Commercial Birds
Importing Commercial Birds into the United States
ADVISORY: Until further notice, there is a temporary ban on the importation of pet birds from Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Cambodia, Cameroon, Czech Republic (regions (kraj) of Kralovehradecky and Pardubicky ONLY), Djibouti, Germany (the following kreis ONLY): Muldental, Torgue-Oschatz, Dobeln, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Schwandorf, Neustadt A.D. Aisch, Bamberg, Kitzingen, Erlangen-Hochstadt, Oberhavel, Havelland, Ostprignitz-Ruppin, Potsdam-Mittelmark, Uckermark, Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Prignitz, Jerichower Land, Gorlitz and Bautzen, Ghana, Hong Kong, Hungary (Bacs-Kiskun and Csongrad counties ONLY), India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Japan, Jordan, Laos, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Autonomous Territories, Peoples' Republic of China, Poland (voivodships [provinces] of Warminsko-Mazurskie, Mazowiekie, and Kujawsko-Pomorskie ONLY), Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sudan, Sweden (Kalmar county ONLY), Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom (counties of Norfolk, and Suffolk, England), and Vietnam.
The USDA defines commercial birds as those birds which are imported for resale, breeding, public display, or any other purpose, except pet birds, zoological birds, research birds, or performing or theatrical birds.
Import Procedures (from all countries except Canada): All commercial birds must be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days at a USDA Animal Import Center. The birds must also be accompanied by a USDA import permit (VS Form17-129), issued prior to shipment of the birds. The importer must contact a USDA Animal Import Center directly to apply for the import permit and reserve quarantine space in the facility. The addresses for the USDA Animal Import Centers are listed below.
New York Animal Import Center
USDA, APHIS, VS
200 Drury Lane
Rock Tavern, NY 12575
(845) 564-2950 (phone)
(845) 564-1075 (fax)
Miami Animal Import Center
USDA-APHIS-VS
6300 NW 36 Street
Miami, FL 33122
(305) 526-2926 (phone)
(305) 526-2929 (fax)
Los Angeles Animal Import Center
USDA, APHIS, VS
11850 South La Cienega Boulevard
Hawthorne, CA 90250
(310) 725-1970 (phone)
(310) 725-9119 (fax)
- All commercial birds must be accompanied by a current veterinary health certificate issued within 30 days of importation and endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the agency responsible for animal health of the national government of the exporting country. The health certificate must be translated into English.
- All commercial birds must be inspected by a USDA port veterinarian at the first U.S. port of entry. The importer must arrange for this inspection at least 72 hours in advance by contacting the USDA port veterinarian at the telephone number listed on the import permit.
- The importer must retain the services of a customs broker to facilitate the importation and, in some cases, to transport the commercial birds from the port of entry to the USDA Animal Import Center. The importer should contact the USDA Animal Import Center for a list of customs brokers to provide this service.
- During the quarantine period, all commercial birds will be tested to determine if they are free of certain communicable diseases of poultry. The cost for this diagnostic testing will be charged to the importer and is separate from the quarantine fee.
- Total payment of the quarantine and diagnostic testing fees is required when the import permit application is submitted. The payment amount will be provided to the importer by the USDA Animal Import Center.
The daily user fee rate for standard care, feed, and handling of commercial birds quarantined in a USDA Animal Import Center is as follows:
0 - 250 grams in weight - $1.75
251 - 1,000 grams in weight - $5.75
Over 1,000 grams in weight - $13.00
Commercial Birds Imported From Canada:
Commercial birds imported from Canada into the United States are not required to be quarantined. However, commercial birds must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate issued within 30 days of importation and endorsed by a full-time salaried veterinarian of the Canadian government. Commercial birds must be inspected by a USDA veterinarian at the first U.S. port of entry.
An import permit is not required for commercial birds imported from Canada through a U.S.-Canadian land border port. However, if commercial birds enter the United States through an airport, an import permit (VS Form 17-129) is required.
This permit may be downloaded from the internet at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/forms.shtml or by contacting us:
USDA, APHIS, VS
National Center for Import and Export
4700 River Road, Unit 39
Riverdale, MD 20737
(301) 734-8364 Telephone
(301) 734-6402 Fax
Fish and Wildlife Service Permit Information
In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) regulates the importation of birds protected by the Convention on International trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the Wild Bird Conservation Act of 1992 (WBCA). These regulations are part of international conservation effort to protect exotic wild birds subject to trade. Most exotic pet birds including parrots, parakeets, macaws, lories, and cockatoos are affected by CITES and the WBCA. However, the budgerigar, cockatiel, and rosy-faced lovebirds are exempt.
According to the WBCA, in order to import a pet bird of non-U.S. origin into the United States, you must have continuously resided outside of the United States for at least one year. In addition, the WBCA limits the number of pet birds that can be imported to two birds per person, per year. All required WBCA and CITES permits must accompany the bird while in transit.
Please visit the FWS web site at: http://permits.fws.gov/ to obtain more information and the permit application. If you have questions you can contact the FWS at (800) 358-2104. Overseas calls should be placed to (703) 358-2104.