Transit Permit Clarification - Policies and Procedures

Transit Permit Clarification - Policies and Procedures

APHIS has recently updated and clarified the policy and procedures concerning Transit Permits for plants and plant products. APHIS requires a Transit Permit for soil, insects, and certain foreign plants and plant products (i.e., fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, and plants) moving through, but not remaining in, the United States, moving under Transportation and Exportation (T&E) or Immediate Export (IE) bonds.

Transit Permits are only required for plants and plant products requiring an APHIS import permit, treatment for entry, phytosanitary certification, or other proof of origination. Even if a written transit permit is not required, regulated products (e.g., APHIS-precleared commodities) are still subject to inspection and additional safeguarding requirements at the discretion of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (CBP), according to CBP procedures.

Transit Permits outline specific actions or conditions that are required for a regulated commodity to moves through the United States. All shipments must meet the requirements specified on the authorizing permit. CBP enforces permit conditions and monitors shipment movement by verifying the exit of regulated agricultural cargo.

A Transit Permit must be obtained prior to arrival of shipment for transit movement. All movement details must be evaluated by APHIS and CBP prior to any authorizations for in-bond movement; this takes time because various risk and resource factors are assessed for each proposed movement. As such, CBP and APHIS may refuse in-bond movements if pest risk cannot be sufficiently mitigated with facilities, staff and other needed resources.

A Transit Permit can be obtained HERE.

As permit processing can take 30-60 days, importers should apply for the permit well in advance of their first shipment. For more information, call the APHIS Permit Unit customer service line at (301) 851-2046 (toll-free: 877-770-5990).