Designated land, sea and air ports for trading or moving CITES-listed endangered species
The designated land, sea and air ports for trading or moving CITES-listed endangered animals, plants or their parts and derivatives.
You can only import (bring in) or export (take out) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) specimens through designated land, sea and air ports in the UK.
A specimen is a living or dead animal or plant, or any of its parts, or an item made from these.
CITES-designated points of entry and exit
There are customs offices at the following points of entry and exit designated for CITES trade.
You can use these airports:
- Belfast International
- Birmingham International
- Bristol International
- Cardiff International
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Gatwick
- Glasgow International
- Glasgow Prestwick
- Humberside
- London Heathrow
- London Luton
- London Stansted
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Southampton International
You can use these ports:
- Belfast Seaport
- Dover
- Eurotunnel
- Felixstowe
- Fishguard
- Harwich international
- Heysham
- Holyhead
- Hull
- Immingham
- Larne
- Liverpool Seaforth Container Terminal
- London Gateway (Port of London)
- Pembroke
- Plymouth
- Poole
- Portsmouth International Port
- Southampton ABP
- Teesport
- Tilbury (Port of London)
Postal hubs
Postal hubs have been designated at:
- Coventry International Parcel Post Hub
- Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre (HWDC)
These can only be used by Royal Mail, postal courier services and Border Force to check CITES parcels. Postal hubs cannot be used by the public.
Read how to import and export CITES specimens by post.
Moving live animals and animal products
The following CITES points of entry or exit have border control posts (BCPs) designated to handle live animals and carry out CITES, as well as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks.
| Airport | Live CITES animals |
|---|---|
| Edinburgh | Dogs, cats, ferrets, lagomorphs, rodents, amphibians, reptiles and fish, molluscs and crustaceans |
| Gatwick | Reptiles, amphibians, fish, molluscs, crustaceans, birds and all mammals except ungulates and equines |
| Glasgow Prestwick | Ungulates and equines only |
| Heathrow | All species |
| Manchester | Fish, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians |
| Stansted | Ungulates and equines only |
Moving CITES specimens through Humberside airport
If you’re transporting CITES specimens through Humberside airport you must tell Border Force at least 24 hours before you’re due to arrive. Contact Border Force by:
Telephone: +44 (0)300 106 5302
Email: BFImminghamFAST@homeoffice.gov.uk
Moving CITES specimens through Belfast Seaport
If you’re transporting live animals through Belfast Seaport you must tell Border Force Belfast at least 24 hours before you’re due to arrive to book an appointment. If you call during office hours you’ll usually be seen within the hour.
The office opening hours are Monday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm. You must enter the Border Force Belfast processing area no later than 3:30pm.
Belfast Seaport address:
Eyden House
5 Westbank Drive
Belfast
BT3 9LA
Telephone: +44 (0)3000 738 256
Email: bfportteam@homeoffice.gov.uk
Moving CITES specimens through the Port of Dover
If you’re moving CITES specimens through Dover port you’ll need to present your CITES documentation to Border Force for endorsement at Dover Western Docks.
Dover Western Docks address:
Freight Clearance Centre
Lord Warden Square
Western Docks
Dover
CT17 9EQ
Moving CITES specimens through Eurotunnel
Importing through Eurotunnel
To import CITES specimens into the UK through Eurotunnel, check the guidance for trading or moving CITES-listed specimens through UK ports and airports.
Exporting through Eurotunnel
To export CITES specimens from the UK through Eurotunnel, you can present your CITES documents to Border Force at either:
- an inland border facility
- another suitable designated point of entry and exit sea port
Find a list of suitable ports in the section ‘CITES-designated points of entry and exit’.
Read guidance about attending an inland border facility.
Contact Border Force
The Border Force office has a 24 hour service, Monday to Sunday.
Telephone: +44 (0)300 1060 732
Email: doverinternationaltrade@homeoffice.gov.uk
Contact APHA
You can contact APHA for support with trading or moving endangered animals or plants listed under CITES at wildlife.licensing@apha.gov.uk.
Updates to this page
Published 8 October 2024Last updated 29 November 2024 + show all updates
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Removed contact details for the inland border facility at Ebbsfleet, which has closed.
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First published.