Guidance

Transiting animals and animal products through Great Britain

Rules to follow if you’re moving animals or animal products from one country to another and transiting through Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), known as ‘landbridge’ movements.

This guidance is about transiting:

  • live animals
  • germinal products
  • animal by-products not for human consumption (ABP)
  • products of animal origin for human consumption (POAO)
  • high-risk food and feed not of animal origin (HRFNAO)  

You need to follow different guidance if: 

EU through Great Britain to EU transits

Transits from the EU are categorised into high, medium and low risk categories under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).

Read more about transiting live animals, germinal products, POAO, ABP and HRFNAO under the Border Target Operating Model.

This guidance covers the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for EU goods moving from the EU through Great Britain to the EU.

Qualifying Northern Ireland goods do not have to follow this process.

Live animals, germinal products, ABP and POAO transiting through Great Britain must be notified on IPAFFS (Import of products, animals, food and feed system). You must do this at least one working day before it is expected to arrive at the point of entry. 

Transits of medium and high risk products must travel with a health certificate. 

If you’re transiting medium risk fishery products that do not need animal health attestations, you only need a commercial document.  

If you’re transiting medium risk ABP but there’s currently no health certificate for your goods, you only need a commercial document.

You must confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain. For live animals, germinal products and ABP, email the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) at ImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk. For POAO email GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. 

The email needs to include: 

  • the IPAFFS notification reference number 
  • details of the means of transport 
  • the date the consignment left Great Britain 
  • a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill) 

To find out how the information you send to the mailbox will be used, you can ask for a copy of the privacy notice. 

Currently, live animals, germinal products, ABP and POAO can enter and exit Great Britain through any port with no physical or identity checks. 

You’ll also need to follow specific guidance below if you’re transiting: 

  • live animals 
  • germinal products 
  • POAO 
  • ABP

Live animals

Live animals transiting through Great Britain must have an Intra Trade Animal Health Certificate (ITAHC) created in TRACES (Trade Control and Export System)

You must attach a copy of the ITAHC to the IPAFFS notification. IPAFFS notification does not replace your intra-EU movement on TRACES

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting through Great Britain. 

All live animals will need: 

  • transporter authorisation issued by APHA 
  • vehicle approval certificates from the relevant bodies in Great Britain or Northern Ireland 

You will also need a certificate of competence for cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, horses or poultry travelling over 40 miles or 65 kilometres by road.    

You need an EU and a UK journey log if you’re moving cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or unregistered horses for trade: 

  • from Great Britain to the EU 
  • from the EU to Great Britain 
  • if your journey is more than 8 hours 

You cannot use EU-issued documents (which includes the Republic of Ireland) in Great Britain. 

To apply for a transporter authorisation from APHA, the transporter must be represented in Great Britain. For more information, contact: 

The maximum permitted journey time varies by species and life stage. A consignment of animals may need to be rested for 24 hours. There are approved control posts where animals can be unloaded.

Animal by-products not for human consumption

Transits of ABP must use transporters that are registered on the list of approved and registered ABP operating plants

ABP transits also need an ABP commercial document created in TRACES, which you must attach to your IPAFFS notification. 

Transits of ABP from the EU to Northern Ireland through Great Britain will need to be notified on IPAFFS. You must do this at least one working day before it is expected to arrive at the point of entry. 

IPAFFS notification does not replace your intra-EU movement on TRACES.

EU through Great Britain to non-EU countries transits

Transits from the EU are categorised into high, medium and low risk categories under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM).  

Read more about transiting live animals, germinal products, POAO, ABP and HRFNAO under the Border Target Operating Model.

The SPS requirements you must meet for EU goods moving from the EU to Great Britain to non-EU countries will depend on the commodities you’re sending. 

Qualifying Northern Ireland goods do not have to follow this process.

Live animals, germinal products, ABP and POAO transiting through Great Britain must be notified on IPAFFS. You must do this at least one working day before it is expected to arrive at the point of entry. 

Transits of medium and high risk products must travel with a health certificate. 

If you’re transiting medium risk fishery products that do not need animal health attestations, you only need a commercial document.  

If you’re transiting medium risk ABP but there’s currently no health certificate for your goods, you only need a commercial document.

You must confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain. For live animals, germinal products and ABP, email APHA at ImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk. For POAO email GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. 

The email needs to include: 

  • the IPAFFS notification reference number 
  • details of the means of transport 
  • the date the consignment left Great Britain 
  • a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill) 

To find out how the information you send to the mailbox will be used, you can ask for a copy of the privacy notice. 

Currently, live animals, germinal products, ABP and POAO can enter and exit Great Britain through any port with no physical or ID checks. 

You must check you have the right documentation to export your commodity from the EU member state of origin to the destination country. 

You’ll also need to follow specific guidance below if you’re transiting: 

  • live animals 
  • germinal products 
  • POAO 
  • ABP

Live animals

Live animals transiting through Great Britain must also have a GB health certificate. You must attach a copy to the IPAFFS notification.  

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting Great Britain. 

All live animals will need: 

  • transporter authorisation issued by APHA 
  • certificates of competence 
  • vehicle approval certificates from the relevant bodies in Great Britain or Northern Ireland 

You need an EU and UK journey log if you’re moving cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or unregistered horses for trade: 

  • from Great Britain to the EU 
  • from the EU to Great Britain 
  • if your journey is more than 8 hours 

You cannot use EU-issued documents (including those issued in the Republic of Ireland) in Great Britain. 

To apply for a transporter authorisation from APHA, the transporter must be represented in Great Britain. For more information, contact: 

The maximum permitted journey time varies by species and life stage. A consignment of animals may need to be rested for 24 hours. There are approved control posts where animals can be unloaded.

Animal by-products not for human consumption

Transits of ABP must use transporters that are registered on the list of approved and registered ABP operating plants.  

Transits of ABP also need an ABP commercial document.

Non-EU through Great Britain to EU or non-EU countries transits

This guidance covers the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for non-EU goods moving to Great Britain to: 

  • the EU 
  • a non-EU country 

Live animals, germinal products, POAO and ABP from a non-EU country transiting through Great Britain must: 

  • be notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before your consignment is due to arrive 
  • have a GB health certificate 

The goods must enter and exit Great Britain at a point of entry with the relevant border control post (BCP) for documentary and identity checks. Physical checks are only carried out in cases of suspected non-compliance.  

You’ll also need to follow specific guidance below if you’re transiting: 

  • live animals 
  • ABP

Live animals

You must follow animal welfare requirements for animals transiting Great Britain.

Animal by-products not for human consumption 

Transits of ABP must also have a GB import health certificate or importer declaration indicating that the consignment is intended for transit.

The ship supplies process for goods arriving from non-EU countries

If your consignments of animal products are for ship supplies and they enter Great Britain through a different point of entry from the one where the ship they are supplying is docked, you must follow the ship supplies process: 

  1. They must have a GB transit health certificate.  
  2. The consignment must enter Great Britain at a point of entry with the relevant BCP
  3. Documentary and identity checks will be completed at the entry BCP and the Port Health Authority (PHA) will issue a specific ship supplies or captain’s certificate.  
  4. The consignment is then transported to the port of exit where the ship is docked. 
  5. The captain of the ship signs the ship supply certificate when the goods are loaded onto the ship. 
  6. The ship supply certificate is returned to the entry BCP as confirmation the goods have left GB and are intact.  

The captain’s certificate removes the requirement for exit checks at the exit BCP.

The ship supplies process for goods arriving from EU countries 

Transits from the EU are categorised into high, medium and low risk categories under the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM). 

You need transit health certificates for ship supplies that are categorised as medium or high-risk products.

Ship supplies must also be notified on IPAFFS at least one working day before your consignment is due to arrive. You’ll need to tell authorities in Great Britain when consignments have left Great Britain. To do this, email GBtransit-notification@defra.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. The email needs to include: 

  • the IPAFFS notification reference number 
  • details of the means of transport 
  • the date the consignment left Great Britain 
  • a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)

Transiting animal products from the EU through Great Britain from 30 April 2024 

From 30 April 2024, new documentary, identity and physical checks at the border on transits of high and medium BTOM risk germinal products, POAO, ABP and HRFNAO from the EU, except from the island of Ireland, will be introduced.  

All goods must enter and exit at a point of entry with the relevant BCP.  

You’ll need to tell authorities in Great Britain when consignments have left Great Britain. To do this, email the PHA email address for your exit BCP. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. The email needs to include: 

  • the IPAFFS notification reference number 
  • details of the means of transport 
  • the date the consignment left Great Britain 
  • a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill) 

High BTOM risk animal products will have identity checks on entry and exit. 

Some medium BTOM risk goods will have identity checks on entry or exit.

Low BTOM risk goods will not need health certificates. They may have identity checks on entry or exit, but these will not be routine.

Goods from the island of Ireland will not have any identity or physical checks when they enter Great Britain to transit to the EU, even if they are not qualifying Northern Ireland goods. They may have checks when they exit Great Britain. 

Goods transiting Great Britain from the EU will not have any identity or physical checks when they exit Great Britain to transit to the island of Ireland. They may have checks when they enter Great Britain.

Transiting live animals from the EU through Great Britain from 30 April 2024 

You’ll need to follow the current process to:  

  • notify authorities in Great Britain  
  • check what documents you need 
  • tell authorities in Great Britain once the commodity has left Great Britain

Transiting animals and animal products from non-EU countries through Great Britain from 30 April 2024 

From 30 April 2024, transits from non-EU countries will be categorised into high, medium and low risk under the BTOM.  

If you’re transiting high, medium or low BTOM risk category goods from a non-EU country through Great Britain, you’ll need to follow the current process to:  

  • enter and exit Great Britain at a point of entry with the relevant BCP 
  • notify authorities in Great Britain  
  • check what documents you need 
  • tell authorities in Great Britain once the commodity has left Great Britain

Transiting live animals from the EU through Great Britain from late 2024 

From late 2024, new documentary, identity and physical checks at the border on transits of live animals from the EU will be introduced.   

All live animals will need to enter and exit at a point of entry with the relevant BCP. All checks will be carried out at the BCP

You must confirm that the consignment has left Great Britain by emailing the APHA at ImportsRiskManagement@apha.gov.uk. Use the subject line ‘Confirmation that a consignment has left Great Britain territory’. 

The email needs to include: 

  • the IPAFFS notification reference number 
  • details of the means of transport 
  • the date the consignment left Great Britain 
  • a copy of the commercial documents (bill of lading or airway bill)

If you need help with import notifications

Call the APHA helpline on 03300 416 999, or email APHAServiceDesk@apha.gov.uk.

If you need help with your customs processes

Contact HMRC for help.

Published 18 December 2020
Last updated 31 January 2024 + show all updates
  1. The guidance has been updated to include current information about the border target operating model risk categories and health certificates.

  2. This page has been updated to reflect current requirements and to add new sections for future changes under the Border Target Operating Model. The 'goods that transit the EU' section has been moved to another guide, and a link to it added to this one.

  3. Removed references to changes to import controls previously due to come into effect on 1 July 2022, as these have been postponed. The page will be updated in autumn 2022 with new dates for import controls.

  4. Import controls on EU goods to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) planned from July will not be introduced in 2022. The controls that have already been introduced remain in place. This page will be updated in autumn 2022.

  5. Updated the section 'If you need help with your customs declaration'.

  6. Guidance updated to show change in rules from 1 January 2022 for imports from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain.

  7. Added a 'If you need help with your customs declaration' section to the bottom of the page.

  8. Updated the guidance with new dates for the introduction of controls on transit goods.

  9. Removed references to unique notification numbers (UNN) for health certificates as they do not apply to imports from non-EU countries transiting the EU to Great Britain.

  10. Updated to reflect the new timetable for the introduction of the next stage of UK import requirements for transit goods.

  11. Added the email address for receiving countries to notify APHA when a consignment has left GB.

  12. First published.