Other

Country
United States of America (US)
Group
Grains / Seeds
End use
Sowing
NPPO Details
Plant Protection and Quarantine, Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Relevant Web Addresses
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/home/
Criteria Criteria Required?
Import Permit Refer below
Phytosanitary Certificate Refer below
Additional Declaration/Endorsement No
Protocol Market No
Consignments are to be free from pests, soil, weed seeds and extraneous material.

The import conditions apply to a variety of seed species including, but not limited to, tree and shrub seeds.

Not all seeds for sowing to the USA require an import permit - exporters are to check the USDA Plants for Planting Manual in the Permit Seeds section under the General Requirements section to see if the seeds they are exporting require an import permit.

Some seeds are prohibited to be imported into the USA from a number of countries including Australia. For details refer to: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/ports/downloads/plants_…

Seeds regulated by the Federal Seed Act require additional labelling on the invoice and seed packets. Agricultural and vegetable seed requires kind, origin, variety, and lot designation.

A phytosanitary certificate must be issued no more than 15 days prior to the shipper sending each shipment.

When commercially importing, exporting or re-exporting CITES regulated plant material you must obtain a USDA Protected Plant Permit in addition to an import permit.

Exporters are encouraged to seek an import permit. A plain phytosanitary certificate will be issued for seeds which do not fall under categories where import permit is mandatory.

This case applies (but is not limited to) these seed species:
  • Lolium rigidum
  • Raphanus
Packaging and shipping requirements

A typed or legibly printed list/invoice must accompany each shipment and must contain the name of the collector/shipper, the botanical names (genus and species) listed alphabetically, as well as the country of origin and the country of export for each taxon.

Consignments being shipped by mail or courier must be labelled as below:
  • Correctly and plainly addressed and mailed to the Plant Protection and Quarantine Program at one of the Approved Ports of Entry to receive plants for planting for import;
  • Accompanied by a separate sheet of paper within the package, plainly and correctly bearing the name, address, and telephone number of the intended recipient;
  • Plainly and correctly on the outer container, have the following information:
    • General nature and quantity of the contents;
    • Country and locality where grown;
    • Name and address of shipper, owner, or person shipping or forwarding the plants for planting; and
    • Number of the written permit authorizing the importation, if one (written permit) is required under 7 CFR § 319.37-5.
Consignments being shipped by mail must bear a green and yellow shipping label (PPQ Form 508).

Consignments being shipped by other means (e.g. full containers) must be labelled on the outer container with the below:
  • General nature and quantity of the contents;
  • Country and locality where grown;
  • Name and address of shipper, owner, or person shipping or forwarding the plants for planting;
  • Name and address of consignee;
  • Identifying shipper's mark and number; and
  • Number of written permit authorizing the importation, if applicable.
Shipments that are deemed to prevent adequate on-arrival inspection or treatment (i.e. wrapped, coated, dipped or sprayed, or otherwise packaged in impermeable material) may be refused entry. 

Small lots of seed permit conditions

If stated on the import permit (small lots of seed permit), small lots of seed may be imported without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate, provided that the following conditions outlined in the USDA Plants for Planting Manual in the Small lots of Seeds Permit  section are met in addition to the packaging and shipping requirements outlined above.

If small lots of seeds are exported without an accompanying phytosanitary certificate as per the import permit conditions, no Authorised Officer inspection and issuance of an export permit is required for the consignment.
Import permit dated 21 July 2020, Plants for Planting Manual sighted 27 July 2022 and Letter of no permit dated 21 January 2025 and 3 February 2025.
11/03/2025 - Updated general requirements.
27/07/2022 - Amended packaging and shipping requirements in the general requirements section.
12/05/2022 - Amended general requirements to note that the requirement for an import permit is based on species as per NPPO requirements.
25/10/2021 - Amended labelling requirements as per NPPO requirements.
Initial Uploaded: 29/07/2014
Reviewed Uploaded: 11/03/2025