Guidance

Trading or moving CITES-listed specimens through UK ports and airports

Designated land, sea and air ports for trading or moving CITES-listed endangered animals, plants, or their parts and derivatives.

The UK implements the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

You need to import (bring in) or export (take out) CITES specimens through the designated land, sea and air ports.

CITES-designated points of entry and exit

The customs offices at the following points of entry and exit are designated for CITES trade.

You can use these airports:

  • Belfast International
  • Birmingham International
  • Bristol International
  • Cardiff International
  • East Midlands
  • Edinburgh
  • Gatwick
  • Glasgow International
  • Glasgow Prestwick
  • Humberside
  • London Heathrow
  • London Luton
  • London Stansted
  • Manchester
  • Newcastle
  • Southampton International

You can use these ports:

  • Belfast Seaport
  • Dover
  • Eurotunnel
  • Felixstowe
  • Fishguard
  • Harwich international
  • Heysham
  • Holyhead
  • Hull
  • Immingham
  • Larne
  • Liverpool Seaforth Container Terminal
  • London Gateway (Port of London)
  • Pembroke
  • Plymouth
  • Poole
  • Portsmouth International Port
  • Southampton ABP
  • Teesport
  • Tilbury (Port of London)

Gibraltar is not included as a UK-designated port for CITES trade.

Postal hubs

Postal hubs have been designated at:

  • Coventry International Parcel Post Hub
  • Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre (HWDC)

Postal hubs cannot be used by the public. They are used by Royal Mail, postal courier services and Border Force to check CITES parcels.

Read how to import and export CITES specimens by post.

CITES specimens entering Great Britain from the EU or Northern Ireland (NI)

You must use CITES-designated points of entry and exit to move CITES specimens between Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and the EU.

When you move CITES specimens from GB to NI, or NI to GB, the import and export checks will all happen in NI. This means you can use any point of exit from GB, but you must use a CITES-designated point of entry and exit in NI.

Additional port arrangements for CITES specimens

There are additional arrangements if you’re using roll on roll off (RoRo) services or Eurotunnel.

Using roll on roll off (RoRo) services

You’re able to use RoRo services, for example car ferries, at the following ports:

  • Dover
  • Eurotunnel
  • Felixstowe
  • Harwich
  • Portsmouth

You need to stop and present your CITES documents to a customs official for endorsement.

You should check other custom controls required by HMRC. Read more about importing goods to the UK or exporting to the EU through roll on roll off services.

Importing and exporting CITES specimens through Eurotunnel

To import CITES specimens into GB through Eurotunnel you must present your CITES documents for endorsement.

If you’re exporting specimens from GB through Eurotunnel you must present your CITES documents to Border Force at a suitable designated point of entry and exit before you travel through Eurotunnel.

CITES species coming into the UK from outside the EU

For all CITES species that enter the UK from outside the EU (rest of world), different animal and plant health conditions apply.

You must check the guidance and use the correct point of entry and exit if you’re importing live animals, animal products and high-risk food and feed not of animal origin.

Read the guidance about border control posts (BCP) for animals and animal products.

Moving products of animal origin (POAO)

Before you import products of animal origin (POAO), you should check that the port or airport has the approvals and facilities to handle:

  • products for human consumption
  • products not for human consumption
  • chilled or frozen goods

Moving food not of animal origin (FNAO)

You can move food not of animal origin (FNAO) for human consumption or animal feed through designated points of entry or exit for high risk foods.

Moving controlled plants or plant products or forestry materials (FM)

Read the guidance about which ports or airports can handle the import and export of controlled plants and plant products or regulated forestry material.

Moving to approved inland facilities

You may also import controlled plants and plant specimens or regulated forestry material through any CITES-designated ports if they are going to approved inland facilities.

Use the guidance to understand the rules and documents needed:

Moving live animals and animal products

Live CITES animals and animal products can move through any CITES designated point of entry or exit.

If your live CITES animals or animal products are subject to welfare or sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controls and need extra documents or checks you must use a point of entry or exit with a border control post (BCP) that can carry out SPS checks on your species. This includes movements of live animals or animal products from GB to NI.

You can only use Belfast port or Larne port to move live CITES animals from GB to NI.

Check the Border Operating Model for live animals and animal products subject to SPS controls.

The following CITES points of entry or exit have BCPs designated to handle live animals and carry out both CITES and SPS checks.

Airport Live CITES animals
Edinburgh Dogs, cats, ferrets, lagomorphs, rodents, amphibians, reptiles and fish, molluscs and crustaceans
Gatwick Reptiles, amphibians, fish, molluscs, crustaceans, birds and all mammals except ungulates and equines
Glasgow Prestwick Ungulates and equines only
Heathrow All species
Manchester Fish, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians
Stansted Ungulates and equines only

CITES specimens transiting through GB

You need CITES documents from each country if your specimen passes through GB when moving between EU countries.

For example, to move a CITES specimen from France to the Republic of Ireland (RoI) through GB, you would need an:

  • export permit from France
  • import and re-export permit from the UK management authority
  • import permit from RoI

You must use a CITES designated point of entry and exit in the UK, and present your documents to the UK Border Force.

If your specimen passes through GB when moving between a non-EU country (third country) and an EU country, you may be able to get a transit exemption so you do not need to get UK CITES documents. Contact APHA Centre for International Trade: Bristol to check if you can get an exemption.

You can contact APHA Centre for International Trade: Bristol for advice if your CITES specimen will transit through GB.

Moving CITES specimens through Humberside airport

If you’re transporting CITES specimens through Humberside airport you must tell Border Force at least 24 hours before you’re due to arrive. Contact Border Force by:

Telephone: +44 (0)300 106 5302
Email: BFImminghamFAST@homeoffice.gov.uk

Moving CITES specimens through Belfast Seaport

If you’re transporting live animals you must tell Border Force Belfast at least 24 hours before you’re due to arrive.

Belfast Seaport address:

Eyden House
5 Westbank Drive
Belfast
BT3 9LA

Telephone: +44 (0)3000 738 256
Email: bfportteam@homeoffice.gov.uk

The office opening hours are Monday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm. You must enter the Border Force Belfast processing area no later than 3:30pm.

You need to make an appointment. If you call during office hours you’ll usually be seen within the hour.

Moving CITES specimens through the Port of Dover

If you’re moving CITES specimens through Dover port you’ll need to present your CITES documentation to Border Force for endorsement at Dover Western Docks.

Dover Western Docks address:

Freight Clearance Centre
Lord Warden Square
Western Docks
Dover
CT17 9EQ

Signs at the port will direct you to the Freight Clearance Centre.

Moving CITES specimens through Eurotunnel

Importing through Eurotunnel

To import CITES specimens into the UK through Eurotunnel, check the guidance for trading or moving CITES-listed specimens through UK ports and airports.

Exporting through Eurotunnel

To export CITES specimens from the UK through Eurotunnel you can present your CITES documents to Border Force at Ebbsfleet or at another suitable designated point of entry and exit sea port before you travel through Eurotunnel.

Ebbsfleet address:

Ebbsfleet Carpark D
Gravesend
DA10 1AE

How to access the Ebbsfleet inland border facility.

Contact Border Force

The Border Force office has a 24 hour service, Monday to Sunday.

Telephone: +44 (0)300 1060 732
Email: doverinternationaltrade@homeoffice.gov.uk

Contact APHA

You can contact APHA for support with trading or moving endangered animals or plants listed under CITES.

Published 31 December 2020
Last updated 1 October 2023 + show all updates
  1. Removed RAF Northolt from the list of ports for CITES-designated points of entry and exit.

  2. Added RAF Northolt to the list of ports for CITES-designated points of entry and exit.

  3. Updated postal hubs section. Postal hubs cannot be used by the public. They are used by Royal Mail, postal courier services and Border Force to check CITES parcels.

  4. Added Humberside airport as a CITES-designated point of entry and exit.

  5. Added Larne port as a CITES-designated point of entry and exit.

  6. Updated guidance for moving live animals and animal products. You can only use Belfast port to move live CITES animals from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

  7. First published.