Phytosanitary Export Certification 

The Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides inspection and certification services to Michigan firms exporting plants and plant products to foreign countries. Each foreign country establishes its own phytosanitary (plant health) requirements to help to protect its agricultural and natural resources from the entry, establishment, and spread of harmful insect pests, plant diseases and noxious weeds.

How to Apply for Phytosanitary Inspection and Certification

USDA PExD Online Database

Information about the phytosanitary requirements of a particular country can be found using the USDA PExD Online Database. The Database provides general information about phytosanitary requirements at no charge. However, exporters may request that an Authorized Certification Official (ACO) with MDARD access and interpret information from this database to help guide them through the requirements and processes to meet them. In the case of an unusual or high value shipment, exporters may wish to verify regulations through their importer.

Import Permits

Import permits are sometimes required by foreign countries to move certain plants or plant products into that country. An import permit is an official document that specifies entry requirements for certain plants or plant products of special concern to the importing country. Import permits can also be granted to allow entry of otherwise prohibited plants or plant products.

Import permits are issued by the destination country’s agricultural authority and list the phytosanitary requirements that must be met. If requirements are not met, a certificate will not be issued, and the plants or plant products will be held or destroyed at the destination.

If an import permit is not in English, it is the responsibility of the exporter to provide a notarized translation.

Unofficial or Invalid Documents - Official documents from a foreign country may include import permits, special authorizations, or recent correspondence from the plant protection service of the foreign country. Unofficial sources of information, including information from exporters or importers cannot be considered official.

Inspection Fees

Fees for inspection of plants and plant products are authorized by Michigan’s Insect Pest and Plant Disease Act, Public Act 189 of 1931. The Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development may adjust inspection fees by not more than an amount determined by the State Treasurer to reflect the cumulative annual percentage change in the Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint Consumer Price Index over the previous fiscal year (beginning October 1 and ending September 30 of the next year). Fee adjustments are subject to approval by the Commission of Agriculture and Rural Development and shall not exceed 5% per year. Current inspection fees are listed in the link below.

Inspection Fees for 2024 (PDF)

Links of Interest 

Phytosanitary Export Database (PExD)
Free online searchable database where exporters can find import requirements of foreign countries.

USDA Export Services
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) maintains the export program for the United States exporters of United States and foreign-origin agricultural commodities.

Phytosanitary Certification Issuance and Tracking System (PCIT)
Online system which enables exporters to apply for export inspection and certification.

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