Plant Protection and Quarantine Act  
Date：2014.06.18  
Legislative  
1. Promulgated on January 10, 1996 and effective as of January 10, 1996.  
2. Amendment to Articles 2, 4, 13, 17~21, 26 promulgated on May 17, 2000. 
3. Amendment to Articles 11, 24 promulgated on January 17, 2001.  
4. Amendment to Articles 17, 22, 25, addition of Articles 8- 1, 18- 1, 19- 1, 21- 1 
promulgated on February 6, 2002. 
5. Amendment to Article 24, addition of Articles 6-1, 16- 1, 19- 2 promulgated on June 
12, 2002. 
6. Amendment to Articles 5, 17, 21~22, 24, 26, addition to Article 25 -1 promulgated 
on May 7, 2008.  
7. Amendment to Articles 3, 8, 8- 1, 11, 14~16, 17~18- 1, 22, 24, 25, addition to 
Article 13 -1 promulgated on June 18, 2014.  
Chapter I. GENERAL PROVISIONS  
Article 1  
This Act is enacted to control plant diseases and pests and prevent their spread. Matters not provided herein shall be governed by other applicable regulations. 
Article 2  
As used in this Act, the term "competent authority" shall denote the Council of 
Agriculture, Executive Yuan at the central government level (hereinafter referred to as the "central competent authority"); the municipal government at the municipality level (hereinafter referred to as the "municipal competent authority"); and the county  (city) 
government at the county  (city) level (hereinafter referred to as the "county  (city) 
competent authority").  
Article 3  
As used in this Act, the terms shall be defined as follows:  
I. "plants" denotes the seed plants, ferns, mosses, liverworts and useful fungi, and 
the portion thereof which may be propagated or cultivated. 
II. "plant products" denotes  the seeds or their embryos, bulbs, rhizomes, tubers, 
fresh fruits, nuts, dry fruits, vegetables, fresh flowers, dry flowers, grains, fresh medicinal herbs, lumbers or woods, organic media, and fertilizer s originating  
from plants, whether processed or not, which are likely to spread plant diseases 
and pests. 
III. "pests" denotes the fungi, slime molds, bacteria, viruses, viroids , phytoplasmas, 
parasitic plants, weeds, nematodes, insects, acarines, mollusks, other invertebrate 
animals, vertebrates animals, and  any pathogenic agent that is directly or 
indirectly injurious to plants . It also denotes i nvasive plants that are likely to 
result in damage to the ecosystem.  
IV. "plant disease and pest damages" denotes the injury and loss caused by pests to 
plants. 
V. "susceptible  plants" denotes host plants which are easily infected or infested with 
specific plant diseases and pests.  
VI. "cultivati on medium" denotes the soil s, peat and other natural or artificial media  
to which plants are attached or fixed to maintain plant life . 
Article 4  
The municipal or county  (city) competent authority shall establish or designate plant 
protection authority with duly authorized personnel.  
The central competent authority shall establish plant protection and quarantine authority with duly authorized personnel, and establish plant protection research institution if so deemed necessary.  
Article 5  
Plant protection officer shall have the authority to enter the cultivation places, warehouses and other relevant places or vessels, vehicles or aircrafts to i nspect plants, 
plant products and the package and containers thereof, examine relevant data of survey, monitor or prevention for pest s or make enquiries of relevant party at used for 
public transportation. No particular owner or relevant party shall withhold consent to the said inspection or examination. 
Plant quarantine officer shall have the authority to inspect plants, plant products and 
the package, container, commodity, postal parcel, luggage, vessels, vehicles, aircrafts and warehouse thereof, examine  relevant data or make enquiries of relevant party. No 
particular owner or relevant party shall withhold consent to the said inspection or examination.  
 
 Article 6  
Government authorities concerned shall render the necessary assistance and support to 
the plant protection or quarantine officers in implementing control measures. 
Article 6 -1 
Informing of violation against plant protection and quarantine regulations shall be 
rewarded to facilitate implementation of this Act；r ules for aforementioned reward  
shall be formulated by the central competent authority.  
Article 7  
In performing their duties in accordance with this Act, plant protection or quarantine 
officers shall neither exceed their powers nor infringe the rights and interests of another person. The central competent authority shall establish rules for the enforcement of plant protection and quarantine.  
Chapter II. PLANT PROTECTION  
Article 8  
The central competent authority may publish the types and scope of specific plant diseases and pests, and therefor e establish a monitoring or survey ing plan.  
The municipal or county (city) competent authority  shall coordinate with the 
preceding plan and execute the monitoring and survey ing thereof.  
The central competent authority may publish the control scheme for plant diseases and pests pursuant to the preceding monitoring or survey ing result s and by referring 
to the domestic ecological environment, agricultural  production, and other public 
interests.  
The municipal or county (city) competent authority  shall formul ate a regional control 
plan pursuant to the preceding scheme and report it to the central competent authority for approval before implementation, and the central competent authority shall inform the adjacent municipal or county (city) competent authority . 
The costs necessary for the preceding regional control plan shall be jointly borne by 
the central competent authority and municipal or county (city) competent authority . 
 Article 8 -1 
Where the plants or plant products manifest  plant diseases and pests, the owners and 
managers thereof shall control the plant diseases and pests pursuant to the notice or 
announcement of the municipal or county (city) competent authority . 
Owners and managers of plants or plant products shall immedi ately report to the 
municipal or county (city) competent authority when control measures are practiced but are ineffective in curtailing the spread of a specific disease or pest found on their plants or plant products thereof.  
Upon receiving the preceding report, the municipal or county (city) competent 
authority  shall conduct necessary disposal immediately and report to the central 
competent authority to notify the adjacent municipal or county (city) competent authority  and research and experiment station  to assist in necessary disposal.  
Article 9  
The central competent authority may  designate the types of plants for propagation 
purposes that require specific plant disease and pest inspection. The inspection rules and fee schedule shall be formulated by the central competent authority and submitted 
to the Legislative Yuan for approval  and record.  
The plants aforementioned for propagation purposes shall not be sold or relocated unless the inspection is passed and a certificate issued.  
Article 10  
The central competent authority shall have the powers to designate an area of infestation an d restrict or prohibit the relocation of plants, plant products, and soils, as 
well as the package, container and cultivation medium thereof beyond such area unless the prior approval of the central competent authority has otherwise been obtained. 
Rules fo r granting the above approval shall be formulated by the central competent 
authority and submitted to the Legislative Yuan for approval and record.  
Article 11  
When it deems necessary, the central competent authority may take the following 
emergency control  measures:  I. Restrict or prohibit the cultivation of related susceptible plants; if necessary, 
order the owner thereof to remove or destroy those already cultivated within a 
prescribed time limit; 
II. Order the owner to remove or destroy plants or plant products  suspected of 
having been infected or infested with specific plant diseases and pests within a prescribed time limit; 
III. Order the owner to kill relevant pests and prohibit the culture thereof;  
IV. Designate the region to conduct joint control measures ; or 
V. Establ ish quarantine inspection stations at the essential passages on the islands of 
Kinmen, Matsu and Penghu for conducting inspection, and if they are not inspected or inspected but found not in compliance with relevant regulations, restrict the plants or plan t products from moving off the islands or dispose of 
them in a way deemed necessary.  
Inspection procedures, ways of disposal, fee schedule, place for conducting inspection and any other relevant rule in relation to subparagraph 5 of the preceding paragraph shall be established by the central competent authority.  
Article 12  
With respect to the relevant susceptible plants , or plants or plant products suspected of 
having contracted specific plant disease(s) or pest(s), which are order ed to be 
removed or destroyed within a prescribed time  limit pursuant to subparagraph 1 or 2 
of the first paragraph, A rticle  11, the municipal or county  (city) competent authority 
shall set up an evaluation committee to evaluate the prices of those plants or plant products and pay their owner or management personnel full compensation as evaluated unless the owner or administrator is guilty of violating this Act, in which event no compensation shall be paid.  
Members of the above evaluation committee shall be  nominated by the municipal or 
county  (city) competent authority.  
Article 13  
The compensation provided in the preceding article shall be borne and paid by the municipal or county  (city) competent authority. The central competent authority may 
provide the subsidy to the payment in accordance with the rules established by the central competent authority.  
 Chapter III. PLANT QUARANTINE  
Article 13 -1 
The central competent authority  may designate the plants, plant products, and any 
other articles which are likely to spread  the pest , and promulgate  that these articles are 
subject to impor t quarantine (hereinafter referred to as “ regulated articles ”). 
The plant quarantine authority may carry out quarantine treatment , re-export,  
destruction or other necessary  measures whenever plants, plant products, or other kind 
of articles  likely to have the risk for transmitting pests  but not listed as regulated 
articles aforementioned.  
Article 14  
The central competent authority may publish the quarantine measures of regulated 
articles from certain countries and areas as follows based on the pest status and  the 
damage risk it might cause: 
I. Prohibit ion of  entry ; 
II. Enterable under precautionary requirem ents; and  
III. Post-entry quarantine . 
Governmental agencies (institutions), public enterprises, schools, corporations or 
organizations registered under relevant laws  may import the prohibited reg ulated 
articles under subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph  for purposes of experiment, 
research, educational or exhibiti on by the approval  of the central competent authority;  
the application process and the way of declaration, safeguard isolation control 
measures, treatments, and rules of other relevant matters s hall be establish ed by the 
central competent authority.  
If there is no import records  of the regulated articles with capability of propagation, 
relevant data of pest risk assessment shall be submitted  and approved by the plant 
quarantine authority for permission of importation. 
The application process and procedure of post -entry quarantine , the requirement for 
the establishment of quarantine field sites  and other relevant rule s in relation to 
subparagraph 3 of the first paragraph shall be established by  the central competent 
authority . 
 Article 15  
Importation of the following articles shall not be permitted unless they are applied for 
experimental, research, educational or exhibitive use by governmental  agencies  
(institutions), public enterprises, schools, corporations or organizations founded and 
registered under relevant laws , and approved by the central competent authority . 
I. Pests; 
II. Natural enemies, antagonist or c ompetitor  and other organism s used as biological 
control agents  for controlling pests ; 
III. Soils; 
IV. Plants , plant products or other articles with soil; and 
V. Packages or containers used by or harboring the  articles under the preceding four 
subparagraphs.  
The application process, methods of declaration, safety isolating control measures, 
methods of  disposal, and any other relevant rule related to the above approval  shall be 
formulat ed by the central competent authority . 
Article  16 
The importer or its agent shall import the regulated articles with a phytosanitary 
certificate issued by the plant quarantine authority of the exporting country; exemptions are published by the plant quarantine authority.  
The plant quarantine authority shall take the following measures of which the cost shall be borne by the importers of regulated articles pursuant to the preceding paragraph, if the importers fail to submit phytosanitary certificates or the phytosanitary certificates submitted contain information inconsistent with the pertinent quarantine requirements. 
I. Submit properly corrected phytosanitary certificates wit hin a specified time 
limit;  
II. Quarantine measures ; 
III. Re-export ; 
IV. Destroy . 
The phytosanitary certificate referred in the first paragraph, issued by the plant 
quarantine authority of the exporting country, may be issued electroni cally with the 
agreement by the plant quarantine authority.  
 Article 16 -1 
Transshipment of the plants or plant products are through countries or districts from 
where entry is prohibited or quarantine requirements were published by the central competent authority pursuant to Article 14 or  the preceding article shall be approved 
by the plant quarantine authority. T he plants or plant products without approval shall 
not be allowed to be imported or necessary precautionary measures shall be taken.  
Article 17  
The importer or its agent shall apply to the plant quarantine authority for quarantine of the regulated articles to be imported or transited  before their arrival at the ports of 
entry. The said importer or agent shall not unwrap or move the said plants or plant products before completion of quarantine inspection. 
Passengers or personnel of vehicle, vessel or aircraft carrying regulated articles shall 
apply for plant quarantine upon arrival at the port of entry.  
If regulated articles are imported by mail, their packages shall be affixed wi th a 
legible label indicating the ingredients, the postal authority shall notify and request the plant quarantine authority to perform quarantine inspection thereof . 
The central competent authority may  formulate certain regulations to simplify the 
quaranti ne procedure and it's supporting documents of regulated articles from other 
countries stored in Free Trade Zones and not for purpose of importation.  
Article 18  
Upon completion of quarantine pursuant to the preceding article s, the plant quarantine 
authority  shall issue a  certificate of  unserviceability  for those that are not complian t 
and then forbid it ’s import; the importer or its agent who follow s the rules may apply 
for the certificate of compliance.  
Article 18 -1 
Reapplication for quarantine of regulated articles or articles listed in Article 15 to be 
exported or imported, which are determined not in compliance with pertinent rules or 
regulations, shall not be perm itted.  
Article 19  
If any pest is found in the importing plants or plant products after quarantine inspection, the plant quarantine authority shall notify and request the importer or its 
agent to disinfect, destroy or re -export such plants or plant products  together with the 
packages and containers thereof within a prescribed time limit. If no such action is 
taken within the said time limit or if taking emergency measures is necessary, the 
plant quarantine authority shall directly dispose of the plants or pl ant products with 
the cost borne by the importer.  
Article 19 -1 
Plants or plant products in transit that are suspected of contracting or possibly 
spreading pests may be subject ed to appropriate quarantine or other safety measures 
by the plant quarantine aut hority.  
Article 19 -2 
The residues of plants or plant products carried by vehicles, vessels or aircrafts 
originated from foreign countries shall be prohibited from unloading.  
Article 20  
If an importing country requests a quarantine certificate for plants or  plant products to 
be exported, the exporter may apply to the plant quarantine authority for quarantine of 
the plants or plant products. The quarantine authority shall issue a phytosanitary 
certificate upon completion of the quarantine inspection. 
The said  quarantine inspection shall be performed on the premises of the plant 
quarantine authority; on- site inspection may be performed if so deemed necessary by 
the authority.  
Article 21  
Necessary costs may be charged for quarantine services performed. The rates  and fee 
schedule shall be established by the central competent authority.  
Article 21 -1 
When the importers or their agents apply for quarantine inspection of plants or plant 
products to be exported, imported or transited, the relevant regulations on mode, 
procedure and duration of application, quarantine operation procedure, standard and 
method of quarantine treatment, treatment for pests, post -entry quarantine procedure, 
issuance of phytosanitary certificate, and other related matters shall be established by 
the central  quarantine authority.  Chapter IV. PENAL PROVISIONS  
Article 22  
Any person who is guilty of importing or transhipping articles in violation of 
subparagraph 1 of the first paragraph,  Article 14 or s ubparagraph 1 of the first 
paragraph , Article 15 shall be penalized by imprisonment for not exceeding three 
years, detention and/or a fine of not exceeding NT$150,000. 
The regulated articles, other goods or things , and the packages , containers and 
cultivation medium thereof in violation of s ubparagraph 1 of the first paragraph, 
Article 14 or s ubparagraph 1 of the first paragraph,  Article 15, no matter who is the 
owner, shall be seized  before the first -instance judgement . 
Article 23  
If the representative of a legal entity, or the agent, employee or other staff of a legal 
entity or natural person is guilty of committing the offense under the first paragraph of 
the preceding article in the course of rendering their services, the violator shall be 
penalized; in addition, the legal entity or natural person shall be imposed with the fine 
under the said paragraph; if the representative of a legal entity or a natural person can 
prove that best effort has been made to prevent the commission of the offense, neither 
the legal entity nor the natural person shall be penalized.  
Article 24  
A fine ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000 shall be imposed on the particular 
violator if the violator is guilty of: 
I. Violating the second paragraph of Article 9 and  selling or relocating  the plants;  
II. Violating the order of restriction or prohibition under the first paragraph of 
Article 10; 
III. Violating  anyone of s ubparagraph 1 to 3 of the first  paragraph , Article 11 ; 
IV. Violating the second paragraph of Article 14 and  the second paragraph of Article 
15 regarding relevant rules shall be followed by importer ; 
V. The importer or it's agent violating the first paragraph of Article 17, not apply ing 
for quarantine , or unwrap ping or moving  the plants or plant products before 
completion of quarantine inspection;  
VI. Owner s or manager s of vessels, vehicles, or aircrafts violating Article 19 -2 
loading  the residue of plants or plant products .  
If penalty is carried out pursuant to s ubparagraph 1 to 3 of the first p aragraph, the 
plants, plant products, pests, soils, and the packages, containers and cultivation 
medium thereof shall be removed or destroyed within a prescribed time limit. If the said articles are not removed or destroyed within the time limit, the munic ipal or 
county (city) competent authority shall act to remove or destroy the said articles, and the cost for such actions shall be borne by their owners or management personnel. 
If penalty is carried out pursuant to the subparagraph 6 of the  first paragraph, the 
plants or plant products shall be destroyed by the plant quarantine authority or its 
commissioned organizations, and the cost for such actions shall be borne by owner s or 
manage rs of vehicles, vessels or aircrafts.  
Article 25  
A fine ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$50,000 shall be imposed on the particular 
violator if the violator  is guilty of: 
I. Evading, hindering or refusing the execution of duties performed by plant 
protection or quarantine officers pursuant to Article 5 without appropriate 
reason;  
II. Violating the first p aragraph  of Article 8 -1 and fail ing to  conduct control 
measures pursuant to the notice or announcement by the municipal or county 
(city) competent authority ; 
III. Failing to report the pest status as required under the second paragraph of Article 
8-1 without appropriate reason;  
IV. Evading, hindering or refusing the inspection of specific plant diseases and pests 
by the central competent authority pursuant to the first paragraph of Article 9 without appropriate reason;  
V. Owners or managers of the plants or plant products fail to conduct joint control 
measures prescribed by the central competent autho rity pursuant to s ubparagraph 
4 of the first p aragraph , Article 11 ; or  
VI. Violating the  subparagraph 5 of the first  paragraph , Article 11, moving out the  
plants or plant products which  are not inspected or inspected but found not in 
compliance with relevant regulations. 
If a penalty is carried out pursuant to subparagraph 2 of the  preceding  paragraph, the 
municipal or county (cit y) competent authority  may order the violator thereof to make 
improvement s within a prescribed time frame ; if improvement is not made within the time limit, a penalty will be carried out according to the times thereof.  
Article 25 -1 
Passengers or personnel of vehicle, vessel or aircraft violate the second paragraph of 
Article 17 sh all be fined ranging from NT$3,000 to NT$15,000. 
Article 26  
The fine provided herein shall be imposed by the municipal or county (city) 
competent authority or the plant quarantine authority.  
Chapter V. SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS  
Article 27  
The enforcement rules of this Act shall be established by the central competent authority.  
Article 28  
This Act shall become effective as of the date of its promulgation.