Reviewed by: Takahiro Sugiyama (CEO, meguri Inc.)
To buy Japanese matcha and sell it in Thailand, you need a licence for the importing company and a registration number for each matcha product. Duty ranges from 0% to 90%, depending on whether the shipment falls within the tariff quota. We checked this against Thai Ministry of Public Health notifications, regulations of the Thai Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA), announcements by the Thai Revenue Department and a survey by JETRO (the Japan External Trade Organization). The JETRO survey is as of October 2024, so its figures are given with that date.
In Thailand, matcha is treated as “tea”, a food with a set standard
The Thai FDA oversees matcha imports, and matcha falls under Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 196, “Tea”, which sets a standard for it. The notification makes tea a “food with a specified quality or standard” and lists the figures it must meet.
| Clause of Notification No. 196 | Content (translated) |
|---|---|
| Clause 2 | Tea is a food with a specified quality or standard |
| Clause 3 | Tea is divided into 3 types: tea, instant tea and flavoured ready-to-drink tea |
| Clause 4 | Tea must have moisture of 8% or less, total ash of 4% to 8%, water-soluble ash of at least 45% of total ash, hot water extract of at least 32%, and caffeine of at least 1.5% |
Source: Thai Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 196 (B.E. 2543), “Tea” (consolidated version posted by the Thai FDA, in Thai) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=510362387866591232&name=Compi_196.pdf
The 3 types in the notification
| Type | Definition in the notification |
|---|---|
| Tea | Dried young leaves, buds and stems of the tea plant (Camellia) |
| Instant tea | Liquid extracted from tea, made into a powder that dissolves easily |
| Flavoured ready-to-drink tea | Tea or instant tea that has been flavoured and packed in a sealed container |
Matcha is powder made by grinding tea leaves, so it is made differently from instant tea, which is powder made from an extracted liquid. Products mixed with sugar or milk are treated differently, so decide with your importer which type to apply under.
The figures in the tea standard
The standard for “tea” includes moisture of 8% or less, ash (the inorganic matter left after burning) of 4% to 8%, hot water extract of at least 32% and caffeine of at least 1.5%. The requirement that tea must not be coloured was removed by Notification No. 417 on food additives in 2020. Matcha absorbs moisture easily, so the 8% moisture limit is a figure to watch during storage after the tea arrives in Thailand.
The food import licence (Or.7) the importing company obtains
To import food for sale, the importing company obtains a food import licence from the Thai FDA. It is called “Or.7 (Orr.7)” after the Thai form name. Ministerial Regulation No. 2 under the Food Act requires the application form (Orr.6) to come with a map showing the import premises and holding premises, and a list of the equipment used to keep food quality.
Steps and fees
According to the JETRO survey (as of October 2024), the application is made through the Thai FDA’s online system (e-Submission).
| Step | What happens | Time and fees (JETRO, as of October 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apply to use the online system and register the business’s details | Within 3 business days |
| 2 | Submit the application form (Orr.6) and the premises documents, and pay the application fee | 5,000 baht |
| 3 | The Thai FDA reviews it, and you pay the licence fee once approved | 15,000 baht |
| 4 | Receive the licence (Orr.7) and licence number in the system | 5 business days from application |
According to the same survey, the licence is valid until 31 December of the third year, counting the year of issue as the first. The premises documents include copies of the house registration for the import and holding premises, location maps and colour photos. Because these are documents for premises in Thailand, the applicant is a company with premises in Thailand.
A food serial number for each matcha product
After obtaining the import licence, you obtain a food serial number (commonly called the “Or Yor mark”, after the Thai FDA’s Thai initials) for each matcha product. Under a Thai FDA regulation (2024), foods with a quality standard such as tea receive a number through “registration / notification of details” without notifying the ingredient formula.
| Annex 2, item 4 of the Thai FDA regulation (translated) |
|---|
| Foods with a specified quality or standard other than those in items 2 and 3: once the import licence has been obtained, apply online for food registration / notification of food details (without notifying the ingredient formula). When the documents are complete, the food serial number and a certificate of notification of food details (form Sor.Bor.7/1) are issued |
Source: Thai FDA, Regulation on procedures for food serial numbers (B.E. 2567), Annex 2 (in Thai) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=654871674310762496&name=fda-regulation-67.pdf
Tea gets its number without notifying the formula
Annex 2 of the regulation sets out how to obtain a number for each group of foods. Among foods with a quality standard, dairy products, ice cream, beverages in sealed containers, coffee preparations, food supplements and others go through “registration” under item 2, with the ingredient formula and specification documents. Tea is not on this list, so it follows the procedure in item 4 above. An amendment in March 2026 revised the list of foods that must submit original analysis results at the first import, and tea is not on that list either.
According to the JETRO survey (as of October 2024), the application form is Sor.Bor.7, the fee is 200 baht and the number is issued the same day. When applying, you register the GMP certificate of the factory that made the product (see the next section) in the system.
The number is assigned per import premises
The food serial number has 13 digits (XX-X-XXXXX-Y-YYYY). The third digit shows the type of premises (3 means import premises licensed by the Thai FDA), and the next 5 digits are the premises number. Because the number contains the import premises number, if the importing company changes, the number is obtained again under that company’s licence. Points to watch when selling under your own brand are in Private Label Matcha.
Documents prepared in Japan: GMP certificate and phytosanitary certificate
The procedures in Thailand need 2 documents prepared by the factory and the supply side in Japan. These are a GMP certificate showing the hygiene standard of the factory, and a phytosanitary certificate.
GMP certificate
The Thai FDA requires proof that imported food was made at premises meeting a standard equal to or higher than Thailand’s manufacturing standard (Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 420). According to the JETRO survey (as of October 2024), besides ISO 22000 and FSSC 22000 certificates, a business licence under Article 55 of Japan’s Food Sanitation Act can also be used. A certificate in Japanese is translated into Thai or English with a certification of the translation, and the names of the issuing body and business type must match the English translations that the Embassy of Japan in Thailand has notified to the Thai FDA. A certificate without an expiry date can be used for 1 year from its date of issue.
Phytosanitary certificate
According to the JETRO survey, tea is a “restricted plant” under Thailand’s Plant Quarantine Act, and a Japanese phytosanitary certificate is required. Products processed beyond a certain level are said not to need one, but we could not confirm in public documents whether matcha falls under this. The importing company files a plant import declaration in the Thai Department of Agriculture’s system and uses the receipt number (P.Q.5) at customs.
Tariff quota, JTEPA and 7% VAT
Duty on tea in Thailand changes greatly depending on whether the shipment is within or outside the tariff quota. Tea is under a tariff quota managed by the Department of Foreign Trade of the Thai Ministry of Commerce, and both within and outside the quota you must apply in advance for a certificate of the right to the duty rate.
Duty rates
According to the JETRO survey (as of October 2024), duty on tea (HS codes 0902.10 and 0902.20) is as follows.
| Category | Duty |
|---|---|
| Within the quota (WTO rate) | 30% |
| Outside the quota | 90% |
| Within the quota using the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) | Waived |
Tea is excluded from the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), so they cannot be used. The only way to bring duty to zero is to obtain quota and use JTEPA.
How to obtain quota
According to the same JETRO survey, the in-quota volume for 2024 to 2026 is 625 tonnes a year. Quota is applied for through the Department of Foreign Trade’s system (SMART-I) in 3 periods a year.
- 10 business days from 1 December of the year before the quota year
- 10 business days from 10 June of the quota year
- 10 business days from 10 October of the quota year
Only corporations can apply. When using JTEPA, you submit at import a Certificate of Origin issued by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a certificate issued by the Department of Foreign Trade (form Tor.2). Tor.2 is valid for 30 days from issue and only within the year of issue, and you report to the Department of Foreign Trade within 30 days of import. If you do not use any of the quota allocated to you, you declare its return within the set periods; if you do not declare it, you cannot apply the following year. If you do not use at least 95% of your quota, a penalty is also applied to the following year’s allocation.
7% VAT
Value added tax (VAT) on imports is charged on the CIF value (goods, insurance and freight) plus duty. The Thai Revenue Department has extended the period of the reduced 7% rate to 30 September 2027. It covers one year from 1 October 2026, based on Royal Decree No. 807, published in the Royal Gazette on 23 August 2026.
JETRO states that additive-free tea that has only gone through processes to preserve it, such as drying, is not subject to VAT. Matcha is steamed, dried and ground into powder, so check through your customs broker how the Revenue Department treats it. The customs fee is 200 baht, and 100 baht if you ask for the declaration to be entered for you (JETRO, as of October 2024).
Quality standards: pesticide residues, lead and Thai labels
Thai standards differ from Japan’s, so test results judged against Japanese standards alone do not tell you whether the matcha can be sold in Thailand. Pesticide residues, heavy metals and labels each have their own Ministry of Public Health notification.
Pesticide residues
Pesticide residue limits are set by Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 387 (2017) and its amendments (up to No. 449 in 2024). According to the JETRO survey, residues must not exceed the tea limit in the notification’s annex if there is one, or the international Codex limit if there is not, and pesticides with neither are limited, as a rule, to 0.01mg per kg. Pesticides banned from production and possession, such as paraquat and chlorpyrifos, must not be detected. How to compare limits by country is covered in Bulk Matcha: How to Buy Matcha Wholesale.
Lead
Thai Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 414 limits lead in tea and herbal tea to 0.5mg per kg in the ready-to-drink state. How to read this for matcha powder is covered in Matcha Lead.
Thai labels
Bags and tins sold in shops are labelled in Thai under Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 450 (in force from 19 July 2024), including the food serial number. According to JETRO, old labels for foods that obtained their number before the notification took effect could be used until 18 July 2026. The items to show are in Private Label Matcha.
Samples and storage in a hot country
Under Ministerial Regulation No. 3 of the Food Act, importing samples for food registration requires a permit on a dedicated form (Orr.16) rather than an import licence for sale.
We could not confirm in public documents how tasting samples are treated, so a shop without a licence should check with an importer how to receive them. Matcha loses colour and aroma with heat and humidity, so also check whether it can be kept in a cool, dark place during transport. Storage after opening is covered in Does Matcha Go Bad?
Import steps and common pitfalls
A first import goes through 9 stages, from preparing the company to selling. Quota applications are only accepted 3 times a year, so work back from the shipping date.
| Step | What to do | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Register a company in Thailand and prepare import and holding premises | Importing company |
| 2 | Get permission to use the online system and obtain the food import licence (Or.7) | Thai FDA |
| 3 | Receive the GMP certificate (with translation and certification) from the supplier | Supplier |
| 4 | Obtain a food serial number for each matcha product (Sor.Bor.7) | Thai FDA |
| 5 | Apply for quota and obtain the certificate of the right to the duty rate | Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce |
| 6 | Have the phytosanitary certificate and Certificate of Origin issued in Japan | Supplier, exporter |
| 7 | File the plant import declaration and obtain the receipt number (P.Q.5) | Thai Department of Agriculture |
| 8 | File the import declaration, pay duty and VAT, and undergo inspection if required | Thai Customs Department |
| 9 | Attach Thai labels before selling retail packs | Importing company |
According to the JETRO survey, no separate licence is needed to sell tea. Common pitfalls are missing the quota application period and paying 90% outside the quota, forgetting the Certificate of Origin and losing the JTEPA waiver, and having pesticide results judged only against Japanese standards.
How a shop without a licence can buy matcha
If you do not obtain an import licence yourself, buy through an importer that holds a Thai FDA import licence and quota. The importer imports under its own licence and serial numbers, and takes care of customs clearance and paying duty and VAT.
If you buy directly from Japan on DAP terms (delivered at place, where the buyer pays duties and taxes), add duty and VAT to the quote when comparing. The differences from Singapore are in How to Import Matcha into Singapore, and grades suited to lattes in Matcha grades.
Buying from Omakase Matcha
Omakase Matcha supplies matcha bought directly from the Uji, Yame, Kagoshima, Shizuoka and Miyazaki regions, from 1kg. To Thailand, we deliver DAP, with duties and taxes paid by your shop on receipt. Payment is in advance by Wise or PayPal, and we also visit shops in Thailand.
If you want to taste before ordering, you can request up to 3 samples. Terms are on the Thailand wholesale and Wholesale pages.
Sources
Checked on 16 October 2026.
- Thai Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 196 (B.E. 2543), “Tea” (consolidated version, in Thai) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=510362387866591232&name=Compi_196.pdf
- Thai Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 196, “Tea” (unofficial English translation) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=509295897201483776&name=No.196-43Tea.pdf
- Thai FDA, “ชา” (Tea) legislation page (in Thai) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/food-law/f2-tea
- Thai FDA, Regulation on procedures for food serial numbers (B.E. 2567) (in Thai) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=654871674310762496&name=fda-regulation-67.pdf
- Thai FDA, Regulation on procedures for food serial numbers (No. 2) (B.E. 2569) (in Thai) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=871948728154595328&name=fda-regulation-69-2.pdf
- Ministerial Regulation No. 2 (1979) under the Food Act (unofficial English translation) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=509455992002584576&name=E_No.02.pdf
- Ministerial Regulation No. 3 (1979) under the Food Act (unofficial English translation) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=509456250468179968&name=E_No.03.pdf
- Thai Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 414 (B.E. 2563), “Standards for Contaminants in Food” (unofficial English translation) https://food.fda.moph.go.th/media.php?id=509427551085666304&name=P414_E.pdf
- Thai Revenue Department, Press release 18/2569, extension of the 7% VAT rate to 30 September 2027 (in Thai) https://www.rd.go.th/fileadmin/user_upload/news/2569thai/news18_2569.pdf
- Thai Revenue Department, Royal Decree No. 807 (B.E. 2569) (in Thai) https://www.rd.go.th/fileadmin/user_upload/kormor/newlaw/dc807.pdf
- JETRO, “茶の輸入規制、輸入手続き（タイ）” (Import regulations and procedures for tea, Thailand; survey as of October 2024, in Japanese) https://www.jetro.go.jp/world/asia/th/foods/exportguide/greentea.html
- MAFF, “諸外国における残留農薬基準値に関する情報” (Information on pesticide residue limits in other countries, in Japanese) https://www.maff.go.jp/j/shokusan/export/zannou_kisei.html
