Phytosanitary certification for plant exports from the United States
Exports of plants and plant products from the United States may require a phytosanitary certificate issued under the authority of USDA APHIS. APHIS operates the Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking (PCIT) system through which certificates are requested and tracked.
United States · Phytosanitary · last verified 2026-08-20
What applies
- Obtain a phytosanitary certificate where the destination requires oneConditional
APHIS publishes phytosanitary certificates for export and re-export among its plant-export services, and operates PCIT as the issuance and tracking system. Whether a certificate is needed depends on the requirements of the destination country.
Documented exceptions
- Requirements are set by the importing country; a certificate is not universally required for every consignment.
Applies to: Exporters of plants and plant products from the United States
Check in: Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking (PCIT)
Source: USDA APHIS — Plant and Plant Product Exports
Who regulates this
- Animal and Plant Health Inspection ServiceUnited States
Official sources
Important limitations
- Whether a phytosanitary certificate is required, and what it must attest, is determined by the importing country’s requirements rather than by the United States.
- PCIT requires an authenticated USDA account and is an operational system for registered exporters, not a public lookup.
- AgricultureID provides informational references to official sources and does not replace legal or professional advice.