Importing Plants From Thailand: The Rules, Country by Country

The three documents

The phytosanitary certificate is issued by the plant health authority of the exporting country, in Thailand the Department of Agriculture. Dragon Courier arranges it: "Yes, we can arrange the phytosanitary certificate for you. Some markets including USA we do it free of charge!" It is free for the USA and the UK, and charged for other markets.

The import permit is issued by the destination, not by Thailand. Dragon Courier holds one already: "We have an import permit for each market, please contact our team for a copy of the plants on our permit." Dragon Courier will take care of all permits as part of the service, so no import permit is required from the customer.

The CITES document applies to listed species. All orchids are listed. Dragon Courier sends CITES to major markets such as the USA, free of charge, and handles other markets on request.

United States

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service writes for online buyers directly:

"As the buyer/importer, you are responsible for making sure your online purchases meet U.S. import requirements."

"you are considered an importer and most likely need a permit"

"Most plants and seeds for planting require a PPQ 587 permit."

"Shipments of 12 or fewer plants, only if no specific restriction applies"

Source: How To Buy Plants and Seeds Online, aphis.usda.gov.

On the certificate and the soil, APHIS is specific:

"The phytosanitary certificate must be from the national plant protection organization of the country of origin."

"Plants for planting shipped to the United States must be free of sand, soil, earth, and other growing media."

Orchids are the named exception. APHIS allows "epiphytic plants (including orchid plants)" to arrive on a defined list of approved growing media (Plants With Special Requirements and Prohibited Plants, aphis.usda.gov).

Requirements change by species and by origin, and APHIS points to one place for them: "import requirements vary depending on the specific commodity and country of origin. You can find this information in our ACIR database." Permits are applied for through APHIS eFile, at least 30 days before arrival (7 CFR § 319.37-5).

Dragon Courier's own permit covers the shipment, and the certificate for the USA is free.

CITES and orchids

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service sets out the two halves:

"The export of Appendix-I and -II specimens requires an export permit."

"No import permit is required for Appendix-II or -III specimens."

Source: CITES Permits and Certificates, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, hosted at aphis.usda.gov.

Nearly every orchid in trade sits in Appendix II. The document that has to exist is the Thai export permit, not an import permit obtained by the buyer. Propagated stock has its own route: "if a species meets the criteria for bred-in-captivity or artificially propagated as outlined in CITES resolutions, the exporting country may issue an exemption certificate."

United Kingdom

The Animal and Plant Health Agency puts the exporter's job first: "get a phytosanitary certificate from your exporter."

"For high risk or medium risk A or B plants and plant products, your exporter must get a phytosanitary certificate for each consignment from the plant health authority in the country they're exporting from."

"[...] within 13 days of it leaving the country of export."

Source: Import plants and plant products from non-EU countries to Great Britain and Northern Ireland, gov.uk, last updated 20 July 2026.

Thirteen days is the number to plan around. Dragon Courier sequences the certificate against the flight, and for the UK it is free of charge.

European Union

The EU rule changed in 2019 and swept away the old category of plants that could travel without paperwork:

"From 14 December 2019, all plants (including living parts of plants) will need to be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate to enter into the EU"

"unless they are listed in Annex XI, Part C, of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072 as exempted from this general requirement"

The exempt list is short and holds no ornamentals: "the list of plants exempted from the obligation to carry a phytosanitary certificate from 14 December 2019 are the following fruits: pineapples, coconuts, durians, bananas and dates."

Source: Plant health rules, European Commission, food.ec.europa.eu.

Every consignment is checked: "compulsory plant health checks are carried out on all plants and plant products coming from non-EU countries", and "such material can only be released after a satisfactory plant health check" (Inspection of imported plants and plant products, food.ec.europa.eu).

On growing media the Dutch plant health authority, which applies the same EU regulation as every member state, sets the condition: "the growing medium is free from soil and organic matter, and was not previously used for plant cultivation or other agricultural purposes", while "inorganic materials, such as perlite, oasis, etc., are permitted" and "sterile medium for in-vitro plants is exempted" (Import requirements plants with growing medium, english.nvwa.nl).

Failure has four listed outcomes: "all or part of the consignment will be refused entry into the EU", "infected/infested consignment is removed from the EU", "the consignment is destroyed", "quarantine is imposed until test results are complete" (Non-compliance with EU requirements, food.ec.europa.eu).

Japan

Japan's Plant Protection Station states the requirement in one line:

"When bringing plants into Japan, it is legally required to submit Phytosanitary Certificate issued by the government of exporting country."

Source: Regulations when Bringing Plants into Japan from Another Country, MAFF Plant Protection Station, maff.go.jp.

Soil, and plants with soil attached, appear on Japan's list of prohibited imports. Orchids carry a second layer, and MAFF names them: "international trade of endangered plants such as orchids, cacti, and cycads is regulated under the Washington Convention" (Endangered plants leaflet, MAFF Plant Protection Station).

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry sets out what that means at the border:

"People who intend to import any listed species of animals or plants under the CITES are required to receive an export permit/a re-export certificate issued by the government of the exporting country"

"for certain listed species, required to receive a certificate of import approval or a certificate of prior-confirmation by the METI Minister."

Source: Imports of goods related to the CITES, meti.go.jp.

Canada

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency leaves no personal-use door open:

"A Phytosanitary Certificate is required for all plants for planting entering Canada."

"The Phytosanitary Certificate is issued by the NPPO of the exporting country and must list each of the plants in the consignment."

"The plants must be identified using accepted scientific names to at least the genus level."

"The importer must obtain a Permit to Import prior to importation."

Source: Directive D-08-04, inspection.canada.ca, date modified 18 August 2025.

Every plant in the box is a separate line on the certificate, under its botanical name. Dragon Courier ships live plants to Canada under its own permit.

Philippines

The Bureau of Plant Industry issues a clearance rather than a permit:

"Any person/company intending to import plants/plant products shall file an application for Plant Quarantine Clearance (PQC) (BPI Q Form No. 1)(personal purposes) [or] Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) (commercial purposes) with the NPQSD prior to importation."

"Before a commodity (plant/plant product) can be imported from a certain country it should first undergo Pest Risk Analysis (PRA)-ISPM 11. [...] The result of the PRA will be the basis whether the importation of the commodity will be allowed or not."

Source: How to Import, National Plant Quarantine Services Division, npqsd.bpi-npqsd.com.ph.

Some species from Thailand have not cleared that analysis. Ask before ordering.

Australia

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry inspects everything:

"We assess all mail articles arriving at Australia's international mail centres. Our biosecurity officers and detector dogs look for risk goods such as food, plant material (including seeds, cacti and succulents) and animal products (including meat and pet food)"

Source: Sending or ordering goods online from outside Australia, agriculture.gov.au, last updated 12 August 2024.

Species conditions sit in the BICON database and many require an import permit alongside the certificate. Undeclared high-risk material draws an infringement notice under the Biosecurity Act 2015.

What a non-compliant shipment costs

United States Customs and Border Protection states the outcome:

"Prohibited items that are not declared by passengers are confiscated and disposed of by CBP agriculture specialists."

"civil penalties may be assessed for failure to declare prohibited agricultural products and may range up to $1,000 per first-time offense for non-commercial quantities."

Source: Bringing Agricultural Products Into the United States, cbp.gov.

Confiscated means destroyed, not returned.

How Dragon Courier handles it

Say it is plants when the shipment is booked. The team confirms the species against the permit for that market, prepares the phytosanitary certificate and the CITES paperwork where it applies, and the box is packed after that, not before.

Plants are shipped bare-root, with new sphagnum moss. Dragon Courier provides door to door temperature control and the plants are on the fastest flight, with courier labels. Transit depends on the market but generally runs 2 to 4 working days. Dragon Courier even sends during winter.

Dragon Courier works very closely with customs, and when there is a hold the team works with USDA and the plant seller in Thailand to get a release urgently.

Dragon Courier does not offer insurance for live plants. Loss is covered, damage is not.

About Dragon Courier

Dragon Courier is a Bangkok-based international courier shipping from Thailand to over 200 destinations, and the number one exporter of live plants in Thailand. Dragon Courier has been doing this over 30 years, under the same management team for most of that time. Today that is more than 20,000 shipments a month.