Deal in items made of or containing ivory
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-29)

What you need to do to buy, sell or hire out items made of or containing ivory in the UK.

You must have an exemption to deal in items made of or containing ivory from the following species listed in the Ivory Act 2018:
- elephant
- hippopotamus
- killer whale
- narwhal
- sperm whale
You are dealing in ivory if you:
- buy, sell or hire out an ivory item – including trading or swapping it with something that has value or for a discount
- offer or arrange to buy, sell or hire out an ivory item – including advertising and inviting an offer, or displaying it for sale in a shop or gallery
- keep an ivory item for sale or hire
- cause, arrange or help someone else to buy, sell or hire out an ivory item
- import or export an ivory item to or from the UK to buy, or for sale or hire
If you deal in items made of or containing a listed ivory species without an exemption, or make it possible for someone else to do so, you face a maximum fine of £250,000 or up to 5 years’ imprisonment (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ivory-act-2018-enforcement-and-civil-sanctions).

When you need to register or apply for an exemption

You must register or apply for an exemption for an item made of or containing a listed ivory species:
- to sell or hire it out now, or in the future
- before you import, export or re-export it to or from the UK – you should also check other rules that apply to your item, including rules on trading in endangered species (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-cites-permits-and-certificates-to-trade-endangered-species)
Buying or hiring an item

If you’re buying or hiring an item that’s made of or contains a listed ivory species, you must check it’s registered or certified as exempt before you take ownership of it.

Read the guidance about buying or hiring ivory, and what to do if you’re a new owner (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/buy-or-hire-an-ivory-item).

When you do not need an exemption

You do not need to register or apply for an exemption if you:
- are a qualifying museum selling or hiring out an item to another qualifying museum (find more details in the ‘Qualifying museums’ section)
- own an item made of or containing a listed ivory species but do not want to deal in it
- deal in ivory from species that are not listed in the Ivory Act 2018 – you may need to follow other rules, for example for items made of walrus ivory (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bringing-seal-products-into-great-britain)
- are dealing outside the UK, and no part of the transaction takes place in the UK
If you do not want to deal in an item made of or containing a listed ivory species, or your registration is cancelled, you can:
- keep it for personal use
- give it away as a gift
- leave it to someone in your will
- lend it – if no payment, exchange or barter is involved
Check which exemption you need

You can either:
- register an item under a standard exemption
- apply for an exemption certificate if the item was made before 1918 and has outstandingly high artistic, cultural or historic value
You should check the item is eligible for the exemption you’re registering or applying for.

If you know which exemption you need, you can start your registration or exemption certificate application.

Go to the Ivory Act application system (https://apply-deal-ivory.service.gov.uk)

Standard exemptions

You can register an item under a standard exemption if it meets one of the following criteria, it is:
- a musical instrument made before 1975 with less than 20% ivory by volume
- made before 3 March 1947 with less than 10% ivory by volume, where all the ivory is integral
- a portrait miniature made before 1918 with a total surface area of no more than 320 square centimetres
- being sold or hired out to a qualifying museum
It costs £20 to register an item.

If you’re selling or hiring out an item that’s previously been registered under a standard exemption, you’ll need to re-register it.

Exemption certificate

You can apply for an exemption certificate if both conditions apply to your item:
- it was made before 1918
- it’s of outstandingly high artistic, cultural or historic value
This means the item will usually be a rare and important example of its type.

Applications for exemption certificates cost £250.

This fee covers:
- an initial review of each application by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
- assessment by an expert
Assessments take approximately 3 months. You cannot sell or hire out your item until you have received the exemption certificate.

You must notify APHA if you’re selling or hiring out an item that’s previously been certified.

Sets and groups of items

Sets

Items are considered a set if all the objects were:
- produced at the same time with the intention of being kept and used together
- part of the same original set – for example a teapot with an ivory knob that’s part of a tea set, or a knife and sheath
You can use the ivory service to:
- register a set of items as a single item – registrations cost £20
- apply for an exemption certificate for a set of items as a single item – applications cost £250
Groups

You can register between 3 and 20 items that are not a set under a group registration.

You can pay a reduced registration fee if both of the following apply:
- all items are part of the same transaction, and you’re selling or hiring them out to the same person
- each item in the group qualifies for the same standard exemption, for example, a group of pre-1918 portrait miniatures
You cannot use the ivory service to register a group of items. You should email xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) to request an application form.

You’ll need to tell us which standard exemption you want to register your items under in your email. The cost of registering a group of items is £50.

You cannot apply for an exemption certificate for a group of items.

Check your item is eligible

You need to check and provide information that your item meets the eligibility criteria for the exemption you’re registering or applying for.

To check eligibility criteria, you can either:
- read guidance on this page
- use the online ivory eligibility checker (https://apply-deal-ivory.service.gov.uk/eligibility-checker/how-certain) – the checker will ask you a series of questions to help you check which exemption you need
You should also check additional information if you’re applying for an exemption certificate for an item made before 1918 with outstandingly high artistic, cultural or historic value (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ivory-apply-for-an-exemption-certificate-to-deal-in-pre-1918-outstandingly-high-artistic-cultural-or-historical-value-items).

Added or replacement ivory

Ivory that’s been added to an item or used to replace other material on an item can be from any species, including extinct species such as mammoth.

If the added or replacement ivory is from a listed species it must have been:
- taken from the listed ivory species before 1975
- added only to restore the item
This applies to items under all exemptions.

Item age

For all exemptions, except if you’re selling or hiring out an item to a qualifying museum, you should provide evidence to show how old your item is.

You can use different methods to verify the age of an item, including:
- getting evidence of the item’s provenance (place of origin or earliest known history)
- having its age verified by an expert
- getting it radiocarbon dated
Evidence of provenance could include:
- an original dated receipt or bill to show when it was manufactured, sold or repaired
- a dated catalogue, newspaper article or published article containing photographs or detailed descriptions of the item
- a date mark on the item
- information known by the owner or another person, for example, that the owner inherited the item before the relevant date
An expert who can provide written verification of the item’s date could include:
- an antiques specialist
- a museum curator or arts specialist recognised by a relevant trade association, representative body or similar organisation
- someone who deals in ivory
Percentage volume

You need to provide evidence to show how much ivory is in your item (the percentage volume) if you’re registering it under either of the following exemptions:
- musical instruments made before 1975 with less than 20% ivory by volume
- items made before 3 March 1947 with less than 10% ivory by volume, where all the ivory is integral
To assess the percentage volume, you can:
- judge by eye, if it’s clear that the ivory content of the item is less than the percentage allowed – for example, a large piece of wooden furniture with a single small ivory plate around a keyhole (an escutcheon)
- take measurements and use a formula to work out the volume
For sets of objects, you should assess the percentage volume of ivory in relation to the whole set.

It’s your responsibility to assess the item’s likely percentage ivory volume, even if it’s difficult to be certain.

Empty spaces

You should not include any empty spaces when you assess the total volume, for example the space within a violin.

If you cannot tell if there are empty spaces without damaging the item, you can use any knowledge you have about similar items. You do not need to damage items to assess the percentage volume.

Ivory inlays

For items with ivory inlay (thin pieces of ivory on the surface of an object) you should measure the surface area of the ivory inlays as a proportion of the total surface area of the object.

However, even if the ivory inlay surface area is more than 10% of the total surface area, if the inlay is shallow its percentage volume may still be less than 10% of the total item.

Integral ivory

To be eligible for the pre-3 March 1947 with less than 10% ivory standard exemption, all ivory in an item must be integral. This means you cannot remove the ivory without difficulty, damaging the item, or stopping it being used in the same way.

Integral ivory includes parts that can be detached from the item but without them, the item cannot be used in the same way. For example, a detachable ivory knob from a measuring instrument.

Integral ivory would not include an ivory statue that’s been temporarily mounted on a non-ivory plinth.

Portrait miniatures

A portrait miniature is typically a portrait painted on a thin sheet of ivory. The term ‘portrait miniature’ comes from the technique used to create them and not its size.

Portrait miniatures were:
- usually made to be worn or carried on a person
- incorporated into a wide range of items such as jewellery or snuff boxes
You can check examples of portrait miniatures that may qualify under the portrait miniature exemption in section 6, page 16 of the Explanatory Notes to the Ivory Act 2018 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/30/notes).

A portrait miniature’s main subject matter may show:
- one or more persons or animals
- people or animals as representations of gods, religious deities or mythical beings
The portrait miniature could also:
- show the subject matter in full – not just the head and upper body
- include other details which are not the subject matter, such as a tree, chair, watercourse or other mythical beings
- be on both sides of the ivory – if it meets all the other exemption criteria
Eligibility for standard exemption

To be eligible for the portrait miniature standard exemption your item must:
- be a portrait miniature made before 1918
- have a total surface area that is no more than 320 square centimetres – you should not include the portrait miniature’s frame or any part covered by the frame when you calculate the surface area
If your portrait miniature has an ivory frame, it must be integral and original to the item.

Eligibility for other exemptions

You cannot register an item under the portrait miniature exemption if there is any other ivory on it, except for if it has an original and integral ivory frame. For example, a snuff box that has a portrait miniature on its lid and ivory inlays on the sides could not be registered under this exemption.

If your item has more than one portrait miniature on it, you might need to:
- register it as a set or group
- register or apply for a different exemption
Your portrait miniature may also be eligible for an exemption certificate if it does not meet the criteria for a standard exemption. For example, its surface area is larger than 320 square centimetres.

Qualifying museums

If you’re registering an item under the qualifying museum exemption your item must not consist only of unworked ivory. Unworked ivory is ivory that is in its natural raw state.

The museum buying or hiring the item must be accredited by or on behalf of one of the following:
- Arts Council England for museums in England, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man (https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/)
- Scottish Ministers for museums in Scotland (https://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/museum-accreditation/)
- Northern Ireland Museums Council for museums in Northern Ireland (https://nimc.co.uk/our-members/)
- the Welsh Government for museums in Wales (https://www.gov.wales/accredited-museums)
If the museum is located anywhere else, it must be a member of the International Council of Museums.

Dealing between 2 qualifying museums does not require a registration.

Start a registration or exemption certificate application

Use the ivory service to:
- register your item or set of items (as a single item) under a standard exemption
- apply for an exemption certificate for your item or set of items (as a single item) if it was made before 1918 and has outstandingly high artistic, cultural or historic value
If you know your item is made of or contains ivory, but are not sure which species, you can continue to register or apply for an exemption at your own risk – APHA will assume the item contains one or more listed ivory species.

If you’re registering an item or applying for an exemption certificate on behalf of someone else, you should get the owner’s permission, and you must:
- provide the owner’s name and address
- provide the capacity in which you’re making the application
- provide your name and address
If you’re using the online service, you must also provide your email address.

If you’re making an application for an exemption certificate using the online service, you must also provide the owner’s email address, if they have one.

It costs:
- £20 to register an item or set of items (as a single item) for a standard exemption
- £250 to apply for an exemption certificate for an item or set of items (as a single item)
- £20 to notify APHA if you’re selling or hiring out an item which has an existing exemption certificate
Payments are non-refundable.

Evidence to support your registration or application

For each item you must:
- add a description and explain how it meets the exemption criteria.
- upload between 1 and 6 photographs
Photos must show:
- any distinguishing features
- the whole item
- where the ivory is on the item
Go to the Ivory Act application system (https://apply-deal-ivory.service.gov.uk)

After you’ve registered or applied for an exemption

If you’ve registered an item, you’ll receive your registration by email. This will include a unique submission reference number for each item you register under a standard exemption – keep a record of the reference number for each item.

If you’ve applied for an exemption certificate, you’ll receive an email confirming APHA has received your application. It may take up to 3 months for you to receive a decision on your application.

You may need to show the reference number or exemption certificate to the new owner as proof the item has an exemption, if you sell or hire it out in future.

If information about an item changes

You must contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) to amend your registration or exemption certificate if you become aware that information you have given about the item is wrong or incomplete. You must give APHA the necessary information to correct what is wrong or incomplete.

APHA may cancel your registration, or revoke your exemption certificate if:
- it believes your item is no longer eligible
- the information you’ve given about the item is wrong or incomplete, including if the item is proven to not be made of or contain ivory, and you do not tell us
After you sell or hire out an item

A registration is no longer valid after an item is sold or hired out.

An exemption certificate remains valid as long as the item meets the exemption criteria and the information on the certificate is accurate. It is not invalidated by the item being sold or hired out.

Request a replacement exemption certificate

You can contact xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx) to request a replacement exemption certificate if:
- the certificate has been lost
- you have been unable to get the certificate from the previous owner
Include the certificate number in your email, or if that is not available, the name of the previous owner and a description of the item. APHA will try to locate the certificate and send you a copy.

Contact APHA

Contact APHA if you need help to register or apply for an exemption, including if you would prefer an application form instead of using the online service.

Email: xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Animal and Plant Health Agency Centre for International Trade - Bristol Horizon House Deanery Road Bristol BS1 5AH