Newsflash: USDA APHIS Lacey Act and Phase VII Implementation – December 1, 2024

Effective December 1, 2024, Phase VII of the Lacey Act provisions for certain imported plant and wood products will be implemented by the US Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service (APHIS). 

Approximately 450 U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes will be flagged by the agency. This means Lacey Act declarations will be required for all remaining plant product HTS codes that are not 100-percent composite materials. Such items which do not currently require a Lacey Act declaration will likely need to file one on December 1st.

The list of the remaining plant and wood products can be found here:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/05/31/2024-11901/implementation-of-revised-lacey-act-provisions

If you are currently importing plant and wood products that are inlcuded on the list, please provide a Lacey Act declaration form along with your commercial documents to avoid customs clearance delays.

PPQ Form 505:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ppq505.pdf

Additional information:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-imports/file-lacey-act-declaration

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/program-updates/lacey-act-enforcement-schedule

CBP Announcement:

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHSCBP/bulletins/3c3416b?reqfrom=share

For questions about the Lacey Act declaration requirement please contact the Lacey Act Team at: lacey.act.declaration@usda.gov.