Guidance

Move used agricultural and forestry machinery to Northern Ireland using NI plant health labels

How to use the Northern Ireland plant health label (NIPHL) scheme to move used agricultural and forestry machinery or vehicles (UAFM) from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
11 June 2025

Businesses can use the NIPHL scheme to move used agricultural and forestry machinery or vehicles to Northern Ireland.

To use the NIPHL scheme, your business must:

  • get authorised to use the NIPHL scheme
  • make sure that the machinery or vehicle is clean and free from all soil and plant debris
  • make sure that the machinery or vehicle remains in Northern Ireland – for exports to Ireland or other EU countries you must apply for a phytosanitary certificate before moving it to Northern Ireland
  • only move machinery or vehicles to a recipient who is a registered professional operator in Northern Ireland and has signed the NIPHL scheme declaration

If used agricultural and forestry machinery or vehicles move to Northern Ireland and are intended for onward sale to Ireland or other EU countries, you will need to apply for a phytosanitary certificate.

Get authorised to use NIPHLs

Businesses in England and Wales

To get authorised to issue and print NIPHLs, you need to follow these steps.

1. Register as a professional operator. Your business may already be registered as a professional operator if you:

  • introduce UAFM into Great Britain, and move within and out of Great Britain
  • make UAFM available on the market
  • are involved in the storage, collection, dispatching and processing of UAFM

2. After you have registered as a professional operator, you must apply for authorisation to use Northern Ireland plant health labels.

3. When your business has been approved, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) will email you a unique NIPHL authorisation number (this is the same as the unique Customer Reference Number (CRN)), and the label QR code.

4. Your business must renew its authorisation once a year. APHA will contact you when NIPHL authorisation is due for renewal.

Businesses in Scotland

Find out how businesses in Scotland can get authorised to issue and print NIPHLs on the Scottish Government website.

Requirements for businesses in Northern Ireland

The business receiving machinery or vehicles in Northern Ireland under the NIPHL scheme must:

Clean the machinery or vehicle

You must make sure that the used machine or vehicle is clean. It must be free from all soil and plant debris, both internally and externally. This is to protect biosecurity and help to prevent the spread of pests and diseases.

Watch how to clean a ​​tractor for movement from Great Britain into Northern Ireland for details.

What you must include on the NIPHL

The NIPHL must be its own label and separate from other labels. Do not include a company logo.

You must include the Union Flag and the words ‘NI plant health label’ at the top of the label. The Union Flag can be in black and white.

The label should then list the following 4 letters (A, B, C and D) and the following information next to them:

  • A: make and model of the machine or vehicle
  • B: unique NIPHL authorisation number
  • C: unique traceability code that links to the records
  • D: QR code

You should add the phrase ‘For use in the United Kingdom only’ to the label after Part D.

Contact APHA (for England and Wales) or Scottish Government (in Scotland) for a sample label.

A: Make and model

You must include the make and model of the machine or vehicle.

B: NIPHL authorisation number

You must include the unique NIPHL authorisation number. This number is in the email  you received from APHA or Scottish Government confirming scheme authorisation.

C: Traceability code

You must include a unique traceability code that links to the records. This code can be an existing code used to trace or identify a consignment. For example, it could be an individual serial or invoice number.

D: QR code – compliance statement

You must include the QR code received in the email from APHA or Scottish Government confirming scheme authorisation.

If you cannot use the QR code

The QR code must be used unless there’s a good reason not to. If using the QR code for a NIPHL is impractical, add the sentence ‘Complies with Article 10 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1231’. This should only be done in exceptional circumstances.

You must print the label in the NIPHL standard format.

The label must be attached securely to the machine or vehicle. You must make sure that it’s protected from the elements. For vehicles with a cab, the NIPHL can be inside the cab or door window. The NIPHL must be visible from outside the vehicle.

Notify the Northern Ireland recipient about the consignment

You should check with the recipient of the machinery or vehicle in Northern Ireland that they are registered as a professional operator with DAERA and have signed the NIPHL declaration.

The business (or their agent) receiving the NIPHL machinery or vehicle in Northern Ireland must notify DAERA of the details of the consignment by submitting a Common Health Entry Document (CHED-PP) on the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES NT). The business in Northern Ireland must submit one CHED-PP for each consignment.

The CHED-PP must be submitted 24 hours before the goods arrive in Northern Ireland, or at least 4 hours before where there are logistical constraints. DAERA will use this information to make the relevant documentary, ID and physical checks on arrival at a sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) facility in Northern Ireland.

Your business must provide the recipient in Northern Ireland with the following information to help them complete the CHED-PP:

  • registration number of the vehicle being moved, where relevant
  • the NIPHL details, including the machinery or vehicle make and model, NIPHL authorisation number and traceability code

You will need to complete a NIPHL pro-forma and give the consignment reference, the Great Britain authorised operator details and Northern Ireland professional operator information.

Your business must also give the recipient in Northern Ireland information about the movement, including the:

  • point of entry
  • date and time of arrival
  • registration number of the transporting vehicle

Keeping records for audit

Businesses must keep records of all machinery and vehicles they move under the NIPHL scheme. The records must provide suitable traceability and be kept for at least 3 years. An inspector may visit to conduct an audit.

The inspector will check:

  • the format of the NIPHLs
  • staff’s knowledge of when used machinery or vehicles meets standards for entry into Northern Ireland
  • the plans for when the responsibilities of the person named on the authorisation are delegated to other staff
  • that there’s a suitable record keeping system
  • any changes in information, such as site changes or contact details

Get help

For more information about the NIPHL scheme in:

Updates to this page

Published 11 June 2025

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