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Guidance

CITES: import restrictions

Check if there are restrictions on importing a CITES specimen into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales).

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
20 May 2022
Last updated
5 June 2026 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

Documents

Plants (flora): negative opinions

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Animals (fauna): negative opinions

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Import suspension list

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2019/1587/annex

Details

You need a permit to import CITES specimens. CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. A specimen is a living or dead animal or plant (or any of its parts or derivatives), or an item made from these.

Before applying for a permit, you should check the lists of:

  • negative opinions for plants or animals
  • import suspensions

If a specimen appears on one of these lists, imports are restricted from the relevant country into Great Britain.

Negative opinions and import suspensions may be lifted or added to – for example, if conditions change or there is new information.

These import restrictions only apply in Great Britain. Northern Ireland applies EU import suspensions. To find EU suspensions, search for your specimen on Species+ and check under the ‘Legal’ heading.

Get help 

Contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) if you have checked the lists and are still unsure whether your specimen is restricted.

You can also contact APHA for advice on whether you should apply for a permit.

Updates to this page

Published 20 May 2022
Last updated 5 June 2026 Show all updates

  1. Added lists of Great Britain negative opinions (for plants and animals) and a link to the UK import suspensions list. Outlined that you must check for import restrictions in all lists before applying to import CITES specimens. Clarified that these import restrictions apply in Great Britain.

  2. Update to 'specimens covered' and 'countries of origin' for Corals species.

  3. Added a definition of specimen.

  4. Added an import suspension for Uroplatus ebanauifrom, Uroplatus phantasticus and Uroplatus sikorae from Madagascar.

  5. Added an import suspension for all corals (except Blastomussa wellsi, Catalaphyllia jardinei, Cycloseris (Fungia) cyclolites, Homophyllia (Acanthastrea) bowerbanki) from Australia (specimens derived from Queensland Fishery only).

  6. We've clarified that our baseline position is made up from EU decisions made before 1 February 2020 and the UK list of import suspensions.

  7. Update to 'specimens covered' and 'countries of origin' for Bulnesia sarmentoi species.

  8. First published.

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