Collection

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.

• From: Forestry Commission
• Published: 26 September 2018
• Last updated: 21 October 2020, see all updates

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.

• Import timber, wood products or bark
  • 1 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Wood packaging material for import and export
  • 5 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Import firewood into England, Scotland or Wales
  • 13 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Plant Health legislation for forestry
  • 27 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Export timber, wood products or bark
  • 1 January 2021
  • Guidance

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
  • 18 January 2021
  • Guidance
• Notify the Forestry Commission about a timber import
  • 19 January 2021
  • Form
• Apply for a professional operator’s credit account
  • 6 April 2021
  • Form
• Notify the Forestry Commission about a firewood import (Excel)
  • 13 January 2021
  • Form
• Register for the electronic application for phytosanitary certification (EAPC) service
  • 19 January 2021
  • Form
• Export plant health phytosanitary certificate application form
  • 19 January 2021
  • Form
• Apply for a forestry export business credit account
  • 14 December 2020
  • Form
• Register a Place of Destination
  • 21 October 2020
  • Form

Publications

Information and guidance about aspects of importing and exporting wood materials.

• Interception of non-compliant solid wood packaging material and other material imports
  • 16 November 2020
  • Guidance
• Importation and movement of Christmas trees and their foliage
  • 26 July 2016
  • Guidance
• Importing wood, wood products and bark
  • 21 December 2020
  • Statutory guidance
• Importing firewood: requirements for landing material into Great Britain
  • 20 July 2020
  • Guidance

Published 26 September 2018
Last updated 21 October 2020 + show all updates

1. 21 October 2020

   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,

2. 26 March 2019

   The following call for evidence has been added to this page: - Prevent the introduction of oak lace bug into Great Britain: call for evidence

3. 23 October 2018

   The following publication has been added to this page: Importing firewood: requirements for landing material into Great Britain

4. 26 September 2018

   Removed information about email subscriptions to plant health news.

5. 26 September 2018

   First published.