow, or Red channel, perform the corresponding procedures.

At the same time, the enterprise proceeds to register for conformity and standard inspection for the water dispenser as regulated.

Note: After having the official declaration, immediately contact the Customs Branch to perform import procedures. The declaration should not be left for too long before performing the next procedure to avoid arising issues.

2.3. Step 3: Taking the Water Dispenser in Vietnam for testing

After registering with the testing laboratory, the enterprise prepares samples of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam to perform test items according to QCVN 4:2009/BKHCN, QCVN 9:2012/BKHCN (Amendment 1:2018), and TCVN 13973:2024 – Water Dispenser in Vietnam.

Your enterprise submits a Confirmation Slip from the testing laboratory to be allowed to take samples for testing. In case you want to bring goods to the warehouse before having test results, the enterprise can contact Phuc Gia for further consultation on the handling process.

2.4. Step 4: Customs declaration clearance

After the testing laboratory issues test results confirming the Water Dispenser in Vietnam meets requirements, the enterprise submits this result along with the customs dossier to complete procedures:

• The Customs Authority inspects the dossier and test report.
• If complete and valid, Customs issues a Decision on customs clearance for the Water Dispenser in Vietnam goods.
• The enterprise pays import tax, VAT, and related fees.

2.5. Step 5: Bringing goods to the warehouse

After being cleared by Customs, the enterprise performs procedures to receive goods at the port/warehouse and transports them to its own warehouse. The goods are now allowed for circulation and use in the Vietnamese market.

3. Legal documents regulating import procedures for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam

Importing a Water Dispenser in Vietnam must comply with the legal document system on import procedures for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam, including regulations from customs authorities, quality management of goods, and product safety standards.

• VAT Law No. 13/2008/QH12 dated June 3, 2008, of the National Assembly regulating value-added tax
• Circular No. 38/2015/TT-BTC dated March 25, 2015, of the Ministry of Finance regulating customs procedures; customs inspection and supervision; export tax, import tax, and tax management for exported and imported goods
• Circular No. 39/2018/TT-BTC dated April 20, 2018, of the Ministry of Finance amending and supplementing several articles of Circular No. 38/2015/TT-BTC
• Official Dispatch No. 6061/TCHQ-TXNK dated June 29, 2016, of the General Department of Customs on performing customs procedures for exported and imported goods
• Decree No. 69/2018/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2018, of the Government detailing several articles of the Law on Foreign Trade Management
• Official Dispatch No. 1488/TĐC-ĐGPH dated October 21, 2009, of the General Department of Customs on the classification of hot and cold water dispenser items
• Decision No. 04/2017/QĐ-TTg dated March 9, 2017, of the Prime Minister regulating the list of vehicles and equipment subject to energy labeling, applying minimum energy performance levels and the implementation roadmap
• Decision No. 3810/QĐ-BKHCN dated December 18, 2019, of the Ministry of Science and Technology on announcing National Technical Regulations on safety for electrical and electronic equipment
• Circular No. 09/2019/TT-BKHCN dated September 30, 2019, of the Ministry of Science and Technology regulating state inspection of the quality of imported goods under the management responsibility of the Ministry of Science and Technology

Since a Water Dispenser in Vietnam comes into direct contact with drinking water, this product needs to ensure food safety and hygiene standards according to current regulations on materials and tools in direct contact with food.

4. HS code and import tax for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam

A hot and cold water dispenser is classified according to the Nomenclature of Exports and Imports of Vietnam with specific HS codes:

HS code classification table for water dispensers

Import tax:

Determining the HS code is an important task in the process of performing import procedures for a water dispenser. The import tax for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam depends on the HS code of that item. Each HS code for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam has a specific tax rate. The following is the method for calculating import tax and notes when determining taxes for water dispenser items.

Detailed calculation method for water dispenser import tax

Import tax

Import tax is determined based on the HS code of the product and calculated according to the formula:

Import tax = CIF Value × Import tax rate (%)

Import VAT

VAT is calculated on the total value of goods after adding the import tax, according to the formula:

Import VAT = (CIF Value + Import tax) × VAT rate (%)

CIF Value

CIF value is the total value of goods calculated up to the point the goods are transported to the first import checkpoint of Vietnam, including:

• Ex-works price of the goods
• Transportation costs
• Insurance and other costs incurred during the process of bringing goods to Vietnam

Note that import tax is part of the cost of imported goods, so accurately determining the HS code and tax incentives is necessary to calculate costs correctly and optimally.

Notes when determining import tax for water dispensers

When calculating import tax for water dispensers, enterprises should note the following points:

• Preferential taxes under trade agreements: For countries that have signed trade agreements with Vietnam, such as Europe, India, Australia, Chile, China, South Korea, Japan, and ASEAN countries, special preferential import tax rates may apply, often 0%.
• Certificate of Origin: To enjoy preferential tax rates, a valid certificate of origin must be provided.
• Taxable value: The import value for tax calculation is the CIF value. If the order is purchased under other conditions, it must be converted to the CIF value to calculate import tax.
• VAT: In addition to import tax, imported goods are also subject to Value Added Tax (VAT).

5. Instructions for testing and certification of water dispensers before importing into Vietnam

Besides performing import procedures for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam, enterprises can proactively conduct testing and conformity certification according to corresponding technical regulations and standards to shorten customs clearance time.

Specifically, products must be tested according to the following regulations and standards:

• Electrical Safety: According to QCVN 4:2009/BKHCN – National technical regulation on safety for household electrical and electronic equipment, or equivalent standards such as IEC/TCVN 60335-1 and IEC/TCVN 60335-2-75.
• Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC): According to QCVN 9:2012/BKHCN (Amendment 1:2018) – National technical regulation on electromagnetic compatibility for electrical and electronic equipment.
• Energy Efficiency: According to TCVN 13973:2024 – Water Dispenser in Vietnam – Energy Efficiency.

Step 1: Create an account and register the dossier for water dispenser testing and certification

Creating an account on the National Single Window portal is the first step when registering for quality inspection. To create an account, enterprises visit the website: https://vnsw.gov.vn. Then, perform data entry according to the available information fields to create the account.

After having the account, you can register on the National Single Window portal, under the management section of the Ministry of Science and Technology. When registering, the Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality will be the unit receiving the dossier. Enterprises must select a sample inspection unit licensed by the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Account registration can be carried out before performing import procedures for a water dispenser. You should create the account in advance because it usually takes 24 hours for the account to be accepted.

Step 2: Sampling and checking the quality and techniques of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam

After having the quality inspection registration number, customs can already clear the Water Dispenser in Vietnam goods. Sampling for quality inspection can take samples of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam at the port or take samples at the importer’s warehouse.

Samples of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam will be taken according to regulations to check quality according to TCVN. Depending on the laboratory, it usually takes about 2-3 days to have the inspection results.

Step 3: Receive results and upload results to the National Single Window portal

When there are quality inspection results for the Water Dispenser in Vietnam, the importer or the goods sample inspection unit can upload the results to the national single window system. After having the results, the Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality will accept or reject the Water Dispenser in Vietnam registration dossier.

Above are the three steps to register for quality inspection of water dispensers. If the enterprise does not yet understand the quality inspection registration process, please contact us for detailed guidance.

6. Regulations on goods labeling when importing a Water Dispenser in Vietnam

According to the provisions in Decree No. 43/2017/NĐ-CP, an imported Water Dispenser in Vietnam must have a label with the following information:

• Name of goods: Clearly state the name of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam in Vietnamese
• Origin of goods: Country of manufacture or assembly of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam
• Information of the responsible organization/individual: Full name and address of the foreign manufacturer or the importer of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam in Vietnam
• Other contents according to the specifics of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam: Technical specifications, instructions for use, safety warnings (if any)

7. What to note when importing a Water Dispenser in Vietnam?

To ensure the import procedure process for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam takes place smoothly, enterprises need to note several important points:

• Tax obligations: A Water Dispenser in Vietnam is only cleared after completing full tax payment obligations to the state.
• Condition of goods: Used water dispensers belong to the category of products absolutely prohibited from import.
• Labeling of goods: Labels must be affixed according to regulations on the packaging of the Water Dispenser in Vietnam before circulation.
• VAT: The VAT rate applied to water dispensers is 10% (not 8% as per old information).
• Quality inspection: It is mandatory to perform quality inspection according to the regulations of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

These are important points that enterprises need to understand clearly to ensure the import process takes place smoothly and complies with the law. Correctly understanding the regulations will help avoid errors and save time and costs for the enterprise.

Import procedures for a Water Dispenser in Vietnam require enterprises to fully perform steps from customs declaration, quality inspection, and testing to conformity certification. Complying with the correct regulations not only helps goods clear customs in a timely manner but also ensures the Water Dispenser in Vietnam is safe and of high quality when put into use. Phuc Gia Laboratory Corporation is ready to accompany your enterprise in the process of testing and conformity certification.

For more details, please contact us at:

PHUC GIA LABORATORY CORPORATION

PHUC GIA CERTIFICATION CENTER

PHUC GIA INSPECTION TESTING CENTER

Address:

• Hanoi: ICD Long Bien, No. 01 Huynh Tan Phat, Sai Dong B Industrial Park, Long Bien Ward
• Ho Chi Minh City: No. 180, D2 Street, Long Truong Ward

Hotline: 0965996696 / 0982996696 / 02477796696

E-mail: lab@phucgia.com.vn/cert@phucgia.com.vn/info@phucgia.com.vn

Website: phucgia.com.vn

Working time: Monday to Friday 8:00 – 18:30; Saturday 8:00 – 12:00