GovWire

This guidance applies to businesses in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) exporting or moving livestock (sheep, cattle, pigs and goats) and poultry to, or through:

• the EU
• non-EU countries
• Northern Ireland

You need an export health certificate (EHC) to export or move livestock and poultry.

Follow the rules in this guidance to find out what you need to do.

You need to follow different guidance for:

• pets
• horses
• fish
• endangered animals
• animals that are for display, research or conservation (Balai directive animals)
• other live animals

General exporting rules

Make sure you follow guidance for changes to exporting to the EU.

Register for the poultry health scheme

You must be a member of the Poultry Health Scheme to export or move poultry:

• to the EU or Northern Ireland (unless youre exporting 20 birds or hatching eggs or less)
• to non EU countries - your EHC will say if you need to join the scheme

Find out how to register for the poultry health scheme.

Residency rules for livestock and poultry

Check the EHC youre applying for to find out how long livestock and poultry must be held at the premises of origin before export to a non-EU country.

Cattle, sheep and pigs must be held at the premises of origin for 40 days before you export or move them to the EU or Northern Ireland.

Export or move livestock and poultry to the EU or Northern Ireland

You need an EHC to:

• export livestock and poultry from Great Britain to the EU
• move livestock and poultry from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
• transit through the EU and Northern Ireland

You also need to:

• get your goods checked at an EU border control post (BCP) or Northern Ireland point of entry in the first country you enter
• make sure your EU or Northern Ireland-based import agent has notified the BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry that your consignment is arriving - check with the BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry for how much notice needs to be given
• comply with wider HMRC guidance on customs requirements for exporting to the EU
• follow HMRC guidance for moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland
• follow rules on identifying animals, if you want to export or move them to the EU or Northern Ireland

Check if you need an EHC

Check the EHC finder to see if a certificate exists for your animal.

If you find an EHC, follow the EHC process to export.

If you cannot find an EHC, youll need to contact the competent authority in Northern Ireland or the EU country youre exporting to, in advance, to find out what:

• paperwork youll need to fill in
• rules you need to comply with

The competent authority means the equivalent of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the EU country youre exporting to. DAERA is the competent authority in Northern Ireland.

If the competent authority says that you need an EHC, youll need to get their import conditions. Email the conditions to APHA at exports@apha.gov.uk wholl arrange an EHC for you.

If youre moving livestock or poultry to Northern Ireland, you do not need to pay for them to be inspected and certified. The certifier invoices the government for these costs as part of the Movement Assistance Scheme.

Checks at EU BCPs or points of entry in Northern Ireland

You must get your livestock and poultry checked at an EU Border Control Post (BCP) or point of entry in Northern Ireland.

These checks are made to protect:

• animal health and welfare
• public health

Your livestock and poultry may be refused entry, seized, destroyed or returned to Great Britain if they arrive at an EU port without a BCP, an EU BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry:

• where checks cannot be carried out
• that cannot check your type of animal
• without the correct documentation

Find the correct BCP or Northern Ireland point of entry for your goods

You must find a BCP or point of entry that accepts livestock and poultry as not all BCPs and points of entry accept all goods. Youll need to consider how to redirect your trade route if needed.

There are more than 400 BCPs in the EU and theyre usually at EU ports and airports.

Check the full list of EU BCPs and Northern Ireland points of entry

Give advance notice to EU BCPs or points of entry in Northern Ireland

You need to give EU BCPs or points of entry in Northern Ireland advance notice of livestock and poultry arriving.

Check with the BCP or point of entry youre planning to use for how much notice is needed.

Contact your import agent in the EU or Northern Ireland to make sure they notify the BCP or point of entry through the 