21 CFR Part 820 · Quality Management System Regulation

§ 820.40 § 820.40 [Reserved]

Subpart D - Document Controls Official text on eCFR Amendment history
Removed from 21 CFR. The Quality Management System Regulation (QMSR) replaced the Quality System Regulation on 2 Feb 2026. Removed by the Quality Management System Regulation, effective 2 February 2026: Part 820 now incorporates ISO 13485:2016 by reference (§ 820.7) and requires it in § 820.10. See § 820.10. The text below is the former QSR wording, kept for reference.

Document controls. Each manufacturer shall establish and maintain procedures to control all documents that are required by this part. The procedures shall provide for the following:

(a) Document approval and distribution. Each manufacturer shall designate an individual(s) to review for adequacy and approve prior to issuance all documents established to meet the requirements of this part. The approval, including the date and signature of the individual(s) approving the document, shall be documented. Documents established to meet the requirements of this part shall be available at all locations for which they are designated, used, or otherwise necessary, and all obsolete documents shall be promptly removed from all points of use or otherwise prevented from unintended use.

(b) Document changes. Changes to documents shall be reviewed and approved by an individual(s) in the same function or organization that performed the original review and approval, unless specifically designated otherwise. Approved changes shall be communicated to the appropriate personnel in a timely manner. Each manufacturer shall maintain records of changes to documents. Change records shall include a description of the change, identification of the affected documents, the signature of the approving individual(s), the approval date, and when the change becomes effective. Subpart E—Purchasing Controls

Independent copy, not an official legal edition. 21 CFR is a U.S. Government work in the public domain; this text comes from the eCFR and the annual CFR edition, and may lag recent amendments. The authoritative version is on ecfr.gov. Compliome is not affiliated with or endorsed by FDA. Not legal advice.

What FDA inspectors cite under § 820.40

Form FDA 483 observations citing this section, fiscal years 2009–2026 (Devices).

  • Procedures not adequately established or maintained 605
  • Lack of procedures, or not maintained 420
  • Not approved or obsolete document retrieval 153
  • Document review, approval by designated individual 118
  • Document review, approval documentation 103
  • Document change records, maintained. 91

Warning letters citing § 820.40

28 FDA warning letters since 2017 cite this section ; the most recent:

FDA guidance that cites § 820.40

Amendment history

Federal Register documents that created or amended this section.