21 CFR Part 820 · Quality Management System Regulation

§ 820.80 Receiving, in-process, and fin

Subpart H - Acceptance Activities Official text on eCFR
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.

ished device acceptance.

(a) General. Each manufacturer shall establish and maintain procedures for acceptance activities. Acceptance activities include inspections, tests, or other verification activities.

(b) Receiving acceptance activities. Each manufacturer shall establish and maintain procedures for acceptance of incoming product. Incoming product shall be inspected, tested, or otherwise verified as conforming to specified requirements. Acceptance or rejection shall be documented.

(c) In-process acceptance activities. Each manufacturer shall establish and maintain acceptance procedures, where appropriate, to ensure that specified requirements for in-process product are met. Such procedures shall ensure that in-process product is controlled until the required inspection and tests or other verification activities have been completed, or necessary approvals are received, and are documented.

(d) Final acceptance activities. Each manufacturer shall establish and maintain procedures for finished device acceptance to ensure that each production run, lot, or batch of finished devices meets acceptance criteria. Finished devices shall be held in quarantine or otherwise adequately controlled until released. Finished devices shall not be released for distribution until:

(1) The activities required in the DMR are completed;

(2) the associated data and documentation is reviewed;

(3) the release is authorized by the signature of a designated individual(s); and

(4) the authorization is dated.

(e) Acceptance records. Each manufacturer shall document acceptance activities required by this part. These records shall include:

(1) The acceptance activities performed;

(2) the dates acceptance activities are performed;

(3) the results;

(4) the signature of the individual(s) conducting the acceptance activities; and

(5) where appropriate the equipment used. These records shall be part of the DHR.

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 § 820.80

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

  • Lack of or inadequate final acceptance procedures 666
  • Lack of or inadequate procedures - Acceptance activities 559
  • Lack of or inadequate receiving acceptance procedures 534
  • Documentation 432
  • Lack of or inadequate In-process acceptance procedures 183
  • Incoming acceptance records, documentation 108

Warning letters citing § 820.80

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

FDA guidance that cites § 820.80