APHIS eFile

How to Apply for PPQ 587 Import Permits

Application for permit to import plants and plant products

Version 3.0

September 2021
2

WELCOME! 

USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) has a new option to submit PPQ 587 import 

permit applications. This user guide will take you through the process of submitting a permit 

application, and how to amend, renew, and cancel permits.

If you have not logged into APHIS eFile yet, please refer to the APHIS eFile First Time User Guide. 

If you’ve already gone through the first time user process and are an organization admin, refer to the 

APHIS eFile Organization Accounts User Guide.

For more APHIS eFile PPQ Form 587 support materials:

Check out our "How to" playlist on the APHIS YouTube Channel

Review this and other User Guides online on the APHIS eFile Training Page
3

I AM THE APPLICANT

Before you apply for your PPQ 587 permit application, there are several things to note when applying in eFile.

eFile PPQ 587 Application:

• There is a 500 article, or commodity, limit on an application

• Each application has a unique application number, labeled with A - ########

• Add a reference name to make it easier to search for your application and easily identify it in the future

• Example: “Spring Fruit Shipment”

Post Application Submission:

• Each article-country combination on your application can result in its own outcome (i.e., a permit, a letter of denial, letter of no 

permit required, etc.)

• One application can result in multiple permits

• You will receive email notifications once a permit or letter has been issued or if there are additional actions you need to take

• Each permit has a unique permit number, labeled with P - ########

• Each letter has a unique letter number, labeled with L - ########

• You will still be able to access your permits in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) system
4

I AM THE APPLICANT

Before you apply for your PPQ 587 permit application, there are several things to note when applying in eFile.

Permit Numbers:

• In eFile there are two different permit numbers:

1. System Generated Permit Record Number Example: P-00001234

• This number is the Record ID number that is autogenerated when a permit has been created. This is not a smart 

number, and does not represent the year, permit type, or any additional information.

2. APHIS Permit Number Example: 556-20-201-00015

• This number will be on your permit and the number that CBP will reference when importing your articles into the U.S.

• The format of this number is: Permit Prefix-Calendar Year-Ordinal Day-Sequential Number

• The Program Prefix indicates the type of permit.
5

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Complete and Submit Your Application

Page 6

View Outcomes and Labels

Page 26

Amend Permit

Page 40

Renew Permit

Page 47

Cancel Permit

Page 54

Clone an Application

Page 59
6

I AM THE APPLICANT

Step 1: Navigate to APHIS eFile

Page 7

Step 2: Sign into eFile

Page 8

Step 3: Create a New Application

Page 9

Step 4: Select Applicant/Permittee Contacts

Page 10

Step 5: Select the Intended Use

Page 16

Step 6: Select Articles

Page 18

Step 7: Upload Files

Page 23

Step 8: Certify and Submit Application

Page 24
7

Step 1: Navigate to APHIS eFile 

Navigate to https://efile.aphis.usda.gov/s/ in Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari (eFile is not supported by Internet Explorer).
8

Step 2: Sign into eFile

Select Login and sign in using your eAuthentication username and password. If you are not eAuthenticated, select Create 

an Account and follow the steps to become eAuthenticated. You must be eAuthenticated to apply in APHIS eFile. 

A

Note: If your eAuthentication is not Verified, you will be prompted with various questions to upgrade your eAuth

(Example question: What is your Social Security number?). Complete these questions in order to proceed. 

A
9

Step 3: Create a New Application 

Under the Ready to Apply section, select the PPQ-587 Application. Please note, the application will not appear as an 

option if you are not signed in. 

Select Get Started to begin your application. 

 Please note if you have more than one account in APHIS eFile, use the drop-down to select your Sharing Organization. 

A

B

A

B
10

Step 4: Select Applicant/Permittee Contacts Applicant/Permittee 

Contacts

Once you have created your new application, you will land on the Applicant/Permittee Contacts section of the application. In this 

section you will identify the responsible parties for your import materials. 

Types of responsible parties include:

Applicant – The individual is who is applying for a PPQ permit.

Permittee – The individual who is the permit holder or responsible party and whose name will be on the permit. 
11

Step 4: Select Applicant/Permittee Contacts Applicant/Permittee 

Contacts

Applicant Information

Confirm that your information on your Contact Card is up to date. If you are a first-time user, you may need to 

provide additional contact information such as your business and/or mailing address and phone number.

 To update your contact information, select Edit, then update the information in the appropriate fields.

Answer the required question, “Will you be the Permittee?” to indicate whether you will be the permit holder.

 If you select No, you will need to provide the Permittee’s contact information in an additional section of the page.

 Please note that to provide company information, input your company name into the Organization field on the 

contact.

 Please note that to add a company to the contact information, input the company name into the Organization field.

A

B

A

A

B
12

Step 4: Select Applicant/Permittee Contacts Applicant/Permittee 

Contacts

Using the Contact Cards

The Contact Cards are saved into eFile for 

repeated, future use. The cards are sorted 

alphabetically by last name from left to right.

To find a contact you’ve previously used, 

enter the contact’s name, organization, 

or email into the search bar or use the 

page arrows to manually search. 

To create a new contact, select Create 

New Contact and enter their information 

and save. 

C

D

• To edit or update a contact’s information, select Edit. Please note that editing a contact will update that contact’s 

information for all future uses before selecting the contact. However, if you update after selection the contact will not update

for all future uses.

E

C

C

D

E
13

Step 4: Select Applicant/Permittee Contacts Applicant/Permittee 

Contacts

Permittee Information

Please note you will only see this section if you, the applicant, have indicated that you will not be the permit holder. If 

you are a first-time user, you will need to create a new Permittee contact. 

F Use the Contact Card section to select the Permittee. 

If this is a contact you 

have never used before, 

select Create New 

Contact.

F
14

Step 4: Select Applicant/Permittee Contacts Applicant/Permittee 

Contacts

Permittee Information

G Answer the required question, “What is your relationship to the permittee?”.

If you select “Other”, enter a 

response in the Relationship 

Explanation required field.

Review the 

certification 

statement and 

then select the 

checkbox.

G
15

Step 4: Select Applicant/Permittee Contacts Applicant/Permittee 

Contacts

Permittee Information

Select Add New File to attach supporting documentation, such as a Power of Attorney Agreement, to prove that you have 

permission from the Permittee to fill out and submit this application on their behalf (accepts Word, PDF, JPEG, and PNG 

formats). 

Note: It is not required for you to upload supporting documentation.

H

H
16

Step 5: Select the Intended Use Intended Use

Select the Intended Use.

Select the Commodity Type.

Note: The selection for Commodity Type will vary 

depending on the Intended Use.

Enter an Application Reference Name. 

Note: The Application Reference Name is a way for 

you to name this application, which can be easily 

identifiable in the future. This is not a required field. 

Select Save and Next to proceed to the next 

section.

A

B

C

D

A

C

D

B
17

Step 5: Select the Intended Use Intended Use

If you are submitting a PPQ 587 application with Plants for Planting as the Intended Use, the system will check for any permits 

issued with the same applicant/permittee contacts and intended use. You can only have one permit with the Intended Use, 

Plants for Planting, active at a time. 

If you receive this pop-up, you have two options: 

Select the linked permit reference # (P-0000) to amend or renew the issued permit.

Select Cancel and change the Applicant/Permittee contacts and/or Intended Use selected on the application.

1

2

1

2
18

Step 6: Select Articles Select Articles

Select the Process Type. Process types include Fresh, 

Dried, Frozen, Cooked, among others.

Note: The Process Types available will depend on the 

selections for Intended Use and Commodity Type.

Enter the Country of Origin of the article(s) you wish to 

import into the lookup and select it when it displays.

Note: You can add multiple Countries of Origin at a time.

Find an Article by typing the common or scientific name into 

the lookup. Select it when it displays. 

Note: You can add multiple Articles at a time.

Select Add to Application

Note: All country and article combinations of your selections 

will display in the selected articles table. 

A

B

C

D

A

B

C

D
19

Step 6: Select Articles Select Articles

Tips for Selecting Articles:

Enter multiple Countries of Origin for 

one Article and select Add Article(s) 

to Application.

Enter multiple Articles from one 

Country of Origin and select Add 

Article(s) to Application. 

Note: There is a 500-article limit you 

can add to one application. An error 

message will display if you’ve reached 

the limit.

E

F

Multiple Countries of 

Origin for one Article

E

Multiple Articles from 

one Country of Origin

F
20

Step 6: Select Articles Select Articles G Select Save and Next

Select the arrow 

associated with a 

column header to 

sort alphabetically.

Use the trashcan 

icon to delete a 

single article from 

the table.

Remove multiple articles 

at once by selecting the 

associated checkboxes 

and then Remove 

Selection(s) from 

Application button.

G
21

Step 6: Select Articles Select Articles

In some cases, you will see two of the same line items, or country-article combinations in the Selected Articles table. This 

means that it is optional for you to irradiate those line items in the U.S. include. 

Note: Visit https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/ to view the current list 

of articles that are optional to irradiate in the U.S.
22

Step 6: Select Articles Select Articles

In some cases, articles you have selected will appear in the Invalid Combinations table. This means that the country-article 

combinations, or line-items, you have selected are undetermined and are not in the ACIR database and you cannot apply for these.

If you think this is a mistake, try specifying a specific article or searching using the scientific name. Please contact APHIS PPQ at 

acirdatabase.comments@usda.gov or 240-529-0350 or additional support.
23

Step 7: Upload Files Upload Files

In certain instances, you can upload files to supplement your application. This file upload is an optional step. If you do not have 

any files to add, you can click the checkmark to indicate that you have no additional documentation.

Select Add New File to attach supporting documentation such as a SOPs, technical documentation, pictures of commodities, 

etc. (accepts Word, PDF, JPEG, and PNG formats). 

If you don’t have any files to upload, select the I don’t have any files to upload checkmark.

Note: It is not required for you to upload supporting documentation.

A

B

A

B
24

Step 8: Certify & Submit Certify & Submit

Review the Applicant/Permittee Contacts, 

Intended Use, and Select Articles sections to 

confirm your information is correct.

Review the certification statements and select both 

of the “I hereby certify...” checkboxes.

Note: To see allowed imports and conditions, check 

ACIR at https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/. 

Once you have confirmed all data is correct, select 

Submit Application.

Note: Once you have submitted your application, you 

cannot make any changes.

A

B

C

Use the Edit button to 

update information in 

the appropriate 

sections.

A

B

C
25

Submission Confirmation

Congratulations! You have submitted your application. You will receive an email from APHIS eFile once your application has been 

processed. At that point you can view your application outcomes. You will also receive an email whenever a Permit or Letter is issued 

and when there are additional actions you need to take. 

Note: Check your junk mailbox if you don’t see an email from aphis.efile@usda.gov in your inbox.

Add the APHIS eFile emails 

aphis.efile@usda.gov and 

support@salesforce.com to 

your address book to prevent 

any automatic emails are not 

sent to junk.

Select Download 

Application PDF 

to save a PDF copy 

of your application.
26

VIEW OUTCOMES

Applicant Action Required

Page 27

Pending APHIS Review

Page 33

Permits

Page 34

Labels

Page 35

No Permit Required

Page 38

Prohibited

Page 39
27

View Outcomes

Your application has been processed and each application line item, or articlecountry combination, has been sorted to its appropriate outcome category. The 

different outcome categories include:

• Applicant Action Required

• Pending APHIS Review

• Permits (labels if needed)

• No Permit Required

• Prohibited

The next pages review what each Outcome section means and any actions you can 

or should take.
28

View Outcomes

Applicant Action Required

Application line items that require your action will appear in this section. 

There are two kinds of actions you may need to take including:

• Compliance Agreement Required: You are required to obtain 

a Compliance Agreement because it is mandatory to irradiate 

the article in the United States.

• You will need to review and accept Permit Conditions after 

obtaining a Compliance Agreement. You can take this 

action on the Permits section of your application details 

page. 

• Action Required: It is optional to obtain a Compliance 

Agreement. If you choose to irradiate the article(s) in the United 

States, you will need a Compliance Agreement.

Please note the actions for both situations are displayed on the following pages.
29

View Outcomes – Compliance Agreement Required

Applicant Action Required

Select Compliance Agreement 

Required.

 Answer the question, “Do you have a 

valid Compliance Agreement?”

A

1

2

If Yes, select Save and Continue.

Note: You will receive an email notifying you when draft permit conditions are ready for your review and 

acceptance. 

If you select No, please read the warning message. 

Note: You must have a Compliance Agreement to be issued a permit. The application line item, or 

country-article combination, will stay in the Applicant Action Required section until you return and 

indicate that you have a valid Compliance Agreement. 

1

2
30

View Outcomes – Accept Permit Conditions

You will be emailed when the permit has 

been drafted. You need to review and 

accept the conditions to receive the permit. 

To Accept Permit Conditions:

• Log into eFile and select Applicant 

Action Required

• Navigate to your permit by searching 

for the Permit Ref # (P-00000000)

• Select View Details associated with the 

permit

A

B

C

A

B

C
31

View Outcomes – Accept Permit Conditions

Select View Permit PDF to review the 

conditions on the Draft Permit

Note: You will be taken to a new 

browser tab with the draft Permit PDF.

Once you’ve reviewed the conditions, 

navigate back to the permit details page 

and select Accept Permit Conditions

Note: After accepting the permit 

conditions, APHIS will review your 

acceptance and you will receive an 

email once your Permit has been 

issued.

D

E

D

E
32

View Outcomes – Action Required

Applicant Action Required

Select Action Required

 Answer the question, “Will you irradiate X 

article from X country in the United States?”

A

1

2

If you select Yes, answer the follow up question “Do you have a valid Compliance Agreement?”.

 If Yes, select Save and Continue.

 If you select No, please read the warning message: 

If you select No, select Save and Continue. 

1

Note: When you select Save and Continue, your permit will be automatically issued and display in the 

Permits section of the page. 

2
33

View Outcomes – Pending APHIS Review

Pending APHIS Review

Applications that require additional APHIS review or a Compliance Agreement, will appear in the Pending APHIS Review section.

This section will only display if you have indicated that you have a valid compliance agreement, or your articles need additional 

review by APHIS staff. You do not need to take any action on the items in this section. 

Note: Once the articles in this section have been reviewed by APHIS, they will be updated and sorted into either the 

Issued Permits, Prohibited, or No Permit Required sections. Check back here to see if there are any updates.
34

View Outcomes – Permits 

Permits

Issued permits will appear in the Permits section. Please note one application may result in multiple permits.

A• Select View Permit to see your issued permit and conditions. 

Note: If any articles from this application still require APHIS review and are later approved by APHIS, you will 

receive additional permits for those articles. 

A
35

How to Access Your Labels 

Labels

Please note that labels will only be generated for certain plants for planting commodities.

• On your home page, select the My Activity tab.

Next, search for your APHIS eFile application number in the search bar.

Select the View Details button to access the application details page.

A

B

C

A

B

C
36

How to Access Your Labels

Labels

To access the labels from this page you will select 

View Permit Details.

You will have to scroll down on the page to see the 

Plant Inspection Station locations listed with the ability 

to download the labels for each location. From there 

you will be able to both view and print your labels.

Note: You can only put one label per package. Be 

mindful that all commodities may not be allowed to 

be imported to all PIS stations. You must check your 

permit conditions to verify that you are selecting an 

allowable PIS station to ship to.

D

E

E

D
37

How to Access Your Labels

Labels

Below you will see an example of the instruction page and labels that are generated after downloading the labels for your 

specific Plant Inspection Station location. You must follow these instructions when applying the label to your shipment. 
38

View Outcomes – No Permit Required

No Permit Required

Articles that are allowed for importation and do not require a permit will appear in the No Permit Required section. 

You will receive a letter that (1) states you do not require a permit for these articles and (2) lists possible conditions for their 

importation. To view the letter:

•A Select View Letter

Note: At this point a letter has been issued and does not require further review by APHIS.

A
39

View Outcomes – Prohibited 

Prohibited

Articles that are not allowed for importation will appear in this section.
40

AMEND PERMIT

Step 1: Navigate to My Activity Page and 

Search for your Permit

Page 41

Step 2: Select Amend Permit

Page 42

Step 3: Select I Understand & Continue

Page 43

Step 4: Edit or update application information 

Page 44

Step 5: Certify & Submit your amendment application

Page 45
41

Step 1: Navigate to My Activity page and search for your Permit

Navigate to My Activity Page.

Search for your permit by using the search bar or the filters on the left. 

A

A You can search for 

your permit number 

using P- or 5XXnumbers

B B

B
42

Step 2: Select Amend Permit

A Select the dropdown arrow in the Permit card and select Amend Permit.

A
43

Step 3: Select I Understand & Continue

A Read the amendment information in the pop-out window and select I Understand & Continue.

A
44

Step 4: Edit or Update Application Information 

After selecting I Understand & Continue, your original permit application will be copied, and you will be navigated to the first 

section of the application. You can edit your address information and delete or add articles to your application by going to the

Select Articles section.

A

Please note you cannot 

change the permittee. 

Submit a new application if 

the permittee has changed.
45

Step 5: Certify & Submit Amendment Application

Review the Applicant/Permittee Contacts, 

Intended Use, and Select Articles sections to 

confirm your information is correct.

Enter your Amendment Reason.

Review the certification statements and select both 

of the “I hereby certify...” checkboxes.

Note: To see allowed imports and conditions, check 

ACIR at https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/. 

Once you have confirmed all data is correct, select 

Submit Application.

Note: Once you have submitted your application, you 

cannot make any changes.

A

B

C

D

Use the Edit button to 

update information in 

the appropriate 

sections.

A

B

D

C
46

Submission Confirmation

Congratulations! You have submitted your amendment application. You will receive an email from APHIS eFile once your application 

has been processed. At that point you can view your application outcomes. You will also receive an email whenever a Permit or Letter 

is issued and when there are additional actions you need to take. 

Note: Check your junk mailbox if you don’t see an email from aphis.efile@usda.gov in your inbox.

Add the APHIS eFile emails 

aphis.efile@usda.gov and 

support@salesforce.com to 

your address book to prevent 

any automatic emails are not 

sent to junk.

Select Download 

Application PDF 

to save a PDF copy 

of your application.
47

RENEW PERMIT

Step 1: Navigate to My Activity Page and 

Search for your Permit

Page 48

Step 2: Select Renew Permit

Page 49

Step 3: Select I Understand & Continue

Page 50

Step 4: Review Application Information

Page 51

Step 5: Certify & Submit your renewal application

Page 52
48

Step 1: Navigate to My Activity page and search for your Permit

Navigate to My Activity Page.

Search for your permit by using the search bar or the filters on the left. 

A

A You can search for 

your permit number 

using P- or 5XXnumbers

B B

B
49

Step 2: Select Renew Permit

A Select the dropdown arrow next to the Permit card and select Renew Permit.

A
50

Step 3: Select I Understand & Continue

A Select I Understand & Continue.

A
51

Step 4: Review Application Information 

After selecting I Understand & Continue, your original permit application will be copied, and you will be navigated to the first 

section of the application. Review the information on your application to ensure it’s accurate. You can edit your address 

information and delete or add articles to your application by going to the Select Articles section.

A

Please note you cannot 

change the permittee. 

Submit a new application if 

the permittee has changed.
52

Step 5: Certify & Submit Renewal Application

Review the Applicant/Permittee Contacts, 

Intended Use, and Select Articles sections to 

confirm your information is correct.

Review the certification statements and select both 

of the “I hereby certify...” checkboxes.

Note: To see allowed imports and conditions, check 

ACIR at https://acir.aphis.usda.gov/s/. 

Once you have confirmed all data is correct, select 

Submit Application.

Note: Once you have submitted your application, you 

cannot make any changes.

A

B

C

Use the Edit button to 

update information in 

the appropriate 

sections.

A

B

C
53

Submission Confirmation

Congratulations! You have submitted your renewal application. You will receive an email from APHIS eFile once your application has 

been processed. At that point you can view your application outcomes. You will also receive an email whenever a Permit or Letter is 

issued and when there are additional actions you need to take. 

Note: Check your junk mailbox if you don’t see an email from aphis.efile@usda.gov in your inbox.

Add the APHIS eFile emails 

aphis.efile@usda.gov and 

support@salesforce.com to 

your address book to prevent 

any automatic emails are not 

sent to junk.

Select Download 

Application PDF 

to save a PDF copy 

of your application.
54

CANCEL PERMIT

Step 1: Navigate to My Activity Page and 

Search for your Permit

Page 55

Step 2: Select Cancel Permit

Page 56

Step 3: Add Cancellation Explanation and 

Submit

Page 57
55

Step 1: Navigate to My Activity page and search for your Permit

Navigate to My Activity Page.

Search for your permit by using the search bar or the filters on the left. 

A

A You can search for 

your permit number 

using P- or 5XXnumbers

B B

B
56

Step 2: Select Cancel Permit 

A Select the dropdown arrow next to the Permit card and select Cancel Permit.

A
57

Step 3: Add Cancellation Explanation and Submit

A Enter the reasoning behind your permit cancellation request in the Explanation field and select Submit.

A
58

After Cancelling Your Permit

Your permit cancellation request will be reviewed by APHIS. Once it has been reviewed and approved by APHIS you will see a 

cancellation banner on the permit details page.
59

Cloning an Application 

Before you decide to cloned an application, it is important to note that applications MUST be cloned from the application detail page or the My Activity page. 

As an applicant, you can clone applications in statuses except for applications in “Draft” status. All new, cloned applications will have an application 

status of Draft, an application type of New Application, and the Initial Application field will be populated with the A-000 number the cloned application was 

copied from. 

Applications can be cloned from the following statuses:

• Submitted

• Processed

• Applicant Action Required

• Pending Aphis Review

Items that will be cloned and added to the new draft application: 

• Applicant/Permittee Contacts

• Application details

• Application line items

Items that will NOT be cloned to the new draft application: 

• Application PDFs - any attachments related to the application 

• Archived CIRD document - any line items tied to archived ACIR 

documents

• ITEMS resolution details
60

Cloning an Application 

After logging into eFile, navigate to My Activity page and 

search for the application you want to clone. 

Select Clone Application.

Note: You will automatically be taken to a draft application after 

you click on the Clone Application button. The application 

sections will have information on it from the previous 

application and you will be able to modify these as needed. 

Note: If you would like to view the application details before you 

clone, select View Details. You will be able to clone the 

application from the Details page as well. 

A

B

A

B

A
61

APPENDIX

System Setup

• Compatible browser – For the best user experience, please use 

Google Chrome. Other available browsers include Firefox, Safari, and 

Edge. eFile is NOT supported by Internet Explorer.

• Emails – Add the APHIS eFile email at aphis.efile@usda.gov and 

support@salesforce.com to your address book so that any automatic 

emails are not sent to junk

• Zoom –100%

Contact

If you require assistance with your applications, please contact:

PPQ Permit Services

(301) 851 2046

Plantproducts.permits@usda.gov

If you require technical assistance, please contact:

Help Desk

help@usda.gov