Importing and exporting wood and timber products
Collection of plant health guidance and forms for trading in wood, wood products, firewood, bark, dunnage or wood packaging.
If you import or export certain wood and timber products to or from the UK you will have to comply with plant health regulations, restrictions and requirements. The regulations are designed to protect the natural environment and plant-based industries of receiving countries from introductions of harmful organisms that can be present in wood. These include certain species of insects, bacteria and fungi.
If wood material or products are not classed as regulated there are no restrictions on their movement.
If you have any queries, please contact the Cross-Border Plant Health Service.
Plant Health News
Plant Health News keeps importers and exporters of wood, timber products, wood packaging and dunnage up to date with changes in legislation, regulations and requirements. Read past issues.
Guidance
Find out what you must do if you want to import or export different types of regulated wood material. See also further guidance in ‘Publications’ below.
Forms
Forms you must complete when proposing to undertake certain types of wood importing and exporting activities.
- Register as a professional operator to trade in wood, issue plant passports and apply ISPM15 marking
- Notify the Forestry Commission about a timber import
- Apply for a professional operator’s credit account
- Notify the Forestry Commission about a firewood import (Excel)
- Register for the electronic application for phytosanitary certification (EAPC) service
- Export plant health phytosanitary certificate application form
- Apply for a forestry export business credit account
- Register a Place of Destination
Publications
Information and guidance about aspects of importing and exporting wood materials.
Last updated 21 October 2020 + show all updates
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Links to the 'Register a Place of Destination' form and ‘Register as a Professional Operator to issue Plant Passports’ page have been added to this page,
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The following call for evidence has been added to this page: - Prevent the introduction of oak lace bug into Great Britain: call for evidence
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The following publication has been added to this page: Importing firewood: requirements for landing material into Great Britain
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Removed information about email subscriptions to plant health news.
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First published.