What is a MAPP/MAFF number?
Every product carries a unique product registration number which we allocate upon issue of the first commercial level of approval for a product. The number assigned will always remain with your product, unless you subsequently make a major change to its identity or to its formulation.
We use two types of prefixes:
- Products approved before 1 July 1999 are distinguished by a ‘MAFF’ number.
- Products approved since then have a ‘MAPP’ number to identify them.
When are new MAPP numbers issued?
For a new product
We will allocate a new MAPP number upon the issue of the first commercial level of approval for a product.
Note: We do not allocate MAPP numbers to products that only hold an experimental approval (for research or development purposes) since these are not being marketed.
For a change in tradename
If you submit an application to change your product name, we will issue a new MAPP number upon issue of the approval incorporating the new product name. This is so that it is easy to differentiate between the two products.
For a change in approval holder/marketing company
If you submit an application for a change in marketing company (and the company registration number has changed or is changing), we will issue a new MAPP number upon issue of the approval incorporating the new marketing company details.
If the company registration number is not changing, although you will need to submit an application to incorporate the name change, the registration number will not need to change.
If you are the approval holder for a product and also market it, then these arrangements will also apply in the event of a change.
For a change in formulation
If you submit an application for a major formulation change to your product and we consider that data are required to support this change, upon issue of the approval for the new formulation, we will issue a new MAPP number. This will help distinguish between the two different formulations.
If my product gets a new MAPP number, what happens to the old MAPP/MAFF number?
When we issue a new approval for a product, incorporating a change in MAPP/MAFF number, the previous approval for the old registration number will be revoked. This will usually take the form of a phased revocation, to allow the approval holder to continue placing stocks with the old MAPP/MAFF number into the supply chain for a limited time, with an additional use-up period to allow stocks in the supply chain to pass through safely (see the guidance document for product revocations).
MAPP/MAFF numbers and Off-Label approvals
Where a product gets an approval incorporating a change in MAPP/MAFF number, growers will not be able to use the new product under the terms of any existing Specific Off Label Approvals (SOLA) where these refer only to the old registration number.
To allow continuity of use, it would therefore be helpful if you could inform the grower or grower group organisation responsible for any SOLAs in order that they can submit applications to amend affected SOLAs to incorporate the new product details. Providing there has not been a major change to the product’s formulation, such requests can usually be dealt with administratively see the guidance document for off-label approvals.
