Guidance

Declare ivory you intend to sell or hire out

Use this service to register an ivory item or apply for an exemption certificate to deal in ivory.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
24 February 2022
Last updated
2816 JanuaryNovember 20252022 — See all updates

ThisIf you intend to deal in an ivory item you can use this service nowand coverspay itemsthe relevant fees:

  • £20 to register a single item under a standard exemption
  • £250 to apply for an exemption certificate for an item made before 1918 that is of outstandingly high artistic, cultural or containinghistorical ivory fromvalue
  • £20 theto followingnotify species:us elephant,that hippopotamus,you killerintend whale,to narwhalsell andor spermhire whale.out an item that has an exemption certificate that was awarded to someone else

All payments are non-refundable.

Start now

AccessBefore theyou servicestart

Registering a single item

You’ll orbe groupemailed a unique registration number for each item you register. Keep a record of this number as soon as you receive it so you can match it to your item or items later on.

Read the updated guidance andfor registerdealing to deal in items containing ivory or made of ivory.

Applying for an exemption certificate

You must provide as many details about your item as possible. If not, your application may be unsuccessful.

Read the updated guidance andon Ivory: apply for an exemption certificate to deal in pre-1918 outstandingly high artistic, cultural or historical value items.

Updates

What dealing in ivory means

Dealing in ivory means:

  • buying, selling or hiring it
  • offering or arranging to thisbuy, page Publishedsell 24or Februaryhire 2022
    Lastit
  • keeping updatedit 28for Januarysale 2025 + showor allhire
  • exporting updates

    1. Thisthe UK for sale or hire

    2. importing it into the UK for sale or hire

Throughout the service nowwe coversuse ivory‘sell fromor hire out’ when referring to all the followingways species:you elephant,might hippopotamus,be killerdealing whale,in narwhalivory.

Under andthe spermban:

  • buying whale.includes Theacquiring guidanceivory andfor startvaluable pointconsideration, such as a trade or swap with something that has value, or for thisa servicediscount havein moveda store
  • selling includes disposing of ivory for valuable consideration, such as a trade or swap with something that has value, or for a discount in a store
  • offering includes advertising and inviting an offer

It is an offence to:

  • breach the ban
  • cause the ban to be breached
  • facilitate a breach of the guidanceban

Other pageways ‘Dealingto inregister itemsor containingapply

You can also email or madewrite to us by post to:

When contacting us you’ll need to:

  • request the relevant application form
  • state which exemption you’re applying for, and if it’s a group registration
  • provide your contact details

Email: ivoryact@apha.gov.uk

Post:

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

Published 24 February 2022
Last updated 16 November 2022 + show all updates

  1. Made the costs to register an ivory item or apply for an exemption certificate clearer. Provided additional guidance on registering single items. Provided additional information on how to apply for an exemption certificate and added a link to the guidance page. Made other ways to register or apply clearer.

  2. First published.

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