Importing and Exporting Pesticides
FIFRA Topics
- Good Laboratory Practices
- FIFRA Grants
- Inspections
- Worker Protection Safety
- Pesticide Producing Establishments
- Pesticide Imports and Exports
EPA regulates pesticides under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). FIFRA section 17 governs the import of pesticides into and the export of pesticides from the United States. Policy documents are listed below.
You also may want to visit EPA's International Import/Export page for information on other import requirements.
Pesticides and Devices Intended for Export
Pesticides intended solely for export are not required to be registered provided that the exporter:
- Obtains and submits to EPA, prior to export, a statement from the foreign purchaser acknowledging that the purchaser is aware that the product is not registered in the United States and cannot be sold for use there. EPA sends these statements to the government of the importing country.
- Must be labeled "Not Registered for Use in the United States"
- Meet certain minimal labeling requirements, and must have certain labeling language in English and in the language(s) of the imported country(ies)
- Comply with FIFRA establishment registration and production reporting requirements
- Comply with FIFRA record keeping requirements
Note: The enforcement policy for exports is codified at 40 CFR 168.65, 168.75, and 168.85.
Importation of Pesticides and Devices
All pesticides and devices imported into the United States must:- Comply with U.S. pesticide law
- Be registered with EPA, except where exempted by regulation or statute
- Not be adulterated or otherwise violative
- Properly labeled
- Produced in an EPA-registered establishment that files annual reports with the Agency
The company must:
- Notify EPA of the arrival of imported pesticides and devices through the Notice of Arrival form (PDF) (EPA Form 3540-1) (935K, 2 pages, About PDF) prior to importation
- Submit the form to the EPA regional office applicable to the intended port of entry
Note: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations prohibit the importation of pesticides without a completed Notice of Arrival (NOA). The NOA indicates the identity and amount of the product, the arrival date, and where the product can be inspected. The EPA-reviewed and signed form is returned to the importer for presentation to CBP's district director at the port of entry. After arrival, EPA may inspect the shipment for compliance with U.S. pesticide laws.
EPA issued the following policy documents on pesticide imports and exports:
- Multilingual Labeling (PDF) (32K, 4 pages, About PDF)
- Questions and answers on supplemental labeling, effective date, registration status for labeling purposes, foreign purchaser acknowledgement statements, and confidentiality (PDF, 59K, 11 pages)
- Questions and answers (PDF) (41K, 5 pages, About PDF) on research and development pesticides and active ingredient concentrations
EPA has further information on international pesticide issues.
You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.