Guides / CITES permits UK–EU · Updated 30 September 2026

CITES permits between the UK and EU: instruments, leather and timber

Instruments with rosewood or ivory, exotic leather and some timbers need CITES paperwork on top of customs. Here is when a permit applies, what the personal effects exemptions cover and which ports you must use.

This guide is also available in Polish.

Since Great Britain left the EU, moving an item that contains a protected species across the Channel is an international CITES movement in both directions. A guitar with a rosewood fingerboard, a bow with an ivory tip, a handbag in crocodile leather or a batch of tropical hardwood can all fall under the rules, and the customs declaration alone does not cover them.

What CITES covers

CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. GOV.UK defines a specimen as a living or dead animal or plant, any of its parts or derivatives, or an item made from these. That wide definition is why finished goods are caught: a violin, a watch strap or a piece of furniture counts if a listed species is part of it.

GOV.UK says you must apply for a permit if you move a CITES specimen into or out of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), and it lists the EU, non-EU countries, Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man as covered destinations. A permit is needed for any species listed on Annex A, B or C in the Species+ database. Specimens of Annex A species can be imported only in exceptional circumstances.

Typical items that trigger a permit

Musical instruments: GOV.UK's touring guidance for musicians names ivory and some timber species, such as mahogany and ebony, as protected materials found in instruments and props.
Exotic leather: an item made from a listed animal, such as crocodile skin, is a specimen under the GOV.UK definition.
Timber and wood products: a part or derivative of a listed plant is also a specimen, so check wood before it is shipped.

Do not guess from a trade name. GOV.UK tells you to check the species in Species+ and to find the correct trade term code as part of the application.

Two permits, not one

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) issues CITES permits for movements to and from Great Britain and Northern Ireland. GOV.UK also says you must contact the management authority of the other country to get the corresponding import or export permit, and that an APHA permit does not guarantee the other country will issue its own. For a movement from Poland to England, for example, you need the Polish export or re-export document and the UK import permit.

Applications go through the online "apply for a CITES permit" service on GOV.UK, which handles import, export and re-export permits and Article 10 certificates. APHA can be contacted at wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk for advice.

Stricter UK controls apply to tigers, bear bile, paws and gall bladders, and rhino and rhino horn. GOV.UK asks you to email APHA before applying if you plan to move these. Without a valid permit or certificate you could face up to 7 years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both.

Musicians: the musical instrument certificate

If you travel with your own instrument rather than sell it, GOV.UK's guidance for musicians touring in Europe says an instrument containing protected materials must be accompanied by a CITES certificate. A musical instrument certificate (MIC) is available when you move an instrument containing CITES specimens across international borders several times. GOV.UK states MICs are free and last for three years. Fees may apply for other items, such as props.

The same guidance reminds musicians that CITES is separate from customs: you still need to use a temporary admission route in the EU country (for accompanied instruments this may be an oral declaration or the green channel; for freight, an ATA Carnet), and on return you may qualify for returned goods relief if the conditions are met.

Personal and household effects exemptions

GOV.UK lists a small number of items you can carry in personal luggage for personal use without CITES documents, per person. Relevant here: up to 4 worked items containing Crocodylia species (excluding meat and hunting trophies). The list also covers caviar, rainsticks, queen conch shells, seahorses, giant clam and agarwood in set quantities.

Beyond that list, GOV.UK says you may not need a permit for other personal and household effects, such as clothing, shoes, jewellery, household furniture, antiques and some souvenirs, under the "personal effects derogation". It does not apply to live specimens, to specimens under stricter controls, or where the other country requires documents. Because the derogation depends on the item and the destination, GOV.UK asks you to contact APHA if you think a personal or household item includes a CITES specimen. People moving house should check this before packing, alongside the personal effects customs rules.

Designated ports and endorsement

You must use CITES-designated points of entry and exit to move specimens between Great Britain and the EU. GOV.UK warns that if you do not, UK Border Force can seize the specimen and take criminal action, even if you hold a valid permit. For the short sea routes, designated points include Dover, Eurotunnel, Felixstowe, Harwich, Portsmouth International Port, Hull, Immingham and Tilbury, plus major airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Birmingham. Check the full, current list on GOV.UK before booking.

All permits must be presented to customs at the border, even when a haulier or freight agent is moving the goods. UK Border Force checks and endorses them at the first point of entry, before goods go to a temporary storage facility, or at the last point of exit. Practical points from GOV.UK:

At Dover, documents are endorsed at the Freight Clearance Centre, Western Docks.
Through Eurotunnel, imports are endorsed at the UK border control point before boarding; for exports, present documents at an inland border facility or another designated sea port first.
RoRo services are available at Dover, Eurotunnel, Felixstowe, Harwich and Portsmouth, but you must stop for endorsement.
Attach documents travelling with the goods to the outside of the parcel in a sealed clear-plastic folder.
If the consignment changes, contact UK Border Force before it arrives.

An undeclared CITES import can be seized, with criminal action against anyone involved.

How CITES fits with the customs declaration

A CITES permit is a licence, not a customs entry. The goods still need an import or export declaration in CDS, an EORI number and the right commodity code, and a road movement from the EU may run under T1 transit. The permit reference is linked to the declaration, so the broker and the permit holder need to share the same documents: invoice, packing list and permits must match. For commercial import steps, duty and VAT on instruments, see this guide to importing musical instruments with protected materials.

Quick checklist

Identify every material and check it in Species+.
Decide whether a permit, an MIC or the personal effects derogation applies; ask APHA if unsure.
Apply to APHA and obtain the matching EU export, re-export or import document.
Book a designated port and plan endorsement at the border.
Complete the customs declaration with the permit details.

Related guides

Importing an instrument with protected materials?

Plutos is a UK–Poland customs information site run by the same team as Easy Clearance. Its guide covers the import side for instruments containing CITES species.

Read the Plutos instrument guide

Sources

General information, not legal, tax or customs advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements on gov.uk or with a registered agent before you ship.