A CFS Certificate of Free Sales is a document that certifies that the cosmetic or personal care products listed are the same as or equivalent to products freely sold in the U.S. UU. Shown on company letterhead. 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 sales certificates used in Hague Convention countries only require an apostille for the issuance of the legal apostille by the local Secretary of State. The free sale certificate 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.