Designated land, sea and air ports for trading or moving CITES-listed endangered species
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-10)

The designated land, sea and air ports for trading or moving CITES-listed endangered animals, plants or their parts and derivatives.

You can only import (bring in) or export (take out) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) specimens through designated land, sea and air ports in the UK.

A specimen is a living or dead animal or plant, or any of its parts, or an item made from these.

CITES-designated points of entry and exit

There are customs offices at the following points of entry and exit designated for CITES trade.

You can use these airports:
- Belfast International
- Birmingham International
- Bristol International
- Cardiff International
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Gatwick
- Glasgow International
- Glasgow Prestwick
- Humberside
- London Heathrow
- London Luton
- London Stansted
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Southampton International
You can use these ports:
- Belfast Seaport
- Dover
- Eurotunnel
- Felixstowe
- Fishguard
- Harwich international
- Heysham
- Holyhead
- Hull
- Immingham
- Killingholme
- Larne
- Liverpool Seaforth Container Terminal
- London Gateway (Port of London)
- Pembroke
- Plymouth
- Poole
- Portsmouth International Port
- Southampton ABP
- Teesport
- Tilbury (Port of London)
Postal hubs

Postal hubs have been designated at:
- Coventry International Parcel Post Hub
- Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre (HWDC)
These can only be used by Royal Mail, postal courier services and Border Force to check CITES parcels. Postal hubs cannot be used by the public.

Read how to import and export CITES specimens by post (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trading-cites-listed-specimens-through-uk-ports-and-airports#trading-or-moving-by-post).

Moving live animals and animal products

The following CITES points of entry or exit have border control posts (BCPs) designated to handle live animals and carry out CITES, as well as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks.

Moving CITES specimens through Humberside airport

If you’re transporting CITES specimens through Humberside airport you must tell Border Force at least 24 hours before you’re due to arrive. Contact Border Force by:

Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Moving CITES specimens through Belfast Seaport

If you’re transporting live animals through Belfast Seaport you must tell Border Force Belfast at least 24 hours before you’re due to arrive to book an appointment. If you call during office hours you’ll usually be seen within the hour.

The office opening hours are Monday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm. You must enter the Border Force Belfast processing area no later than 3:30pm.

Belfast Seaport address:

Eyden House5 Westbank DriveBelfastBT3 9LA

Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Moving CITES specimens through the Port of Dover

If you’re moving CITES specimens through Dover port you’ll need to present your CITES documentation to Border Force for endorsement at Dover Western Docks.

Dover Western Docks address:

Freight Clearance CentreLord Warden SquareWestern DocksDoverCT17 9EQ

Moving CITES specimens through Eurotunnel

Importing through Eurotunnel

To import CITES specimens into the UK through Eurotunnel, check the guidance for trading or moving CITES-listed specimens through UK ports and airports (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trading-cites-listed-specimens-through-uk-ports-and-airports).

Exporting through Eurotunnel

To export CITES specimens from the UK through Eurotunnel, you can present your CITES documents to Border Force at either:
- an inland border facility
- another suitable designated point of entry and exit sea port
Find a list of suitable ports in the section ‘CITES-designated points of entry and exit’.

Read guidance about attending an inland border facility (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/attending-an-inland-border-facility).

Contact Border Force

The Border Force office has a 24 hour service, Monday to Sunday.

Telephone: xx-xxxx-xxxx Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Contact APHA

You can contact APHA for support with trading or moving endangered animals or plants listed under CITES at xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).