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UK SPS & Veterinary Border: Completing an Export Health Certificate to export to Great Britain

Learn how to complete an Export Health Certificate to export to Great Britain and manage the UK SPS & Veterinary Border from 31 January 2024


You need a health certificate to export live animal and animal products to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), the Channel Islands or Isle of Man. You can find the latest model templates here:

This guide is for exporters sending animals or animal products to Great Britain and explains how to fill in a health certificate. Other rules may apply when you import other products.


  1. Part 1: details of the dispatched consignment

  2. Part 2: Certification

In this guide:

  • ‘ISO’ means the international standard 2-letter country code for a country

  • Great Britain refers to England, Scotland, Wales, Channel Islands and Isle of Man

Individual health certificates vary according to the consignments.

The certificate tells you if a field is compulsory or optional.

After the certificate has been issued, the operator responsible for the consignment must tell the competent authority in Great Britain if there is any change to the:

  • consignee

  • entry border control post (BCP)

  • date of transport

  • means of transport

You will not get a replacement certificate for these changes. The competent authority will tell you what to do next.

The certificates are only valid for imports into Great Britain. There are 2 sets of certificates for each commodity type:

  • countries subject to the transitional import arrangements (includes EU member states)

  • countries not subject to the transitional import arrangements (includes non-EU countries)

The ‘Notes’ section on the certificate explains which country the certificate applies to. References to European Union legislation within this guide are to direct EU legislation which has been retained in Great Britain (retained EU law as defined in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018).

Part 1: details of the dispatched consignment

Box numbers may vary on the model health certificates.

Consignor/exporter (box I.1)

The name and address (street, city and region, province or state, as appropriate) of the natural or legal person dispatching the consignment. This must be located in the third country, except for the re-entry of consignments originating from Great Britain.

Certificate reference number (box I.2)

The unique mandatory code assigned by the competent authority of the third country using its own classification.

Unique notification number (UNN) (box I.2.a)

For use by countries subject to transitional import arrangements: a UNN generated by the Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS) when an import notification is created.

Central competent authority (box I.3)

Name of the central authority in the third country issuing the certificate.

Local competent authority (box I.4)

If it applies, the name of the local authority in the third country issuing the certificate.

Consignee/importer (box I.5)

The name and address of the natural or legal person who’s receiving the consignment. This information is optional for consignments in transit through Great Britain.

Operator responsible for the consignment (box I.6)

The name and address of the person in Great Britain in charge of the consignment when presented to the BCP. This is the person who makes the declarations to the competent authorities either as the importer or on behalf of the importer.

For:

  • products in transit through Great Britain, the name and address are compulsory

  • certain animals, the name and address are compulsory if required by the relevant EU retained legislation

  • animals and products that will be placed on the market, the name and address are optional

Country of origin (box I.7) For:

  • products, the name and ISO code of the country where the animals originate and or goods were produced, manufactured and packaged (labelled with the identification mark)

  • animals, the country of residence during the required period as set out in the relevant Great Britain health certificate

  • registered horses re-entering Great Britain, the country of origin means the country from which they were last consigned

Where trade is between more than one third country (triangular trade), you must complete a separate certificate for each country of origin.

Region of origin (box I.8)

If it applies, for animals or animal products affected by regionalisation measures (where a clearly defined part of a territory contains an animal subpopulation with a distinct health status). You must state the code of the approved region, zone or compartment. The codes can be found in the appropriate third country list in UK legislation or, for EU and EFTA countries only, in the appropriate certification requirement document.

Country of destination (box I.9)

The name of the country and the ISO Code. For imports in to Great Britain, the country is United Kingdom and the ISO Code is GB. For products in transit, you must provide the name and ISO code of the third country of destination.

Region of destination (box I.10)

If it applies, for animals or animal products affected by regionalisation measures (where a clearly defined part of a territory contains an animal subpopulation with a distinct health status). You must state the code of the approved region, zone or compartment. The codes can be found in the appropriate third country list in UK legislation or, for EU and EFTA countries only, in the appropriate certification requirement document.

Place of origin (box I.11)

The name, address and approval number, if required by the EU retained legislation, of the holdings or establishments from which the animals or the products come from. For:

  • animals, a holding or any other officially monitored agricultural, industrial or commercial establishment, including zoos, amusement parks, wildlife and hunting reserves, where animals are regularly kept or bred

  • germinal products, semen collection or storage centres, or embryo collection or production teams

  • other products, any unit of a company in the food or animal by-product sector

Only the establishment shipping the products is to be named. Where trade is between more than one third country (triangular trade), the place of origin is the last third country establishment of the export chain from where the final consignment is transported to Great Britain.

Place of destination (box I.12)

This is optional, unless you’re storing products in transit. For goods that are being placed on the market: the place where the animals or products are sent for final unloading. Give the name, address and approval number of the holdings or establishments of the place of destination, if applicable. For storage of products in transit: the name, address and approval number of the warehouse in a free zone, the customs warehouse or the ship supplier.

Place of loading (box I.13)

For animals: the name of the city or the place where the animals are loaded and, if they are assembled beforehand, the details of the official assembly centre. For products: the name of the city and category (for example, establishment, holding, port or airport) of the final place where the products are to be loaded in the means of transport for the journey to Great Britain.

If it’s a:

  • container, give the place when the goods board the final means of transport to Great Britain

  • ferry, give the place where the truck embarked

Date and time of departure (box I.14)

For:

  • animals, the date and time at which the animals are scheduled to leave in their means of transport (aeroplane, vessel, railway or road vehicle)

  • products, the date when the means of transport (aeroplane, vessel, railway or road vehicle) departs

Means of transport: means of transport leaving the country of dispatch (box I.15) You must only select one option. Mode of transport:

  • aeroplane

  • vessel

  • railway

  • road vehicle

  • other - modes of transport not covered by Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending Directives 64/432/EEC and 93/119/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1255/97

Identification of the means of transport. For:

  • aeroplanes, the flight number, for vessels the ship name(s)

  • railways, the train identity and wagon number

  • road transport, the registration number plate with trailer number plate if it applies

  • a ferry, state the identification of the road vehicle, the registration number plate with trailer number plate if it applies, and the name of the scheduled ferry

Entry BCP (box I.16)

Give the name of the BCP or the BCP identification code assigned by IPAFFS, or both. This only applies to imports to Great Britain from non-EU countries. EU countries need to use this box from 31 December 2023.

Accompanying documents (box I.17)

Complete where it applies and if referenced on the certificate. You must give the type and reference number of documents that accompany a consignment, such as a:

  • CITES permit (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)

  • permit for invasive alien species (IAS)

  • commercial document (for example, the airway bill number, the bill of lading number or the commercial number of the train or road vehicle)

Description of goods (box I.18)

You must only select one option. Give the:

  • relevant Harmonised System code (HS code)

  • title defined by the World Customs Organisation given in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff

You should also give:

  • additional information to classify the animals or the products according to the official veterinarian

  • any specific requirements required by the relevant model health certificate

  • zone, for animals or products affected by the setting up of approved zones or compartments

You must give zones or production areas (for example, in the case of bivalve molluscs) as published in the lists of approved establishments approved by Great Britain. For animals, give the

  • species

  • breed or category identification method

  • identification number

  • age

  • sex

  • quantity or net weight

  • test

For germinal products, give the:

  • collection or production date

  • approval number of the centre or team

  • identification of the straw

  • quantity

For donor animals, give the:

  • species

  • breed or category

  • identification

For products, give the:

  • species

  • types of products

  • type of treatment

  • approval number of establishments together with ISO country code (slaughter house processing plant, cold store)

  • number of packages

  • type of packaging

  • batch number

  • net weight

  • final consumer (that is, products are packed for the final consumer)

Species: the scientific name or as defined by with EU retained legislation.

Type of packaging: identify the type of packaging according to the definition given in Recommendation No 21 of UN/CEFACT (United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business)

CN code (box I.19)

Give the relevant:

  • Harmonised System code (HS code)

  • title defined by the World Customs Organisation as referred to in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87

Quantity (box I.20)

You must only select one option. For:

  • animals, give the total number of heads or straws expressed as units

  • germinal products, give the total number of straws expressed as units

  • products and aquatic animals, except ornamental fish, the total gross and net weight in kilograms

Total net weight: this is defined as the mass of the goods themselves without immediate containers or any packaging. Total gross weight: overall weight in kilograms. This is defined as the aggregate mass of the products and of the immediate containers and all their packaging but excluding transport containers and other transport equipment.

Transport conditions (box I.21) Category of required temperature during the transport of products (ambient, chilled, frozen). Select only one category.

Total number of packages (box I.22) Box numbers may vary on the model health certificates. For:

  • animals, the number of boxes, cages or stalls, in which they’re being transported

  • germinal products, the number of cryogenic containers

  • products, the number of packages

This box is optional for bulk consignments.

For internal market (box I.22)

Box numbers may vary on the model health certificates. You must only select one option. For all consignments destined for Great Britain (complete where it applies, if referred to in the model health certificate). Definitive import: you must only use this option for consignments intended to be placed under the customs procedure ‘release for free circulation’ in Great Britain. For certain animals (for example, registered equidae) select only one of the following options:

  • re-entry - only use this option for animals authorised for re-entry, such as registered horses for racing, competition and cultural events re-entering Great Britain after their temporary export

  • temporary admission - only use this option for animals authorised for temporary entry into Great Britain, such as registered horses for a period of less than 90 days

Individual health certificates vary according to the consignments. The certificate tells you if a field is compulsory or optional.

Container No/Seal No (box I.23)

If applicable, give the corresponding numbers. You must give the container number if the goods are transported in closed containers. Give the official seal number. An official seal applies if a seal is affixed to the container, truck or rail wagon under the supervision of the competent authority issuing the certificate.

Description of goods (box I.25) As specified in the relevant health certificate, give the:

  • purpose for goods to be placed on the market

  • intended use of products

Artificial reproduction: for germinal products only.

Breeding/production: for breeding and production animals, including aquaculture animals intended for farming.

Canning industry: for tuna intended for the canning industry, for example.

Circus/exhibition: for registered circus and exhibition animals and aquatic animals for aquariums or similar businesses not for further sale.

Fattening: for ovine and caprine animals only.

Further process: for products which have to be further processed before being placed on the market.

Game restocking: for game for the purpose of rebuilding stocks only.

Human consumption: for products intended for human consumption for which a health or veterinary certificate is required by EU retained legislation, only.

Other: intended for purposes not listed elsewhere in this classification, including aquatic animals intended for put-and-take fisheries.

Pets: commercial movements of dogs, cats, ferrets and birds. For ornamental aquatic animals intended for pet shops or similar businesses for further sale.

Pharmaceutical use: animal by-products unfit for human or animal consumption, as referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009.

Quarantine refers to:

  • birds other than poultry Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 139/2013 of 7 January 2013 laying down animal health conditions for imports of certain birds into the Union and the quarantine conditions thereof

  • carnivores, primates and bats Directive 92/65/EEC

  • aquaculture animals Commission Decision 2008/946/EC

  • registered equidae: Council Directive 2009/156/EC of 30 November 2009 on animal health conditions governing the movement and importation from third countries of equidae

Relaying: for bivalve molluscs intended for purifications at destination. Slaughter: for animals destined directly or via an assembly centre to a slaughterhouse. Technical use: animal by-products unfit for human or animal consumption, as referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009.

Trade samples: as defined in point 39 of Annex I to Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 of 25 February 2011 implementing:

  • Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption

  • Council Directive 97/78/EC as regards certain samples and items exempt from veterinary checks at the border under that Directive

For transit (box I.26)

Only for the transit of animals or products either:

  • through Great Britain from one third country to another third country

  • from one part of a third country to another part of the same third country

Give the name and ISO code of the third country of destination.

Part 2: certification

A certifying officer authorised by the competent authority of the third country must complete the official certificate.

If there are no animal or public health attestations for the consignment, you should delete or cross-out this section

See the footnotes for Part 2 on the health certificates.

Box II.a. Certificate reference No: Give the same reference code as in box I.2.

Box II.b. Give the same reference code as in box I.2.a (complete where it applies). Certifying officer

Official veterinarian or official inspector as defined by the relevant EU retained legislation.

Give:

  • the name in capital letters

  • qualification and title, where it applies

  • identification number and original stamp of the competent authority

  • date of signature

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