Bringing plants and wood into Great Britain

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1. Overview

There are rules for bringing plants or ‘plant-based products’ (like wood) into Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) for your own use.

This includes if you’re travelling with plants or plant-based products, or you’ve ordered them to arrive by post.

The rules depend on:

  • what products you’re bringing in
  • the country you’re bringing them from

There are different rules if you’re bringing plants or plant-based products into Northern Ireland.

If you break the rules

Border Force can take away (‘seize’) your plants or products if they think you’ve brought them into the country illegally.

If you’re not sure about any of the plants or products you’re bringing in, speak to a Border Force officer in the ‘red channel’ at customs or on the red point phone.

2. Plants and plant-based products from the EU, Switzerland and Liechtenstein

If you’re bringing in plants or plant-based products from the EU, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, you might need a ‘phytosanitary’ (plant health) certificate.

Plants and plant-based products that need a phytosanitary certificate

You’ll need phytosanitary certificate for certain plants, seeds, bark and wood.

Plants and plant parts

You’ll need a phytosanitary certificate if you’re bringing in:

  • plants for planting
  • tubers of ware potatoes - Solanum tuberosum L.
  • conifer cut trees and branches - Conifers (Pinales) over 3 metres

If you’re bringing in over 2kg of plants for planting, you must arrange for a plant health inspector to inspect your plants when they enter Great Britain. Contact the plant health authority in the country you’re bringing plants into.

Seeds

You’ll need a phytosanitary certificate if you’re bringing in:

  • potato - Solanum tuberosum L.
  • chestnut – Castanea
  • chilli - Capsicum spp. L.
  • tomato - Solanum lycopersicum L.
  • sunflower - Helianthus annuus L.
  • alfalfa - Medicago sativa L.
  • onion - Allium cepa L.
  • leek - Allium porrum L.
  • runner bean - Phaseolus cocineus.
  • French bean - Phaseolus vulgaris L.
  • green pea - Pisum sativum L.
  • broad bean - Vicia faba L.
  • rapeseed - oil and fibre plants of Brassica napus L. Brassica rapa L.
  • white mustard seed - oil and fibre plants of Sinapis alba L.
  • soybean – oil and fibre plants of Glycine max (L.) Merrill
  • flax or linseed – oil and fibre plants of Linum usitatissimum L.

Bark

You’ll need a phytosanitary certificate if you’re bringing in the isolated bark of the following trees:

  • chestnut – Castanea
  • conifer - Conifers (Pinales)
  • walnut - Juglans L.
  • wingnut - Pterocarya Kunth.

Wood

You’ll need a phytosanitary certificate if you’re bringing in natural (non-manufactured) wood from the following trees:

  • plane - Platanus L.
  • walnut - Juglans L.
  • wingnuts - Pterocarya Kunth.
  • chestnut - Castanea Mill., excluding wood which is bark-free
  • conifer - Conifers (Pinales), excluding wood which is bark-free
  • conifer from Portugal or Spain - Conifers (Pinales)

If you’re bringing in natural (non-manufactured) wood from France, Germany or Italy, you’ll also need a phytosanitary certificate for the following:

  • maple - Acer L.
  • horse chestnut - Aesculus L.
  • alder - Alnus L.
  • birch - Betula L.
  • hornbeam - Carpinus L.
  • katsura - Cercidiphyllum Siebold and Zucc.
  • hazel - Corylus L.
  • beech - Fagus L.
  • ash - Fraxinus L.
  • golden-rain - Koelreuteria Medikus.
  • plane - Platanus L.
  • poplar - Populus L.
  • willow - Salix L.
  • lime - Tilia L.
  • elm - Ulmus L.
  • Prunus L. such as plum, peach, nectarine, apricot from Germany or Italy

If your plant and plant-based products does not need a certificate

Your plant or plant-based product must still be:

  • free from pests and diseases
  • for your own use

3. Plants and plant-based products from outside the EU

If you’re bringing plants and plant-based products (like wood) from outside the EU, Switzerland and Liechtenstein you’ll need a ‘phytosanitary’ (plant health) certificate.

This includes, for example:

  • all plants for planting
  • parts of trees used as decoration
  • cut flowers and foliage
  • natural (non-manufactured) wood

If you’re bringing in over 2kg of plants for planting, you must arrange for a plant health inspector to inspect your plants when they enter Great Britain. Contact the plant health authority in the country you’re bringing plants into.

Check how to get a phytosanitary certificate.

4. Getting a phytosanitary certificate

A ‘phytosanitary’ (plant health) certificate proves your plants:

  • have been inspected
  • are free from dangerous pests and diseases
  • are suitable to enter the UK

If you’re travelling into Great Britain with your products, get a certificate from the plant health authorities in the country you’re travelling from.

If you’ve ordered the plants or products to arrive by post, make sure the seller gets a phytosanitary certificate and includes it with the item being posted.

5. Bringing in endangered species

You’ll need to apply for a permit or certificate if you’re bringing any plants or plant based products protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) into Great Britain.

This includes various species of orchids, succulents, carnivorous plants and cycads, as well as woods such as Bulnesia, Dalbergia and agarwoods.

Check if you need a CITES permit.

How to get a CITES permit

You need to download and complete a CITES permit application form. Send it to the address on the form.

If you’re bringing the items into Great Britain, you’ll need to arrive at one of the ports or airports that handles CITES items.

Border Force can seize your items if you do not have a CITES permit and they think you’ve brought them into the country illegally.

Sending items by post

If you’re sending the items by post, make sure you fill in and attach both of the following:

  • customs declaration form CN22 or CN23 - you can get these from any Post Office
  • the CITES permit or certificate

6. Get help

If you need advice on bringing plants or plant-based products into Great Britain, or to arrange an inspection, contact:

  • the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) if you’re in England or Wales
  • Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) if you’re in Scotland

Animal and Plant Health Agency (England and Wales)
Email: planthealth.info@apha.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 1000 313
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (Scotland)
Email: php_mailbox@gov.scot
Telephone: 0300 244 9296
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges

To check the CITES rules, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) Centre for International Trade in Bristol.

APHA Centre for International Trade: Bristol
wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk
Telephone: 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
Fax: 028 415 2510
Find out about call charges

APHA Centre for International Trade: Bristol
Horizon House
Deanery Road
Bristol
BS1 5AH