Shipping Plants, Food, and Other Agricultural Products via Express Courier | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service

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Today, it is common to purchase, send, and receive items from around the world. However, shipments sent from foreign countries into the United States could pose a risk to U.S. agriculture or the environment. That’s because they could harbor an invasive pest or disease. Mailing or shipping plants or other agricultural items from areas within the United States under Federal or State quarantine for an invasive pest or disease could also spread these threats to new areas.

As a package’s intended recipient, you are considered the official importer of record and are legally responsible for it. The package may be seized and destroyed at the port of entry by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors; you may also face steep fines under applicable USDA regulations. To avoid such outcomes, follow the guidelines below for sending products from outside the U.S. mainland and within the United States via express courier.

The following items may be restricted or prohibited from entering the United States:

Various import restrictions also apply to most fresh fruits, vegetables, and many dried or processed plant products that can harbor pests, depending on the country of origin.

For incoming shipments of plants and seeds meant for planting, phytosanitary certificates from the country of export show that the shipment is free of plant pests and diseases we don’t want in the United States. In general, anyone wishing to import plants and seeds for planting, as well as certain other plant products, must obtain a phytosanitary certificate for each shipment and an import permit issued by APHIS. To view import requirements for a specific commodity from a specific country, visit the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements database.

Learn How To Import Plants and Plant Products

For general questions:

Plant Permits Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 877-770-5990

For incoming shipments of plants and seeds meant for planting, phytosanitary certificates from the country of export show that the shipment is free of plant pests and diseases we don’t want in the United States. In general, anyone wishing to import plants and seeds for planting, as well as certain other plant products, must obtain a phytosanitary certificate for each shipment and an import permit issued by APHIS. To view import requirements for a specific commodity from a specific country, visit the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements database.

Learn More About Buying Plants and Seeds Online

Learn More About Selling Plants and Seeds Online

For general questions:

Plant Permits Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 877-770-5990

The following items may be restricted or prohibited from entering the United States:

A permit is required for the importation, interstate movement. and environmental release of plant pests (plant- feeding insects, mites, snails, slugs, isopods, and plant pathogenic bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.), biological control organisms of plant pests and weeds, bees, parasitic plants, and federally listed noxious weeds.

Learn More About How To Import Plant Pests

For questions about permits for regulated organisms and soil:

Pest Permits Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 301-851-2285

Alt-Phone: 866-524-5421

Please contact APHIS before buying a land-dwelling invertebrate, such as snails, insects, isopods, scorpions, and spiders. You might need a permit to buy it, or the invertebrate might be illegal because it could pose a danger to U.S. agriculture or the environment.

Learn More About Importing Invertebrate Pets

Soil is strictly regulated by APHIS’ Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program because it can easily provide a pathway for the introduction of a variety of dangerous organisms into the United States.

Importation of soil into the United States from foreign sources is normally prohibited but may be authorized under a permit (PPQ Form 525-A) under strict conditions, safeguards, and controlled circumstances. In addition, soil movement within the United States is restricted unless authorized by APHIS under specific conditions, safeguards, and controlled circumstances described in a permit and/or compliance agreement.

Learn More About the Requirements for Importing or Moving Soil within the United States

For questions about permits for regulated organisms and soil:

Pest Permits Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 301-851-2285

Alt-Phone: 866-524-5421

The following items may be restricted or prohibited from entering the United States:

Live animals and their products and byproducts can transmit many diseases harmful to U.S. poultry or livestock populations. Examples of these diseases include highly pathogenic avian influenza, African swine fever, Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, swine vesicular disease, and classical swine fever. As a result, regulated live animal species, and animal products and byproducts from foreign countries, often need USDA permits and/or proper Government certification to meet U.S. import requirements. Note that other U.S. Government agencies—such as the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, etc.—may also have import requirements for an animal-derived product or byproduct.

Learn More About Importing Animal and Animal Products

For questions about import permits or permit applications:

Live Animal Import Permit Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 301-851-3300

For general requests, such as permit applications and import requirements:

Animal Product Import and Export Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 301-851-3300

Email is preferred.

Imported animal products for human consumption, such as meat and poultry products, must originate from a USDA-approved facility. Certain meat, poultry, and egg products must also meet the import requirements of USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in addition to APHIS’ requirements. Review FSIS’ import requirements and see a list of approved establishments by country.

Export certificates are issued by the appropriate government entity of the country of origin. This document certifies that the animal product originates from a region of the country that is free from pest(s) or disease(s) of concern or has not transited an area or region of a country that is affected with an animal disease of concern or has been produced or processed in a manner to mitigate any introduction of animal disease into the United States.

Learn How To Import Animal Products

For general requests, such as permit applications and import requirements:

Animal Product Import and Export Team

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 301-851-3300

Email is preferred.

USDA prohibits or restricts the interstate movement of many agricultural products from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands into the U.S. mainland, including most fresh fruits and vegetables, certain types of plants and flowers, and certain pork and pork products. That’s because these items could harbor a dangerous stowaway—an invasive pest or disease. Just one piece of fruit or a single plant—or a pork product—that is carrying an invasive pest or disease could cause millions of dollars in damage and lead to expensive eradication efforts, lost trade revenue, and higher food prices.

Learn What You Can Ship from Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands to the U.S. Mainland

USDA Offices in Puerto Rico:

Aguada: (787) 986-7240Aguadilla: (787) 931–7900Carolina: (787) 710-7443 or (787) 710-7282Ponce: (787) 709-4957San Juan: (787) 919-0585

U.S. Customs and Border Protection offices in the U.S. Virgin Islands:

St. Thomas: (340) 774-4554St. Croix: (340) 778-1696

USDA prohibits or restricts the movement of many agricultural products from Hawaii into the U.S. mainland, including most fresh fruits and vegetables and certain types of plants and flowers. That’s because these items could harbor a dangerous stowaway—an invasive pest or disease. Just one piece of fruit or a single plant that is carrying an invasive pest or disease could cause millions of dollars in damage and lead to expensive eradication efforts, lost trade revenue, and higher food prices.

Learn What You Can Ship from Hawaii to the U.S. Mainland

To learn whether you can ship an item from Hawaii to the U.S. mainland, contact one of these USDA offices in Hawaii:

Honolulu: (808) 834-3220Kona: (808) 326-1252Kauai: (808) 632-2511Hilo: (808) 933-6930Maui: (808) 877-5261

For information on how to certify plants and cuttings, contact the Hawaii Department of Agriculture:

Honolulu: (808) 832-0566Hilo: (808) 974-4141Kauai: (808) 241-7135Maui: (808) 872-3848Kona: (808) 326-1077

Never mail or ship plants or other agricultural items from areas within the United States under Federal or State quarantine for an invasive pest or you may spread them to new areas. This is especially true for homegrown produce you may wish to share with family or friends. Call your local USDA office to learn whether any quarantines apply to your shipment.