Last refresh: . 26,358 refusals since 2020-01-01.

FDA refusal charge NO ENGLISH: not in English

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The NO ENGLISH charge appeared in 2,089 FDA import refusals between 2020 and 2026 — 7.9% of all 26,358 US import refusals. The charge is a labelling or registration failure, not a hazard found in the product. The origins cited most often are Mexico, China, Guatemala. The most-affected product category is Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. Volume in 2025 was down 9% on 2024.

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What FDA's charge says

NO ENGLISH is the code FDA prints on a refusal; below is the charge language FDA publishes for it, quoted from its charge table, with the sections of the FD&C Act it cites.

The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act in that it appears to be misbranded within the meaning of Section 403(f) of the FD&C Act in that any word, statement, or other information required by or under the authority of the FD&C Act to appear on the label or labeling is not prominently placed thereon with such conspicuousness (as compared with other words, statements, designs, or devices, in the labeling) and in such terms as to render it likely to be read and understood by the ordinary individual under customary terms of purchase and use (for example, label contains information in two or more languages but fails to repeat all required information in both languages in accordance with 21 CFR 101.15(c)(2), or label fails to include all required information in English in accordance with 21 CFR 101.15(c)(1), except in the case of articles distributed solely in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or in a Territory where the predominant language is one other than English)).

Sections 403(f), 801(a)(3); MISBRANDING

NO ENGLISH refusals by year

YearRefusalsYoY
2020170—
2021222+30.6%
2022391+76.1%
2023307-21.5%
2024398+29.6%
2025361-9.3%
2026240—YTD
Total2,089

Origins most often refused under NO ENGLISH

#Origin countryRefusals
1Mexico633
2China152
3Guatemala111
4South Korea85
5Japan82
6India72
7Vietnam61
8Germany59
9Turkey49
10Thailand45
11Colombia44
12Brazil38
13Honduras36
14Switzerland33
15Italy32
16Israel26
17Philippines26
18Poland24
19Taiwan24
20Netherlands22
21United States22
22Spain19
23Ecuador18
24Russia18
25Argentina17
26Haiti17
27Sweden16
28El Salvador14
29France13
30Bangladesh12

Product categories refused under NO ENGLISH

#Product categoryRefusals
1Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans423
2Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base)348
3Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings147
4Fruit and Fruit Products138
5Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum118
6Soft Drinks and Waters116
7Dietary Conventional Foods and Meal Replacements108
8Baby (Infant and Junior) Food Products97
9Vegetables and Vegetable Products82
10Macaroni and Noodle Products59
11Fishery/Seafood Products55
12Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet)46
13Spices, Flavors, and Salts46
14Coffee and Tea43
15Whole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch36

Latest refusals citing NO ENGLISH

About NO ENGLISH

What does the FDA import refusal charge NO ENGLISH mean?

FDA uses NO ENGLISH for: not in English. Its published charge language reads: “The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act in that it appears to be misbranded within the meaning of Section 403(f) of the FD&C Act in that any word, statement, or other information required by or under the authority of the FD&C Act to appear on the label or labeling is not prominently placed thereon with such conspicuousness (as compared with other words, statements, designs, or devices, in the labeling) and in such terms as to render it likely to be read and understood by the ordinary individual under customary terms of purchase and use (for example, label contains information in two or more languages but fails to repeat all required information in both languages in accordance with 21 CFR 101.15(c)(2), or label fails to include all required information in English in accordance with 21 CFR 101.15(c)(1), except in the case of articles distributed solely in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or in a Territory where the predominant language is one other than English)).”

Is NO ENGLISH a food safety finding?

No. NO ENGLISH is a labelling or registration failure: the charge is about the label, the filing or the paperwork, not a hazard found in the product. A refusal citing it alone is counted as paperwork on this site.

What happens to a shipment refused under NO ENGLISH?

Under section 801(a) of the FD&C Act a refused entry has to be exported or destroyed, normally within 90 days of the notice of refusal. Bringing a product into compliance, for instance by relabelling, is something the importer asks FDA for before the decision is final. The notice itself and FDA's guidance govern a particular case; this page describes the published data and is not legal advice.