Collection

Guidance on importing and exporting live animals or animal products

Collection of guidance and forms for importing and exporting live animals or animal products.

Published 12 September 2014
Last updated 21 February 2019 — see all updates

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency

Guidance

This collection of guidance specifically covers importing and exporting live animals or animal products.

There’s also specific guidance on pet travel: entering/returning to the UK.

Brexit guidance

1. Importing animals, animal products and high-risk food and feed not of animal origin if there’s a no-deal Brexit
   • 13 December 2019
   • Guidance
2. Exporting animals and animal products in a no-deal Brexit
   • 4 November 2019
   • Guidance

Topical issues

1. Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues
   • 11 December 2019
   • Guidance

Imports to the UK from non-EU countries

1. Importing live animals or animal products from non-EU countries
   • 21 August 2019
   • Guidance
2. Importing live animals or animal products from non-EU countries: general licences and authorisations
   • 5 March 2019
   • Guidance
3. Animal pathogens and products: import licence application
   • 25 June 2018
   • Form
4. Live animals (not pet dogs, cats, ferrets): import licence application
   • 25 June 2018
   • Form

Exporting from the UK to all countries

1. Export live animals
   • 21 October 2019
   • Guidance
2. Export livestock and poultry
   • 3 September 2019
   • Guidance
3. Export animal bones, protein and other by-products
   • 7 August 2019
   • Guidance
4. Export animal semen, ova and embryos
   • 23 August 2019
   • Guidance
5. Export food for animals
   • 23 August 2019
   • Guidance
6. Export food, drink and agricultural products
   • 1 October 2019
   • Guidance

Moving goods or animals between EU countries

1. Moving live animals or animal products as part of EU trade
   • 20 August 2019
   • Guidance
2. Assembly centre for EU trade of livestock: application
   • 8 January 2019
   • Form
3. Dealer’s premises for EU trade in sheep and goats: application
   • 8 January 2019
   • Form

Balai Directive

1. Balai Directive: moving live animals, semen and embryos
   • 21 October 2019
   • Guidance
2. Balai Directive and EU trade in animals: approved premises
   • 6 January 2020
   • Guidance
3. Balai Directive: application to import and export live animals
   • 8 May 2019
   • Form

Circus and animal acts

1. Register a travelling circus or animal act to travel in the EU
   • 1 October 2014
   • Guidance
2. Circus or animal act: registration
   • 8 January 2019
   • Form

Endangered species

1. Check if you need a CITES permit to import or export endangered species
   • 22 July 2019
   • Guidance
2. Endangered species: apply for an import and export permit
   • 19 March 2018
   • Form

Non-native animals

1. Importing non-native animals
   • 17 August 2016
   • Guidance

Poultry Health Scheme

1. Poultry Health Scheme: how to register
   • 17 April 2019
   • Guidance
2. Poultry Health Scheme: list of members
   • 27 December 2019
   • Guidance

Animal pathogens

1. Bringing non-specified animal pathogens or carriers into the UK
   • 2 February 2015
   • Guidance

Artificial breeding controls

1. Bovine and boar semen collection and breeding: licence application
   • 26 March 2019
   • Form

Welfare of animals in transport

1. Live transport: welfare regulations
   • 29 August 2012
   • Guidance
2. Type 2 animal transporters: contingency plan template
   • 21 February 2019
   • Form
3. Journey logs: animal exports
   • 29 June 2017
   • Form
4. UK animal transporter: application for type 1 authorisation
   • 16 January 2020
   • Form
5. UK animal transporter: application for type 2 authorisation
   • 8 January 2019
   • Form
6. Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006: inspection application
   • 8 January 2019
   • Form
7. UK animal transport certificate and contingency plan for specific journey
   • 30 May 2018
   • Form
8. Animal transport: contingency plan template for specific journey
   • 8 January 2019
   • Form

Published 12 September 2014
Last updated 21 February 2019 + show all updates

1. 21 February 2019

   Added guidance on importing and exporting after the UK leaves the EU

2. 16 December 2015

   Removed message on flooding at Carlisle

3. 1 October 2015

   Added link to new guidance on importing non-native animals

4. 24 March 2015

   Added links to new guides on general imports licences and authorisations, and topical issues.

5. 12 September 2014

   First published.