A free sale certificate “CFS” is a document that certifies that the cosmetics or personal care products listed are identical or equivalent to products sold freely in the United States. It will be issued on company letterhead.

The certificate of free sale cosmetics used in countries outside the Hague Convention requires authentication and legalization. First, they must be certified by the local Secretary of State, certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, DC, and finally sent to the appropriate embassy for legalization. 

However, it can also be issued by a local health department where the company is located, by the Food and Drug Administration, or by a cosmetics trade association such as ACMA. Free sale certificates used in the Hague Convention countries require only one apostille for the legal apostille to be issued by the local Secretary of State.