Short answer: Three activities — three different regimes. Printing publications requires a printing operation license (Article 32 of the Publication Law). Distributing publications only requires registration with the state publishing authority — not a license (Articles 36–37). Importing publications for business requires a license issued by the Ministry (Article 38). Confusing these three regimes is the most common reason dossiers get returned.
1. Legal framework in force as of 14/10/2026
- Publication Law 19/2012/QH13 (20/11/2012, effective 01/7/2013) — amended by Law 35/2018/QH14 (Article 19.4 amending Article 32.1) and Planning Law 112/2025/QH15; consolidated text 43/VBHN-VPQH (16/3/2026).
- Decree 195/2013/ND-CP (21/11/2013) — amended by Decree 150/2018/ND-CP (Article 1.5 amending Article 13 on licensing dossiers).
- Circular 01/2020/TT-BTTTT (07/02/2020) — amended by Circular 23/2023/TT-BTTTT (effective 01/5/2024).
- Decree 119/2020/ND-CP (amended by Decree 14/2022/ND-CP) — administrative sanctions in press and publishing.
- Decree 43/2025/ND-CP (effective 01/3/2025): the Authority of Publication, Printing and Distribution now sits under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — references to the “Ministry/Departments of Information and Communications” in the Law are read under the current apparatus as the Ministry/Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
2. Printing publications — printing operation license
Four conditions — Article 32.1 (as amended by Article 19.4 of Law 35/2018):
- The head of the printing establishment is a Vietnamese citizen permanently residing in Vietnam, with professional competence in printing management;
- Production premises and equipment to perform at least one of pre-press, printing or post-press stages;
- Assurance of security, order and environmental sanitation;
- Conformity with the development plan for the printing-establishment network (amended under Planning Law 112/2025/QH15).
Dossier (Article 32.2 + Article 13 of Decree 195/2013, amended by Article 1.5 of Decree 150/2018): application form; certified copy of the business/enterprise registration certificate or establishment decision; documents proving production premises and equipment; curriculum vitae of the head; certified copy of a printing-specialty diploma (college or higher) or a printing-management training certificate issued by the Ministry; certified copy of the certificate of eligibility on security, order and environmental sanitation.
Authority (Article 32.3): the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Authority of Publication, Printing and Distribution) for printing establishments of central-level agencies and organizations; the provincial People’s Committee (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism) for local establishments.
Processing time: 15 days from receipt of a complete, valid dossier; a refusal must be answered in writing with reasons stated — Article 32.4.
3. Distributing publications — registration, not a license
Under Articles 36.2, 36.3 and 37.1: before operating, a distribution establishment that is an enterprise or public service unit must register with the state publishing authority:
- Head office and branches in 02 or more provinces/cities → register with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism;
- Operating within 01 province/city → register with the provincial People’s Committee.
Registration conditions (Article 36.3): the head permanently resides in Vietnam and holds a diploma or training certificate in publication distribution; holds a business/enterprise registration certificate or establishment decision; has business premises. For household businesses (Article 36.4): the household head permanently resides in Vietnam, holds a business registration certificate and has business premises.
Transition note: Law 24/2026/QH16 is reported to remove “publication distribution services” from the conditional business list. However, the effective date is inconsistent across secondary sources (01/3/2027 in some, 01/7/2026 in others) and has not been verified against the official gazette — this article asserts neither date; verify the original text of Law 24/2026/QH16 before relying on it, and do not treat the current registration procedure as permanent. “Printing publications” is not on the published removal list — the printing license regime remains.
4. Importing publications for business — Ministry license
Under Article 38.2: importing publications for business requires a license from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (the Law names the Ministry of Information and Communications — read under the current apparatus). Conditions (Article 38.3): a business/enterprise/investment registration certificate; a head permanently residing in Vietnam with a relevant specialty diploma or Ministry-issued training certificate; staff capable of appraising book content (for books). Issuance time: 30 days — Article 38.5.
Beyond the license, before each import the company must register the import and receive written confirmation within 15 days — Article 39. These are two distinct layers: the license (one-off) and per-shipment import registration.
5. Practical risks and recommendations
- Get the regime right: printing = license; distribution = registration; import for business = license + per-shipment registration — filing under the wrong regime is the most common cause of returned dossiers;
- Use current agency names in dossiers: Ministry/Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism (no longer Information and Communications after Decree 43/2025) — while keeping the name “Authority of Publication, Printing and Distribution”, since the rumoured new name “Authority of Publication and Library” has not been verified against an original decree;
- Forms: the current distribution-registration forms after Circular 23/2023 (effective 01/5/2024) should be checked before preparing a detailed dossier;
- Watch for amendments: the Publication Law is on the amendment agenda under Resolution 66.7/2025/NQ-CP (administrative-procedure simplification) — rules may change; update before launching new projects.
Frequently asked questions
Does opening a bookstore require a license?
Distributing (selling) publications only requires registration with the state publishing authority, not a license (Articles 36–37). Note the Law 24/2026/QH16 transition is being verified against the original text.
What license does a print shop need?
A printing operation license under Article 32 of the Publication Law, issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (central-level establishments) or the provincial People’s Committee (local establishments); 15-day processing.
What procedures apply to importing books for sale?
A license to import publications for business from the Ministry (30 days), then import registration before each shipment (confirmation within 15 days).
Where does a provincial printing establishment file?
The provincial People’s Committee (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism) for local establishments; central-level establishments file with the Ministry (Authority of Publication, Printing and Distribution).
Is “publication distribution services” still a conditional business?
As of this writing, the Article 36–37 registration procedure still applies. Reports that Law 24/2026/QH16 removes it are being verified against the original text (effective date inconsistent across sources) — check the official gazette before relying on it.
Legal sources cited
- Publication Law 19/2012/QH13 (20/11/2012, effective 01/7/2013); amended by Law 35/2018/QH14 and Planning Law 112/2025/QH15; consolidated text 43/VBHN-VPQH (16/3/2026).
- Decree 195/2013/ND-CP (21/11/2013); Decree 150/2018/ND-CP.
- Circular 01/2020/TT-BTTTT (07/02/2020); Circular 23/2023/TT-BTTTT (effective 01/5/2024).
- Decree 43/2025/ND-CP (effective 01/3/2025) — apparatus organization.
- Decree 119/2020/ND-CP (amended by Decree 14/2022/ND-CP) — administrative sanctions.
Applying for a printing license, registering a publishing distribution business or importing publications into Vietnam? Reach us via the Contact page of FLAT Law Firm.
The legal content of this article is reviewed by FLAT’s AI Legal Council and submitted to the owner for approval; it is not an opinion of a licensed lawyer and does not replace legal advice for specific cases.
For reference only, not legal advice.
