Circular 15/2026/TT-BCT: Amendments to the Decentralization of Administrative Procedures under the Ministry of Industry and Trade
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Based on:15/2026/TT-BCT - Government Official Gazette
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This is a consolidated text (No. 20/VBHN-BCT, dated March 30, 2026) of Circular No. 38/2025/TT-BCT on decentralizing administrative procedures across fields managed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), updated through its most recent amendment, Circular No. 15/2026/TT-BCT (effective April 10, 2026). The core change reallocates licensing and certification authority between central MOIT departments (the Industrial Safety and Environment Department, the Chemicals Department, the Innovation, Green Transition and Industrial Promotion Department, and others) and provincial People's Committees, in line with Vietnam's shift to a two-tier local government model that has eliminated the district level. The amendments span many technical fields: industrial explosives and explosive precursors, occupational safety and health, LPG (gas) trading, oil and gas safety, hydropower dam and reservoir safety, chemicals and dangerous goods transport, product and goods quality, commercial inspection, energy-saving labeling, food safety under MOIT's jurisdiction, representative offices and branches of foreign traders, multi-level marketing consumer protection, and e-commerce website registration. The general pattern is that many licensing procedures move from provincial Departments of Industry and Trade or central-level departments to provincial People's Committees. For businesses operating in these regulated sectors, the practical takeaway is that the office receiving applications, renewals, or reissuances of licenses may have changed as of April 10, 2026, so companies should confirm the correct authority before filing. Licenses and certificates already issued before this date remain valid until their stated expiry, and applications submitted before the effective date continue to be processed under the rules in force when they were filed. This is primarily a change in which government office handles a given license, not a new tax, accounting, or invoicing obligation.
Overview
Consolidated text No. 20/VBHN-BCT (authenticated by MOIT on March 30, 2026) compiles Circular No. 38/2025/TT-BCT dated June 19, 2025 on decentralizing administrative procedures across fields under the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT), together with amendments made by:
- Circular No. 53/2025/TT-BCT (effective January 1, 2026) - energy management and energy audit training/certification
- Circular No. 63/2025/TT-BCT (effective February 10, 2026) - selection of outstanding rural industrial products
- Circular No. 01/2026/TT-BCT (effective January 17, 2026) - guiding the Chemicals Law and Decree No. 26/2026/ND-CP
- Circular No. 15/2026/TT-BCT (effective April 10, 2026) - amending several articles of Circular No. 38/2025/TT-BCT
Sector-by-sector changes
Industrial explosives and explosive precursors: the Industrial Safety and Environment Department licenses blasting services on the continental shelf or nationwide; provincial People's Committees license the use of industrial explosives for local businesses (except cases under the Department's authority) and certify explosive precursor production.
Occupational safety and health: the Industrial Safety and Environment Department issues, renews, and revokes certificates of eligibility for occupational safety technical inspection activities.
Gas (LPG) trading: provincial People's Committees issue certificates of eligibility for producing and repairing LPG cylinders and producing mini LPG cylinders.
Oil and gas: a new procedure lets provincial People's Committees approve safety management documents (Safety Management Program, Risk Assessment Report, Emergency Response Plan) for local oil and gas facilities (except large-scale facilities approved by the Industrial Safety and Environment Department); appraisal takes up to 20 working days, with an approval decision within 5 working days of the appraisal report.
Dam and hydropower reservoir safety: the Industrial Safety and Environment Department appraises and approves operating procedures for especially important reservoirs and hydropower works spanning two or more provinces.
Chemicals and dangerous goods transport: the Chemicals Department licenses transport of dangerous goods classes 5 and 8; provincial People's Committees license transport of classes 1 (except industrial explosives), 2, 3, 4, and 9.
Product and goods quality: provincial People's Committees issue/revoke conformity assessment registration certificates, receive conformity declarations, and supervise conformity assessment bodies; the Chemicals Department inspects quality of imported Group 2 goods that are explosive precursors or industrial explosives.
Commercial inspection: provincial People's Committees (rather than provincial Departments of Industry and Trade, as before) now register commercial inspection service marks where the trader is registered.
Energy conservation and efficiency: businesses register and self-declare energy labeling through the Innovation, Green Transition and Industrial Promotion Department, and must report labeled product volumes and types before January 15 each year.
Food safety: provincial People's Committees receive applications, appraise, and issue food safety eligibility certificates, and designate testing facilities within MOIT's jurisdiction.
Representative offices and branches of foreign traders: provincial People's Committees issue, renew, and revoke branch establishment licenses, reporting to MOIT before February 28 each year.
Consumer protection (multi-level marketing): provincial People's Committees administer exams and issue/revoke legal knowledge confirmations for multi-level sales.
E-commerce: e-commerce website notification filings are automatically confirmed if no amendment request is issued within 3 working days.
Effective date and transitional provisions
Circular No. 15/2026/TT-BCT takes effect April 10, 2026. Licenses, certificates, and approvals issued before the effective date remain valid through their stated expiry. Applications already fully received by the competent authority before the effective date continue to be processed under the rules in force at the time of filing. Businesses with questions should contact the relevant MOIT unit (Industrial Safety and Environment Department, Chemicals Department, Innovation, Green Transition and Industrial Promotion Department, etc.).