Fees for variety listing and plant breeders’ rights
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-09)

How much it costs to apply for plant breeders’ rights or to add a new plant variety to the Variety Lists.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland variety listing: fees

To apply to add a new plant variety to the GB and NI Variety Lists (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lists-of-agricultural-and-vegetable-crops) you’ll need to pay:
- a one off administration fee (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/fees-for-national-listing-and-plant-breeders-rights#administration-fee-collection) of £598
- a distinct, uniform and stable (DUS) testing fee (#dus-fees) per year of testing - this will depend on the crop you are testing
- a technical management fee of £173 for a value for cultivation and use test (VCU) for each year of testing
- a VCU testing fee for each year of testing for agricultural crops – the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) (https://www.bspb.co.uk/) will tell you the fee
You do not need to pay a VCU technical management fee or VCU testing fee if you’re adding a vegetable variety or an amenity grass.

As part of your application, you may also need to pay:
- £30 to apply to change a name on the Variety List
- £30 for the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to receive your representations in writing if you object to a decision or a proposal
- a VCU authentication fee for each year of testing if a foreign authority carries out the DUS test – the foreign authority can confirm the fee
UK plant breeders’ rights: fees

To apply for UK plant breeders’ rights (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plant-breeders-rights) you’ll need to pay:
- a one off administration fee of £598
- a DUS testing fee (#dus-fees) - this will depend on the crop variety you are testing
You may also need to pay:
- £30 for APHA to receive your representations in writing if you object to a decision or a proposal
- £65 if you request a hearing with the controller because your initial objection is not accepted
- £65 to apply for a compulsory licence
Variety listing and plant breeders’ rights: combined administration fee

Applying to add a new variety to the Variety List and applying for plant breeders’ rights are separate processes. You can apply for variety listing and plant breeders’ rights at the same time for agricultural and vegetable varieties.

If you apply for variety listing and plant breeders’ rights at the same time, you’ll only have to pay one combined administration fee of £598. This includes if you apply within the same month.

If you apply separately or in different months, you’ll pay the administration fee for each application

Distinct, uniform and stable (DUS) testing: fees

The tables show the agricultural, vegetable and ornamental varieties the UK has the capability to do DUS testing (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dus-protocols-for-testing-plant-varieties) for and the fee for each. At the end of the testing, you will get a DUS report.

Once you have your DUS report, you can use it for other applications. You do not need to pay for another DUS report. For example, if you get DUS testing for variety listing, you can use it for your plant breeders’ rights application.

If the UK test centre does not have the capability to carry out DUS tests of your variety, APHA will send you an invoice in pounds (£) for varieties tested by other DUS testing authorities.

Contact APHA (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-apha#plant-and-seed-registration-and-certification) to get the fees for:
- DUS testing for species not listed on this page
- non-mandatory DUS characteristics (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dus-protocols-for-testing-plant-varieties)
Agricultural and vegetable crops

Ornamental crops

Ornamental crops usually take one year to test. Sometimes more tests are needed to establish that a variety is distinct, uniform and stable. In this instance, you will need to pay the DUS test fee for each year of testing.

Contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) to confirm number of years of testing and whether the variety is tested outdoors or in glasshouse.

DUS report purchase

If the UK needs to purchase a DUS report (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/dus-protocols-for-testing-plant-varieties) for your variety, APHA will send you an invoice in pounds (£). The cost is variable and depends on current exchange rates. For the current fee, contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx).

You will be invoiced for the DUS report purchase shortly after the administration fee, even if the report has not yet been issued. This will allow APHA to request the DUS report as soon as it has been completed.

Crop species VCU trials: fees

BSPB organise trials for all crops except potatoes. They will tell you the estimated fee.

Potato VCU trials: fees

SASA and NIAB organise VCU trials for potato varieties.

APHA will send you an invoice for each year of the potato VCU trial.

SASA charge £2,058 for each year of the trial to test for the following diseases and pathogens:
- field foliage blight
- tuber blight
- common scab
- powdery scab
- blackleg
- external damage
- internal damage
- dry rot (F. coeruleum)
- dry rot (F. sulphureum)
- PCN (Ro1 and Pa 2/3 and 1)
NIAB charge £1,032 for each year of the trial to test for the following diseases and pathogens:
- PCN (Ro1 and Pa 2/3 and 1)
- PVYN, PVYN-Wilga, PVA, Leafroll
Quality test fees

The fees for quality tests vary. Contact APHA (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-apha#plant-and-seed-registration-and-certification) to ask for the exact fee.

Genetically modified (GM) varieties: fees

DUS and VCU testing fees are different for GM varieties.

You should contact APHA (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-apha#plant-and-seed-registration-and-certification) as early as possible to ask about fees if you plan to submit GM varieties for testing.

Conservation varieties of agricultural or vegetable species: fees

For conservation varieties, the administration fee is £175.

Amateur vegetable varieties: fees

The administration fee is £100 for amateur vegetable varieties.

Administration fee collection

APHA issues invoices after it publishes the application in the Seeds Gazette.

This is usually the month after APHA receives your application. For example, if you send your application in January, you will receive an invoice in late February.

Contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) if you have questions about invoices.

Reference collection: annual fee

The annual fee covers the maintenance of the reference collection once it’s added to the variety listing for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. You will need to pay it once a year, usually in April. APHA will invoice you.

The annual charges only apply to some crop types. These are:
- £235 for potatoes
- £584 for herbage including perennial, Italian, hybrid rye grass and white clover
- £180 for swede
You do not need to pay an annual fee for all other crop types.