U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service CITES Permits and Certificates

What is CITES and how does it apply to specimens that quality for other me? certificates (see below). The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and ! Export Flora (CITES) protects many species of The export of Appendix-I and -II animals and plants to ensure that specimens requires an export permit. commercial demand does not threaten Such a permit may be granted when their survival in the wild. It regulates the export will not be detrimental to trade in listed species and hybrids, the species’ survival and specimens including parts and products, through a were legally acquired. system of permits. The Division of Management Authority processes For Appendix-III species originating applications for CITES permits for the from the country that listed it, an United States. Under CITES, a species export permit is required. An export is listed at one of three levels of permit may be granted when the protection, which have different permit Management Authority determines requirements. that the specimens were not obtained in contravention of that country’s laws ! Appendix I includes species presently for the protection of animals and threatened with extinction that are or plants. may be affected by trade. CITES directs its most stringent controls at ! Re-export activities involving these species. A re-export certificate is required for the export of CITES-listed specimens ! Appendix II includes species that are that were previously imported, not presently threatened with including items subsequently extinction but may become so if not converted to manufactured goods. A regulated. certificate may be issued when evidence of legal import has been ! Appendix III includes species listed provided. If you were the original by a range country to obtain importer of the wildlife or plant, you international cooperation in need to provide a copy of the canceled controlling trade. CITES permit that accompanied the shipment into the United States and, What CITES documents are required? for animal specimens, the cleared ! Import Declaration for Importation (Form 3- Blue & gold macaw The import of Appendix-I specimens 177) for that shipment. If you were not Corel © requires both import and export the importer, you must provide copies permits. An import permit may be of the importer’s documents, as well granted when the purpose of the as documents that show you import will not be detrimental to the purchased the wildlife or plant from species’ survival, is not primarily the original importer, or a record of commercial, and the importer is sequential transactions. suitably equipped to house and care for live animals and plants. ! Introduction from the Sea An introduction from the sea No import permit is required for certificate is required for the import of Appendix-II or -III specimens, or for Appendix-I or -II specimens taken on the high seas outside of any country’s What about shipping live animals and owner and intended for personal use jurisdiction. plants? (does not include specimens mailed or Permits for the shipment of CITES- shipped separately). This applies only ! Pre-Convention Certificate listed live animals or plants may be under the following conditions: If a specimen was obtained prior to issued only when the applicant the CITES listing date of that demonstrates that the specimen will be ! Appendix-II and -III specimens species—collected from the wild or humanely shipped. Live animal may be imported and exported held in captivity—it may be granted a shipments must meet the International without CITES documents, provided pre-Convention certificate that will Air Transport Association (IATA) Live the foreign country does not require a allow for the specimen to be exported. Animals Regulations or the CITES CITES permit. For Appendix-I specimens, no CITES guidelines for transport. In addition, the import permit is required. import of live mammals and birds must ! Appendix-I specimens may be meet the humane shipment regulations exported by a U.S. resident without ! Bred-in-captivity Certificate or in 50 CFR Part 14. CITES documents, provided the Certificate for Artificially foreign country does not require a Propagated Plants What exceptions are there to permit CITES permit. Appendix-I specimens If a species meets the criteria for requirements? acquired abroad by individuals outside bred-in-captivity or artificially ! In-transit Shipments: their country of usual residence may propagated as outlined in CITES Under CITES, a shipment transiting not be imported into the United States resolutions, the exporting country a country must be accompanied by a without CITES permits. may issue an exemption certificate CITES permit from the exporting (bred-in-captivity facts sheet is country to its final destination. The What foreign documentation might I available). For Appendix-I specimens, shipment must remain under need from a country that is not a no CITES import permit is required. Customs bond. Check with other member of CITES? countries involved in the shipment to If you are importing CITES-listed ! Scientific Exchange Certificate: meet their requirements. wildlife or plants, or their parts and Scientific institutions are eligible for products, from a country that is not a this certificate, which authorizes ! Shipments within the United States: Party (member) to CITES, you must import and export of museum and CITES imposes no controls on obtain documents that contain all the herbarium specimens. Such shipments between States or U.S. information normally required by specimens must be shipped as non- territories, including the District of CITES. commercial loans, donations, or Columbia, Guam, Commonwealth of exchanges among scientific Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the How do I apply for a CITES permit or institutions registered with CITES. Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. certificate? Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. 1. Complete a standard application form ! Certificate of Origin: (3-200) and submit it with a processing For Appendix-III specimens that ! Personal or Household Effects: fee to the Division of Management originated from a country other than The United States recognizes the Authority. Allow at least 60 days for the listing country, a certificate of CITES personal and household review. origin is needed to export the effects exemption for wildlife and specimen. A certificate can be issued if plants, or their parts and products, 2. Contact your State wildlife or plant the specimen was legally obtained when the import or export is part of a conservation agency and the CITES within the exporting country. household move or accompanying the Management Authority of the foreign importing or exporting country to determine any additional requirements. (Visit the CITES Secretariat’s website at www.cites.org.)

3. Some CITES-listed species are also protected by other U.S. laws with more stringent permit requirements, i.e., Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, and Wild Bird Conservation Act.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service International Affairs Division of Management Authority 4401 N. Fairfax Drive, Room 700 Arlington, VA 22203 703/358-2104 or 800/358-2104 Fax 703/358-2281 e-mail: [email protected] http://international.fws.gov http://permits.fws.gov Roddy Gabel/USFWS Summer 2003