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.

• From: Animal and Plant Health Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 12 September 2014
• Last updated: 12 January 2021, see all updates

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.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): send application by email

If possible, you should send any applications by email as staff may not be able to collect post during the coronavirus outbreak.

Please apply in advance to avoid delay - APHA is dealing with a high volume of applications.

Topical issues

• Imports, exports and EU trade of animals and animal products: topical issues
  • 15 June 2020
  • Guidance

Imports or moves to the UK from all countries

• Importing or moving live animals, animal products and high risk food and feed not of animal origin
  • 15 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Importing live animals, animal products and high risk food and feed not of animal origin from non-EU countries to Great Britain
  • 15 January 2021
  • Guidance
• General licences and authorisations to import live animals or animal products
  • 18 February 2021
  • Guidance
• Animal pathogens and products: import licence application
  • 31 December 2020
  • Form
• Live animals (not pet dogs, cats, ferrets): import licence application
  • 25 June 2018
  • Form

Exports or moves from the UK to all countries

• Get an export health certificate
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Export or move live animals
  • 7 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Export or move livestock and poultry
  • 14 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Export or move animal bones, protein and other by-products
  • 8 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Export or move animal germplasm (semen, ova and embryos)
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Export or move animal feed or pet food
  • 6 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Export or move food, drink and agricultural products
  • 8 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Export or move composite food products
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Exporting or moving fish from the UK
  • 26 February 2021
  • Guidance

Moving goods or animals between EU countries

• Assembly centre for exports to EU member states: application
  • 31 December 2020
  • Form
• Dealer’s premises to export sheep and goats to EU member states: application form
  • 31 December 2020
  • Form

Balai Directive: animals, semen and embryos for research, display and conservation

• Balai Directive: importing, exporting or moving live animals, semen, ova and embryos
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Balai Directive: approved premises
  • 24 February 2021
  • Guidance
• Balai Directive: application to import and export live animals
  • 31 December 2020
  • Form

Circus and animal acts

• Circus or animal act: registration
  • 8 January 2019
  • Form

Endangered species

• Import or export endangered species: check if you need a CITES permit
  • 20 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Endangered species: apply for an import and export permit
  • 26 February 2021
  • Form

Non-native animals

• Importing non-native animals
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance

Poultry Health Scheme

• Poultry Health Scheme: how to register
  • 17 April 2019
  • Guidance
• Poultry Health Scheme: list of members
  • 26 February 2021
  • Guidance

Animal pathogens

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

Artificial breeding controls

• Bovine and boar semen collection and breeding: licence application
  • 31 December 2020
  • Form

Welfare of animals in transport

• Animal welfare
  • 19 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Journey logs: animal exports
  • 31 December 2020
  • Form
• Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006: inspection application
  • 8 January 2019
  • Form

Identifying livestock, including identifying for export

• Get new or replacement official ear tags for cattle
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Pig keepers: identify animals before moving them
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance
• Sheep and goat keepers: how to identify your animals
  • 31 December 2020
  • Guidance

Published 12 September 2014
Last updated 12 January 2021 + show all updates

1. 12 January 2021

   Added new group with content on identifying livestock, including for export.

2. 23 March 2020

   Added coronavirus statement on sending applications by email.

3. 21 February 2019

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

4. 16 December 2015

   Removed message on flooding at Carlisle

5. 1 October 2015

   Added link to new guidance on importing non-native animals

6. 24 March 2015

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

7. 12 September 2014

   First published.