Guidance

Guidance

Importing live animalsanimals, or animal products and high-risk food and feed not of animal origin from non-EU countries to Great Britain

Getting

The thedocuments right licence, where you canneed import from, and the border checks your consignmentimport must pass atto aimport borderfrom inspectionnon-EU post (BIP). countries.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

If

You there’sshould afollow nodifferent dealrules Brexit

You’llfor stillpersonal beimports ableof to import animals and animal products frominto non-EUGreat countiresBritain after(England, Brexit.Scotland Butand theWales).

You processshould forcheck notifying the UKcurrent authoritiestopical ofissues theselike importsdiseases willfor change.your import.

FindYou outneed aboutto importinguse animals,the animalImport productsof andProducts, high-riskAnimals, foodFood and feedFeed notSystem (IPAFFS) for imports of:

  • live animals
  • products of animal origin if(POAO) thesubject UKto leavesveterinary thechecks
  • high-risk EUfood withand nofeed deal.

    Commercialnot imports

    Commercial imports of mostanimal animalsorigin and(HRFNAO)

  • germplasm products(also ofcalled germinal products)
  • animal originby-products arenot coveredintended byfor EUhuman legislation.

    Consignmentsconsumption shouldsubject beto accompaniedveterinary bychecks

Documents appropriateyou certificationneed

Health andcertificates must enteraccompany thelive EUanimals, throughincluding aequines, borderanimal inspectionproducts postand (BIPHRFNAO) whereimported checksto areGreat carriedBritain out(England, toScotland ensureand thatWales), importthe conditionsChannel haveIslands beenor met.Isle of Man.

In mostsome cases, you dowill notalso need need:

  • an import licence or authorisation.

    Complianceauthorisation

  • a withcommercial animaldocument
  • to healthmeet andsome welfareother controlslegal doesrequirements, notlike removethose controlling the needtrade toin complyendangered withspecies

HRFNAO

You othermust relevantimport legislation,HRFNAO includingfrom thosenon-EU relatingcountries tointo theGreat controlBritain ofthrough tradea inborder endangeredcontrol species.post (BCP).

ToFind satisfyout yourselfwhich thatBCP you canshould complyuse.

Importers withshould thecheck trade,if welfaretheir andproduct animalmust healthbe rules,vet youchecked mayat alsoa wish to contact the APHABCP Centreby looking for Internationalthe TradeCN Carlislecode for furthertheir guidance.product in:

You

Live foranimals, currentgermplasm, issuesPOAO relating to imports and exports of animals and animal products.

by-products

IfYou youmust wantimport informationlive onanimals, changesgerminal orproducts, updatesPOAO toand importsanimal ofby-products animalsfrom andnon-EU animalcountries productsinto rulesGreat byBritain email,through youa shouldUK completeborder andcontrol returnpost. theFind requestout forwhich informationBCP formyou should use.

Checking if you need a licence

CertainImporters animalsshould andcheck productsif ofthe animalCN origincode includingfor sometheir thatproduct areis coveredlisted byin EuropeanRegulation Union2019/2007 regulationsto mustfind haveout anif importthe licencePOAO or authorisationanimal toby-products must be importedchecked intoat Greata Britain.BCP.

General licences

CheckYou themust listuse ofIPAFFS generalto licencesnotify thatthe areGreat availableBritain toBCP seeat ifleast theone licenceworking youday needbefore alreadyyour exists.consignment is due to arrive.

IfFor theimports generalof licencePOAO orand authorisationanimal youby-products needthat exists, you do not haverequire toveterinary apply,checks butat youa mustBCP, makethere sureis youno followrequirement theto conditionspre-notify ina port of the publishedarrival licence.of the consignment.

Some

Health generaland licencesidentity mustrequirements travelfor withequines imported or moved to Great Britain via the consignmentEU, -Norway checkor yourNorthern generalIreland.

Equines licenceimported toor seemoved ifto thisGreat isBritain thefrom case.

Specifica licences

Ifcountry theother generalthan licencean youEU needMember doesState, notNorway exist,or youNorthern mustIreland, applyvia forthe aEU, specificNorway licenceor forNorthern thatIreland, productdo usingnot formneed IV58.

Youto shouldenter returnGreat theBritain completedvia applicationa formBCP to:if:

Somerecognised animals,EU suchBCP as rodents,they lagomorphsneed (hares,to rabbitseither andupload pikas)the andCommon mostHealth exoticEntry mammals,Document must(CHED) haveto IPAFFS or email a specificcopy licenceof -the completeCHED formto RM01the APHA Animal imports team

Read EU guidance for thiscreating licence.a CHED on TRACES NT.

Where

If you cancannot importprove from

Youthat canthe onlyequines bringyou’re liveimporting animalshave orpassed an animal productshealth intoinspection theat an EU fromBCP, countriesthey onmust theenter EU’sGreat approvedBritain list.at Thea listsrecognised ofBCP. approvedThe countriesBCP isneeds oftento includedhave at the backfacilities ofto thecarry EUout regulationsidentity thatand governphysical movement.checks for equines.

ContactAn the APHA Centreveterinary foroffice Internationalwill Trade:inspect Carlislean toequine findand outrelevant whichdocumentation legislationagain applies.if APHA:

Many

When

Check if you need a health certificate

licence

IfSome you’re importing live animals and animal products,products you must makehave surean theimport exporterlicence you’reto workingbe withimported gets into Great Britain. Check the healthlist certificateof requiredgeneral bylicences EUto orsee nationalif law.the licence you need exists.

You canmust contactfollow the APHAconditions Centrein forthe Internationallicence Tradeand Carlislecheck your licence to findsee outif whenit youmust needalso totravel dowith this.the consignment.

When

If the general licence you need adoes commercialnot document

Youexist, mayyou alsomust needeither:

Where you do.

can import from

TheYou exportercan shouldonly drawbring uplive theanimals commercialand documentanimal andproducts shouldinto includeGreat amongstBritain otherfrom things:approved:

Some ofanimals theand importeranimal andproducts themust exporter also come from establishments approved to export to Great Britain.

Getting imports checked at a BIPBCP

Most consignments of animalanimals and animal products imported from non-EU countries must be checked at a BIPBCP.

Finding outContact if your consignment must be checked

You can contact the APHA CentreAnimal forimports International Trade Carlisleteam to find out if your consignment must be checked.

Before

Finding the consignmentright arrivesBCP

It’sFind a legalUK requirementBCP that’s approved to tellcheck the BIPanimals aboutor youranimal consignmentproducts in advance - if you do not, you may be charged an additional fee or your checks could take longer.shipment.

Fees

ForYou animals, you must completepay parta 1fee ofto thehave commonyour veterinaryconsignment entrychecked documentat (CVEDa BCP). andFind returnthe itfees tofor thechecks BIP,on 24live hoursanimals beforeat youra consignmentBCP isor duecontact tothe arrive.

Forproduct animalBCP products, you mustplan completeto partuse 1for ofinformation on the CVEDfees andyou’ll returnbe itcharged.

Notify to the BIPBCP before the consignment is unloaded.

arrives

YouUse shouldIPAFFS contactto notify the BIPBCP of imports.

If you plando tonot usenotify tothe discussBCP howbefore you shouldimport notifya themconsignment, aboutyou yourmay consignments.be Thecharged BIPan canadditional alsofee giveor youyour achecks blankcould CVED.take longer.

FindYou contactmust detailscomplete forpart EU1 BIPsof andthe forCommon UKHealth BIPs.

YouEntry mustDocument make(CHED) sureon originalIPAFFS healthand certificatessubmit travelthis withto allthe consignments.BCP Youof cannotentry useone aworking faxedday orbefore photocopiedyour version.

Findingconsignment theis rightdue BIP

to arrive.

You must make sure the BIPoriginal you’rehealth usingcertificate istravels approvedwith to check the animals or animal products in your shipment.consignment.

When your consignment arrives

When your consignment arrives, port operators may charge you to move it to the BIPBCP.

Official veterinarians or inspectors at the BIPBCP will then check animalthe orconsignment. animalThis product identity and documentation.

They may alsoinclude carry out a physical check.

IfThe yourresult consignmentof passes the check,check officials will givebe yourecorded aon completedIPAFFS and validatedofficials CVED.

Fees

Youwill mustgive payyou a feecompleted toand havevalidated your consignment checked at a BIPCHED.

See the BIP fees table.

Contact the BIP you plan to use for information on the fee you’ll be charged, and fees for animal products.

Leaving the BIPBCP

You must not remove your consignment from the BIPBCP or customs clearance area until official veterinariansinspectors have completed and validated the CVEDCHED.

WhenAfter your consignment leaves the BIPBCP, you must must:

  • make sure ityour consignment goes directly to the destination named on the CVEDCHED.

    You must

  • make sure the CVEDoriginal CHED accompaniesgoes thewith your consignment to thisits destination.

    Youfinal mustdestination

  • comply keepwith any livestockmovement atrestrictions theassociated destinationwith foryour atimport

Transiting leastlive 30animals daysthrough afterGreat theyBritain

Read arrive.guidance Inabout somemoving casesfood thecontaining animalsanimal mayproducts havefrom one third country to stayanother atthird thecountry premisesand fortransiting longer.Great Britain, known as ‘landbridge’ movements.

Personal

Animal importswelfare when importing live animals

You canmust bringmake anysure fruit,you vegetables,meet meat,animal fish,welfare dairystandards orwhen othertransporting animallive productsanimals.

Endangered (forspecies

You example,need eggs,to honey)check intoif your import is on the UKlist ifof you’reendangered travellingspecies fromcovered aby countrythe Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). If your import is on the EU.CITES list, you may need to apply for a CITES permit before importing.

You

Display, cannotlaboratory bringand meat,research meatanimals

You products,need milk,to dairyfollow productsdifferent orrules, potatoesknown intoas the UKBalai fromDirective, mostif countriesyou’re outsideimporting thedisplay, EU.

Findlaboratory outand moreresearch aboutanimals, bringingincluding food,those animalsused orin plantsconservation intoor theeducation UKprogrammes.

Endangered

Contact speciesAPHA for help

Contact the APHA Animal imports team for help.

Published 12 September 2014
Last updated 1 July 2023 + show all updates
  1. There are morenew thanfees 25,000for endangeredBCP specieschecks coveredin byEngland and Scotland from 1 July 2023. Updated the Conventionlink onto Internationalfind Tradethe innew Endangered'fees Speciesfor (CITES).checks on live animals at a BCP'.

    It

  2. Updated andwith animalnew anddates theirfor partsthe andintroduction derivatives.

    Ifof you’recontrols importingon equines imported or moved to Great Britain from a country other than an endangeredEU speciesMember intoState, Norway or Northern Ireland, via the EU, youNorway mayor Northern Ireland.

  3. Updated with new dates for when equines do not need to applyenter forGreat aBritain CITESthrough permita beforeBorder theControl importPost takes(BCP) place.

    Findprovided outthey moremeet aboutcertain CITES,health includingand theidentity speciesrequirements.

  4. Content added on thehealth CITESand list.identity requirements for equines.

    Display,

  5. Updated researchwith animals

    Theguidance Balaion Directivehow setsto outcomply thewith regulationsrules forfrom importing1 display,January laboratory2021.

  6. Updated animals,to asexplain wellthat asimporters thoseshould useduse inIPAFFS conservationinstead orof educationTRACES programmes.

    Animalto welfarenotify whenBCPs importingof live animals

    Youanimal mustimports.

  7. Changed younew meetimport animalsystem welfareusers standardswill whenneed importingfrom liveTRACES animals.to IPAFFS.

    Contact

Published
  • Highlighted 2014

    Lastthe updatedlink 20to Mayguidance 2019 + showabout allhow updates

      importers should prepare for Brexit.

    1. Updated to include link to EU Exit guidance

    2. Replaced the link to UK border inspection posts on the EU website with a link to UK border inspection posts on GOV.UK in the section Finding the right Border Inspection Post.

    3. BIP fees updated

    4. Updated contact details links to the European Commission.

    5. Change of address for Centre for International Trade Carlisle.

    6. General review and update to clarify guidance in some sections including commercial imports, notifying the BIP

    7. Added a link to the form to request updates on changes to rules on imports of animals and animal products.

    8. Updated guidance under the general licences heading.

    9. AHVLA documents have been re-assigned to the new Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

    10. First published.