After nearly two decades after the promulgation of the Law on Chemicals 2007, the Law on Chemicals 2025 has been officially passed by the National Assembly with many important innovations, reflecting the practical requirements and sustainable development trends of the chemical industry.
In this article, BLawyers Vietnam summarizes the outstanding new points of the Law on Chemicals 2025, from the primary fields in chemical industry to the new regulations that take effect on 01 January 2026 regarding Chemical Export and Import Licenses for chemical production and trading enterprises.
1. Primary fields in the chemical industry
The Law on Chemicals 2025 regulates the primary fields in the chemical industry, including the following fields:
- Production of primary chemical industry products, including: basic chemical products; petrochemical products; pharmaceutical chemical products; rubber products, other than tires; high-nutrient fertilizers; hydrogen and ammonia produced by renewable energy;
- Investment in industrial parks specializing in chemical industry;
- Investment in chemical structure complexes primarily for producing chemicals and products of chemical products; and
- Investment in chemical projects eligible for special investment incentives and assistance in accordance with the Law on Investment.
According to the Law on Chemicals 2025, the above investment projects with investment capital scale and disbursement progress according to Government regulations will enjoy special investment incentives and support according to the provisions of the Law on Investment and other relevant law provisions.
2. Licenses to produce chemicals and Licenses to trade chemicals
According to the provisions of the Law on Chemicals 2007, enterprises engaged in chemical production and trading activities must be granted a Certificate of qualification for production of and trading in chemicals, or a License for production of and trading in chemicals. Accordingly, depending on the type of chemical that the enterprise produces and trades, whether it is on the List of conditional chemicals for production or trading, or on the List of restricted chemicals for production or trading, it will be granted a corresponding License.
However, enterprises should note that from 01 January 2026, the Law on Chemicals 2025 will separate the Chemical Production License and the Chemical Business License to trade chemicals. On that basis, enterprises must pay close attention when applying for the appropriate License corresponding to their chemical production or trading activities.
3. Regulations on Licenses to export or import chemicals
According to the Law on Chemicals 2025, a License to export chemicals requiring special control and a License to import chemicals requiring special control (collectively referred to as “License to ex-import chemicals requiring special control”) are regulated as follows:
- Competent authorities have the responsibility to issue, re-issue, amend, renew, and revoke a License to ex-import chemicals requiring special control;
- A License to ex-import chemicals requiring special control shall be issued to individual import and export invoices and will remain effective for 6 months from the date of issue;
- A License to ex-import chemicals requiring special control shall be renewed if the import or export has not been completed within the effective period of the license. Each license shall only be eligible for renewal once for a maximum of 6 months from the date of renewal.
Additionally, a License to import restricted chemicals shall be issued to an individual import shipment and will remain effective for 6 months from the date of issue.
4. Exemption from declaration of imported chemicals
The Law on Chemicals 2025 specifically stipulates that organizations and individuals importing chemicals shall declare imported chemicals unless:
- Organizations and individuals that import chemicals requiring special control are not required to declare imported chemicals;
- Organizations that import restricted chemicals are not required to declare imported chemicals;
- Other exemptions compliant with regulations of the Government apply.
5. Recommendations from BLawyers Vietnam
With the new points of the Law on Chemicals 2025, enterprises should consider the following suggestions:
- Enterprises that are producing basic chemicals should review their product list to prepare a dossier to propose a Chemical Production License according to the new regulations.
- If enterprises plan to invest in a chemical industrial park, they should pay attention to the criteria to enjoy special investment incentives.
BLawyers Vietnam can support businesses in:
- Consulting on dossiers to request a Chemical Production License/Chemical Business License;
- Reviewing import-export contracts for special controlled chemicals;
- Consulting on investment in a specialized chemical industrial park to enjoy incentives under the current Law on Investment; and
- Any relevant issues.
The above is not official advice from BLawyers Vietnam. If you have any questions or suggestions about the above, please contact us at info@blawyersvn.com. BLawyers Vietnam would love to hear from you.
Date: 24 September 2025
Writer: BLawyers Vietnam
