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You must apply for a permit if youre moving a specimen of any CITES listed species either into or out of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales). This includes moving a specimen to or from:

• the EU
• non-EU countries
• Northern Ireland
• Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is responsible for issuing CITES permits to move species to and from Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You must also contact the management authority of the country you are moving the species to or from, to get the corresponding import or export permit. Having a permit from APHA does not guarantee that the other country or countries will also issue a permit.

A specimen is a living or dead animal or plant or any of its parts, or an item made from these. An import, export or re-export permit is an official document that confirms you can move a specimen that is listed by CITES.

How to apply

You should:

• use Species+ to check if your specimen comes from a species on the CITES list
• apply for an import, export or re-export permit using the apply for a CITES permitservice this new digital service replaces CITES forms

As part of your application, find the trade term code.

You must get a permit for any species listed on annex A, B or C in Species+.

Other permits and certificates

You can apply to import annex C specimens. To do this youll need to get an import notification form by emailing APHA at wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk or phoning 03000 200 301.

Commercial use

If you plan to use any specimen listed by CITES in annex A for commercial purposes, you must get a commercial use certificate (known as an Article 10 certificate).

If youre importing an annex A specimen to sell it, you may be able to get a permit that can be used instead of an Article 10 certificate. Please contact APHA for more information by emailing wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk.

Check if you need an Article 10 certificate and how to apply.

Musical instruments, museums, art exhibitions and touring displays

In some cases, you may need to move CITES specimens across international borders several times. For example, endangered species or specimens that are part of a:

• touring orchestra
• museum exhibit
• art exhibition
• touring display or circus

If youre travelling with your instrument as part of a touring orchestra, you must use the apply for a CITES permit service for each instrument containing CITES listed specimens. You do not have to pay for a musical instrument certificate.

Elephant ivory

If you intend to trade or move elephant ivory, read the guide on dealing in items containing ivory or made of ivory.

Personal and household effects

In some specific circumstances, you do not need CITES documentation to move personal and household items that contain a CITES specimen.

You do not need a CITES permit for the following items if they are carried in your personal luggage and intended for personal use (allowance is per person):

• 125 grams of caviar (Acipenseriformes spp), in containers that are individually marked in accordance with Article 66(6)
• 3 rainsticks of Cactaceae spp
• 4 worked items containing Crocodyllia spp (excluding meat and hunting trophies)
• 3 shells of Queen conch (Strombus gigas)
• 4 dead specimens of seahorse (Hippocampus spp)
• 3 specimens of giant clam (Tridacnidae spp) not more than 3kg in total, where a specimen can be one intact shell or 2 matching halves
• up to 1kg woodchips, 24ml oil, and 2 sets of beads or prayer beads (or 2 necklaces or bracelets) of agarwood (Aquilaria and Gyrinops species)

Contact APHA if you plan to import, export or re-export a personal or household item that you think includes a CITES specimen by emailing wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk.

Retrospective permits

If your CITES specimens have entered or left Great Britain or Northern Ireland without the relevant permits, contact APHA by emailing wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk, as you may need to apply for a retrospective permit.

Replacement permits

You can only apply for a replacement if your official validated permit is:

• cancelled
• lost
• stolen
• accidentally destroyed

APHA only issues replacement permits if the specimen has not left or entered Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

You can only apply for a replacement permit by emailing APHA at wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk.

Before you receive your permit

Until you have the correct CITES permit, you should not:

• ship or travel with specimens
• make any payments for specimens
• enter into contracts over specimens

You must check:

• the requirements of the import or export country by contacting the CITES authority in that country
• if your specimen is subject to an import suspension (negative opinion)

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