Guidance

Transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain

Rules to follow if you’re moving animals or animal products from one country to another and transiting through Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), known as ‘landbridge’ movements.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
18 December 2020
Last updated
3019 April 2024 — See all updates

This guidance is about transiting:

  • live animals, animals
  • germinal products,products
  • animal by-products not for human consumption (ABP)
  • products of animal origin for human consumption (POAO)
  • high-risk food and animalfeed by-products not forof humananimal consumptionorigin (ABPHRFNAO).)  

You need to follow different guidance if: 

Transits from the EU through Great Britain to EU or non-EU countries transits

ThisTransits guidancefrom covers the sanitaryEU andare phytosanitarycategorised (SPS)into requirementshigh, formedium EUand goodslow movingrisk fromcategories under the EUBorder throughTarget GreatOperating BritainModel to(BTOM).

Read themore EUabout ortransiting tolive non-EUanimals, countries.germinal Thisproducts, guidancePOAO, alsoABP appliesand toHRFNAO transitsunder fromthe Iceland,Border Liechtenstein,Target NorwayOperating and Switzerland.Model.

GoodsThis fromguidance covers the EUsanitary areand categorisedphytosanitary into(SPS) high,requirements mediumfor andEU lowgoods riskmoving categoriesfrom under the BorderEU Targetthrough OperatingGreat ModelBritain (BTOM).to  the EU.

Qualifying Northern Ireland goods do not have to follow this process. process.

ThereLive areanimals, documentary, identity and physical checks at the border on transits of high and medium risk germinal products, POAOABP and ABPPOAO fromtransiting thethrough EU,Great exceptBritain frommust thebe islandnotified ofon Ireland.IPAFFS  

Consignments(Import of highproducts, animals, food and medium riskfeed germinalsystem). products, POAO and ABP thatYou aremust transitingdo fromthis theat EUleast toone Irelandworking mayday havebefore documentary,it identityis andexpected physicalto checksarrive at the border. point  of entry. 

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LiveYou animalsmust fromconfirm that the EUconsignment canhas enterleft andGreat exitBritain. GreatFor Britainlive throughanimals, anygerminal portproducts withoutand physicalABP, oremail identitythe checks. 

ReadAnimal moreand aboutPlant transitingHealth liveAgency animals,(APHA) germinalat products,ImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk. For POAO andemail ABPGBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk. underUse the BTOM. 

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Transitsa ofconsignment mediumhas andleft highGreat riskBritain productsterritory’. 

The mustemail travelneeds withto a health certificate. include: 

If

  • the you’reIPAFFS transitingnotification mediumreference risknumber 
  • details fisheryof productsthe thatmeans doof nottransport 
  • the needdate animalthe healthconsignment attestations,left youGreat only need Britain 
  • a commercialcopy document.  

    Ifof you’rethe transitingcommercial mediumdocuments risk(bill ABPof butlading there’sor currentlyairway nobill) 

To healthfind certificateout forhow yourthe goods,information you onlysend needto athe commercialmailbox document. 

Forwill transitsbe fromused, theyou EUcan throughask Greatfor Britaina tocopy non-EUof countries,the youprivacy mustnotice. 

Currently, checklive youanimals, havegerminal theproducts, rightABP documentationand toPOAO exportcan yourenter commodityand fromexit theGreat EUBritain memberthrough stateany ofport originwith tono thephysical destinationor country. identity checks. 

You’ll also need to follow specific guidance below if you’re transiting: 

  • live animals 
  • germinal products 
  • POAO 
  • ABP 

Live animals transiting Great Britain to the EU 

Live animals transiting from the EU through Great Britain to the EU must have an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC) created in TRACES (Trade Control and Export System). 

You must attach a copy of the ITAHC to the notification on the Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS). Thenotification. IPAFFS notification does not replace your intra-EU movement on TRACES. 

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting through Great Britain. 

All live animals will need: 

  • transporter authorisation issued by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)  
  • vehicle approval certificates from the relevant bodies in Great Britain or Northern Ireland 

You will also need a certificate of competence for cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses or poultry travelling over 40 miles or 65 kilometres by road.    

You need an EU and a UK journey log if you’re moving cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or unregistered horses for trade: 

  • from Great Britain to the EU 
  • from the EU to Great Britain 
  • if your journey is more than 8 hours 

You cannot use EU-issued documents (which includes the Republic of Ireland) in Great Britain. 

To apply for a transporter authorisation from APHA, the transporter must be represented in Great Britain. For more information, contact: 

The maximum permitted journey time varies by species and life stage. A consignment of animals may need to be rested for 24 hours. There are approved control posts where animals can be unloaded. unloaded.

Live animals transiting Great Britain to non-EU countries 

Live animals transiting from the EU through Great Britain to non-EU countries must have a GB health certificate. You must attach a copy to the IPAFFS notification.  

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting Great Britain. 

All live animals will need: 

  • transporter authorisations issued by APHA 
  • certificates of competence 
  • vehicle approval certificates from the relevant bodies in Great Britain or Northern Ireland 

You need an EU and UK journey log if you’re moving cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or unregistered horses for trade: 

  • from Great Britain to the EU 
  • from the EU to Great Britain 
  • if your journey is more than 8 hours 

You cannot use EU-issued documents (including those issued in the Republic of Ireland) in Great Britain. 

To apply for a transporter authorisation from APHA, the transporter must be represented in Great Britain. For more information, contact: 

The maximum permitted journey time varies by species and life stage. A consignment of animals may need to be rested for 24 hours. There are approved control posts where animals can be unloaded. 

Animal by-products not for human consumption transiting Great Britain to the EU 

Transits of ABP from the EU through Great Britain to the EU must use transporters that are registered on the list of approved and registered ABP operating plants. 

ABP transits also need an ABP commercial document created in TRACES, which you must attach to your IPAFFS notification. 

Transits of ABP from the EU to Northern Ireland through Great Britain will need to be notified on IPAFFS. You must do this at least one working day before it is expected to arrive at the point of entry. 

Your IPAFFS notification does not replace your intra-EU movement on TRACES. .

Animal

EU by-productsthrough not for human consumption transiting Great Britain to non-EU countries 

countries transits

Transits of ABP from the EU throughare Greatcategorised Britaininto tohigh, non-EUmedium countriesand mustlow userisk transporterscategories thatunder arethe registeredBorder onTarget theOperating listModel of(BTOM). approved 

Read andmore registeredabout transiting live animals, germinal products, POAO, ABP operatingand plantsHRFNAO under the Border Target Operating Model..  

TransitsThe of ABPSPS alsorequirements needyou anmust ABPmeet commercialfor document. 

NotifyEU authoritiesgoods inmoving from the EU to Great Britain

to non-EU countries will depend on the commodities you’re sending. 

Qualifying Northern Ireland goods do not have to follow this process.

Live animals, germinal products, ABP and POAO transiting through Great Britain must be notified on IPAFFS. You must do this at least one working day before it is expected to arrive at the point of entry. 

Checks

Transits atof themedium borderand forhigh goods transiting from the EU 

High risk animal products willmust havetravel identitywith checksa onhealth entry and exit. certificate. 

SomeIf you’re transiting medium risk goodsfishery willproducts havethat identitydo checks on entry or exit. 

Low risk goods will not need animal health certificates.attestations, Theyyou mayonly haveneed identitya checkscommercial ondocument. entry or exit, but these will not be routine.  

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Goodsyour fromgoods, theyou islandonly ofneed Irelanda willcommercial notdocument.

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Goodshas transitingleft Great Britain fromterritory’. 

The theemail EUneeds willto notinclude: 

  • the haveIPAFFS anynotification identityreference ornumber 
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  • the Theydate maythe haveconsignment checksleft when they enter Great Britain. 

    LiveBritain 

  • a animalscopy fromof the EUcommercial dodocuments not(bill currentlyof havelading physical or identityairway checks.

    bill) 

Find

To find out ifhow yourthe consignmentinformation needsyou SPSsend checksto  

Youthe mustmailbox presentwill yourbe consignmentused, atyou thecan relevantask BCPfor ifa itcopy isof calledthe forprivacy SPS checks.  notice. 

IfCurrently, you’relive bringinganimals, thegerminal goodsproducts, toABP Greatand BritainPOAO throughcan anenter airport,and theexit authoritiesGreat willBritain carrythrough out any necessaryport checkswith beforeno theyphysical releaseor theID consignment for collection by your transporter. checks. 

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  • live needsanimals 
  • germinal SPSproducts 
  • POAO 
  • ABP

Live checksanimals

Live whenanimals youtransiting submitthrough yourGreat importBritain notification.must Ifalso yourhave consignmenta doesGB needhealth checks,certificate. you’llYou alsomust receiveattach a textcopy andto emailthe messageIPAFFS 2notification.  

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All Thelive timeanimals youwill receive the message may vary if your need: 

  • transporter isauthorisation usingissued theby Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMSAPHA) 
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  • vehicle customs.approval Thecertificates messagefrom willthe confirmrelevant whatbodies youin needGreat toBritain do.or  

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    hours 

FindYou outcannot whatuse happensEU-issued atdocuments BCPs.

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YouIreland) must tell authorities in Great Britain when consignments have left Great Britain. Britain. 

To doapply this for transitsa oftransporter germinalauthorisation products,from ABPAPHA, andthe POAO,transporter emailmust thebe portrepresented healthin authorityGreat emailBritain. addressFor formore yourinformation, exit BCPcontact: 

ForThe livemaximum animals,permitted emailjourney APHAtime atvaries ImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk.  

Forby emailsspecies confirmingand alife consignmentstage. hasA leftconsignment Greatof Britain,animals usemay theneed subjectto linebe ‘Confirmationrested thatfor a24 consignmenthours. hasThere leftare Greatapproved Britaincontrol territory’.posts Thewhere emailanimals needscan tobe include: unloaded.

Transitsan fromABP non-EUcommercial countriesdocument.

Non-EU through Great Britain to EU or non-EU countries  transits

This guidance covers the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for non-EU goods moving to Great Britain to: 

  • the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and SwitzerlandEU 
  • a non-EU country 

Transits from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland should follow the process for transits from the EU.

Goods from non-EU countries are categorised into high, medium and low risk under the BTOM.  

Live animals, germinal products, POAO and ABP from a non-EU country transiting through Great Britain must: 

The goods must enter and exit Great Britain at a point of entry with the relevant border control post (BCP) for documentary and identity checks. Physical checks are only carried out in cases of suspected non-compliance.  

Read more about transiting live animals, germinal products, POAO and ABP under the BTOM. 

You’ll also need to follow specific guidance below if you’re transiting: 

  • live animals 
  • ABP 

Live animals animals

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting Great Britain. Britain.

Animal by-products not for human consumption 

Transits of ABP must also have a GB import health certificate or importer declaration indicating that the consignment is intended for transit.

The ship supplies process for goods arriving from non-EU countries

If your consignments of animal products are for ship supplies and they enter Great Britain through a different point of entry from the one where the ship they are supplying is docked, you must follow the ship supplies process: 

  1. They must have a GB transit health certificate.  
  2. The consignment must enter Great Britain at a point of entry with the relevant BCP. 
  3. Documentary and identity checks will be completed at the entry BCP and the Port Health Authority (PHA) will issue a specific ship supplies or captain’s certificate.  
  4. The consignment is then transported to the port of exit where the ship is docked. 
  5. The captain of the ship signs the ship supply certificate when the goods are loaded onto the ship. 
  6. The ship supply certificate is returned to the entry BCP as confirmation the goods have left GB and are intact.  

The captain’s certificate removes the requirement for exit checks at the exit BCP.

The ship supplies process for goods arriving from EU countries 

Transits from the EU are categorised into high, medium and low risk categories under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). 

You need transit health certificates for ship supplies that are categorised as medium or high-risk products.

Ship supplies must also be notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before your consignment is due to arrive. You’ll need to tell authorities in Great Britain when consignments have left Great Britain. To do this, email GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. The email needs to include: 

  • the IPAFFS notification reference number 
  • details of the means of transport 
  • the date the consignment left Great Britain 
  • a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)

The ship supplies process for goods arriving from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland from 30 April 2024

If your ship supplies are from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland and they enter Great Britain through a different point of entry from the one where the ship they are supplying is docked, you must follow this guidance from 30 April 2024.

Ship supplies are categorised as medium or low risk under the BTOM. You need:

  • GB transit health certificates for medium risk products
  • commercial documents for low risk products

UnlessConsignments they are from Ireland, all consignments must enter andGreat exitBritain at a point of entry with the relevant BCP. Consignments from Ireland must enter through a named point of entry.

All medium risk consignments will have remote documentary checks by the port health authority (PHA) or local authority. Some will have identity checks.

Low risk consignments will not have routine documentary or identity checks, but checks may still happen where intelligence shows a specific risk.

The person responsible for the load must:

  1. Complete the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland ship supplies declaration and give it to the captain of the ship, or a representative of the master of the ship, to sign when the goods are loaded on board.
  2. Return the signed declaration to the entry BCP by email or post within 15 days of the consignment arriving in Great Britain.

This declarationconfirms removesthat the needgoods forhave checksbeen atloaded theintact and will be leaving Great Britain. It means that exit checks at a BCP.

are not needed.

TheTransiting shipanimal suppliesproducts processfrom forthe goodsEU arrivingthrough Great Britain from non-EU30 countries April 2024 

FollowFrom this30 processApril if2024, yournew shipdocumentary, suppliesidentity areand notphysical checks at the border on transits of high and medium BTOM risk germinal products, POAO, ABP and HRFNAO from the EU, Iceland,except Liechtenstein,from Norwaythe orisland Switzerlandof andIreland, theywill be introduced.  

All goods must enter Greatand Britainexit throughat a different point of entry fromwith the onerelevant whereBCP.  

You’ll need to tell authorities in Great Britain when consignments have left Great Britain. To do this, email the shipPHA theyemail areaddress supplyingfor isyour docked.

Yourexit BCP. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment must: has left Great Britain territory’. The email needs to include: 

  • havethe aIPAFFS GBnotification transitreference healthnumber 
  • details certificate  of the means of transport 
  • enterthe Greatdate Britainthe atconsignment left Great Britain 
  • a pointcopy of entrythe withcommercial thedocuments relevant(bill BCP of lading or airway bill) 

DocumentaryHigh andBTOM risk animal products will have identity checks on entry and exit. 

Some medium BTOM risk goods will behave completedidentity atchecks theon entry BCPor exit.

Low BTOM andrisk thegoods portwill not need health authoritycertificates. willThey issuemay ahave specificidentity shipchecks supplieson entry or captain’sexit, certificate.  but these will not be routine.

TheGoods consignmentfrom isthe thenisland transportedof Ireland will not have any identity or physical checks when they enter Great Britain to transit to the portEU, ofeven exitif wherethey theare shipnot isqualifying docked. 

TheNorthern personIreland responsiblegoods. forThey themay loadhave must: checks when they exit Great Britain. 

  1. Make

    Goods suretransiting theGreat captainBritain offrom the ship,EU will not have any identity or aphysical representativechecks ofwhen they exit Great Britain to transit to the masterisland of theIreland. ship, signsThey may have checks when they enter Great Britain.

    Transiting live animals from the shipEU supplythrough certificateGreat whenBritain from 30 April 2024 

    You’ll need to follow the goodscurrent areprocess loadedto: on 

    • notify board. authorities in Great Britain  
    • Returncheck thewhat shipdocuments supplyyou certificateneed 
    • tell toauthorities thein entryGreat BCPBritain byonce emailthe orcommodity posthas withinleft 15Great daysBritain

    Transiting ofanimals theand consignmentanimal arrivingproducts infrom non-EU countries through Great Britain.Britain Thisfrom confirms30 thatApril the2024 

    From goods30 haveApril been2024, loadedtransits intactfrom andnon-EU countries will be leavingcategorised Greatinto Britain. 

high, medium and low risk under the BTOM.  

ThisIf certificateyou’re removestransiting thehigh, medium or low BTOM risk category goods from a non-EU country through Great Britain, you’ll need forto checksfollow the current process to:  

  • enter and exit Great Britain at a point of entry with the exitrelevant BCP.

     
  • notify authorities in Great Britain  
  • check what documents you need 
  • tell authorities in Great Britain once the commodity has left Great Britain

Transiting live animals from the EU through Great Britain from late 2024 

From late 2024, new documentary, identity and physical checks at the border on transits of live animals from the EU will be introduced.   

UnlessAll they are from Ireland, all live animals mustwill need to enter and exit at a point of entry with the relevant BCP. LiveAll animalschecks fromwill Irelandbe mustcarried enterout throughat athe named point of entry.BCP. 

You must confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain by emailing the APHA at ImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. 

The email needs to include: 

  • the IPAFFS notification reference number 
  • details of the means of transport 
  • the date the consignment left Great Britain 
  • a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)

If you need help with import notifications

Call the APHA helpline on 03300 416 999, or email APHAServiceDesk@apha.gov.uk.

If you need help with your customs processes

Contact HMRC for help.

Published 18 December 2020
Last updated 3019 April 2024 + show all updates

  1. The guidance has been updated to include the latest information about the border target operating model risk categories and border control post checks.

  2. A link to the ship supplies declaration form has been added to the 'ship supplies process for goods from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland from 30 April 2024' section.

  3. The ship supplies process for goods arriving from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway from 30 April 2024 has been added.

  4. The guidance has been updated to include current information about the border target operating model risk categories and health certificates.

  5. This page has been updated to reflect current requirements and to add new sections for future changes under the Border Target Operating Model. The 'goods that transit the EU' section has been moved to another guide, and a link to it added to this one.

  6. Removed references to changes to import controls previously due to come into effect on 1 July 2022, as these have been postponed. The page will be updated in autumn 2022 with new dates for import controls.

  7. Import controls on EU goods to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) planned from July will not be introduced in 2022. The controls that have already been introduced remain in place. This page will be updated in autumn 2022.

  8. Updated the section 'If you need help with your customs declaration'.

  9. Guidance updated to show change in rules from 1 January 2022 for imports from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain.

  10. Added a 'If you need help with your customs declaration' section to the bottom of the page.

  11. Updated the guidance with new dates for the introduction of controls on transit goods.

  12. Removed references to unique notification numbers (UNN) for health certificates as they do not apply to imports from non-EU countries transiting the EU to Great Britain.

  13. Updated to reflect the new timetable for the introduction of the next stage of UK import requirements for transit goods.

  14. Added the email address for receiving countries to notify APHA when a consignment has left GB.

  15. First published.

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