Wildlife trade and conservation
There were 20 permits approved for the period 10-16 November 2008.
We are currently working on producing a list of permits issued for each week as prescribed in section 515A of the EPBC Act.
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In Australia, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) controls the international movement of:
These controls apply to all transactions undertaken by commercial and non-commercial organisations, and individuals. In addition, controls under the Quarantine Act 1908 may also apply. For information about quarantine, please contact the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
You will need a permit under the EPBC Act to:
You will not require a permit to import plants or animals that are included in part 1 of the list of plants and animals suitable for live import. Read more about the List of Plants and Animals suitable for live import
Where applicable, a Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts permit must be issued prior to the import or export of wildlife or wildlife products. Failure to obtain an Australian permit prior to consignment of specimens may result in their seizure. Severe penalties exist for persons or companies that breach the EPBC Act.
If you are involved in import or export for commercial purposes you must be able to demonstrate that your products have been legally obtained from an approved source. Read about what is an approved source
If you are seeking a permit to undertake an approved non-commercial activity, you will need to complete a supplementary form and forward it with your permit application to the Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Read about what is an approved non-commercial source
Explanatory notes regarding who should fill out the application form (Please note that the underlined section will be a live link to the application form).
"If you are applying to import or export wildlife to or from Australia and your organisation:
You may be required to fill out an Application for assessment as a recognised zoological organisation for the purposes import and export of wildlife to and from Australia."
To prevent time delays caused by posting your application, you may fax your application form and supporting documents to (02) 6274 1921, however we will not assess your application until the fee has been received. If you are paying by credit card, a faxed copy of your application and supporting documentation will be sufficient.
When we receive your application (complete with required fees), we will assess it to ensure it meets the requirements of the EPBC Act. The assessment and approval process usually takes 6 -10 working days, provided that your application is satisfactory and contains all supporting documentation.
Your application will not be acknowledged on receipt.
If your application is approved, we will send a permit to you at the address nominated in your application.
The original copy of a single use permit must accompany the wildlife specimens or products at the time of export or import. You must return a copy to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to verify the shipment and quantities involved.
If you are granted a multiple use permit you will be provided with separate forms to use with individual shipments. The original of these forms must accompany the import or export shipment detailing the specimens and quantities involved in the individual shipments. A copy of this form must be returned to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to verify your shipments.
If your permit expires before the export occurs, you may need to pay another fee for it to be re-issued.
In many cases the importing country will require a permit before the wildlife specimen or product is allowed to enter that country. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have acquired all necessary permits before shipping your specimens.
Approval from AQIS may also be required to export or import a part, product or derivative of an animal or plant. For details about quarantine requirements contact the AQIS office in your State capital or the head office at:
| Address: | Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 |
| Phone: | (02) 6272 3933 |
| Freecall: | 1800 020 504 |
| Web site: | www.aqis.gov.au |
Clearance must be obtained from the Australian Customs Service (ACS) for the import of goods into Australia or their export from Australia. In addition, duty may be payable on imported goods. For details about these requirements contact the ACS office in your State capital or the head office at:
| Address: | Australian Customs Service GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 |
| Phone: | 1300 363 263 (within Australia) or |
| +61 2 6275 6666 (from outside Australia) | |
| Web site: | www.customs.gov.au |
| Email: | information@customs.gov.au |
Conditions are attached to permits that are issued by the department authorising international wildlife trade. These conditions aim to protect the environment, and ensure international wildlife trade is conducted in accordance with legal requirements and at a level that is not detrimental to the survival of species in the wild. Under the EPBC Act, permit holders are required to meet the conditions stated on their permit.
The department seeks to work cooperatively with permit holders to achieve compliance outcomes. To this effect, the department has developed a permit review program to check that permit conditions have been met.
The department's permit reviews are performed using either desktop checks (i.e. from within the offices of the department) or on-site visits. In some instances, both review methods may be applied.
Under the permit review program, selected permit holders are invited to provide input and respond to preliminary review findings. They will also receive a final written report, which may make reference to identified strengths, or areas that may need to be improved in order to meet compliance standards.
In circumstances where non-compliance is identified, the department will recommend appropriate remedial action in accordance with the department's Compliance and Enforcement Policy. This may include:
For further information, please see the department's Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
Benefits from the permit review program are expected to flow to:
Permit applications, fees and all supporting documentation should be posted to:
| Address: | The Director International Wildlife Trade Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts GPO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 |
| Phone: | 02 6274 1900 (within Australia) |
| +61 2 6274 1900 (outside Australia) | |
| Fax: | 02 6274 1921 (within Australia) |
| +61 2 6274 1921 (outside Australia) | |
| Email: | wildlifetrade@environment.gov.au |
Please note - the recent advice to Australian Exporters regarding US validation requirements for the export or re-export of CITES specimens has been revoked. We have received notification from US Authorities that our proposed validation process does not fully meet US regulatory requirements.
The Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts together with Australian Customs and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are currently liaising with the US Authorities to resolve this matter.
If you have any enquires please contact (02) 6274 1900.
An export declaration must be lodged with the Australian Customs Service (Customs) when exporting goods requiring a permit, or where the Free On Board1 value of the export shipment is greater than AUD$2000.
Note: this is not a requirement for $1 personal baggage permits.
The United States requires that Australian issued CITES documents be validated by Customs prior to shipment.
The United States will accept a copy of the export declaration from the exporter as validation if it indicates the actual quantity of shipped specimens. The shipped quantity must be equal to or less than the quantity indicated on your CITES document and must be in the same units as those used on the accompanying CITES documentation e.g. kilograms, grams. If a greater quantity is shipped, the specimens may be seized and forfeited.
The export declaration must also include:
This information should match the accompanying CITES documentation.
For information on lodging export declarations in the Customs Integrated Cargo System:
Web site www.customs.gov.au
Email cargosupport@customs.gov.au
Tel 1300 558 099.
Please note: it is important when lodging an export declaration that the goods description includes both the description of the specimens and the CITES permit number.
The export declaration must be printed and attached to the CITES document prior to shipment. Both documents must then be sent with the shipment. If CITES documents are not accompanied by an export declaration, the specimens in the shipment may be seized upon entry to the United States and may be forfeited.
Please contact Wildlife Trade by phone: (02) 6274 1900, or email: wildlifetrade@environment.gov.au if you need further information.
See also
