Import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS)
Importers
Use and import agents need to use IPAFFS to notify enforcement authorities about imports to Great Britain.
- From:
-
Animal and Plant Health Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
- Published:
Published - 18 March 2019
- Last updated:
updated -
17
30SeptemberApril20262024
YouImporters and import agents must use IPAFFS to notify authorities in Great Britain before the following goods arrive from EU and non-EU countries:
- live animals
- germinal products
- animal by-products (ABP)
- high-risk food and feed not of animal origin (HRFNAO)
- products of animal origin (POAO)
- composite food products
- medium and high risk plants and plant products
Register for IPAFFS
You’llBefore needyou tocan signuse inIPAFFS toyou usemust thishave service.a Government Gateway account.
If you do not already have signa inGovernment details,Gateway account, you can set one up when you select ‘start now’.
Once you’ve set up your account you’ll be able to createregister them.for the Defra service you want to use, including the IPAFFS service.
If you already use other Defra services, you can register for IPAFFS by selecting ‘register for more services’.
If you’re an import agent acting on behalf of an importer you must register for IPAFFS using your own business details. You should not select ‘intermediaries’ on the ‘Manage account’ screen in the IPAFFS service as this does not apply to IPAFFS users.
When you raise a notification in IPAFFS, you are responsible for the consignment from when it enters Great Britain until the authorities complete their checks.
CreateCheck an import notificationrules
MakeFind sureout when you haveneed allto yournotify importauthorities documentsabout inyour electronicgoods format, for example PDF. Great Britain accepts verifiable PDF GB health certificates from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway for imports of:
- live animals
- animal products including germinal products, POAO and ABP
You must upload the documents to the import notification before you submit it.
Import rules
Find out the other rules you must follow to import:
- live animals and germinal products from the EU
- animal by-products from the EU
- high-risk food and feed of non-animal origin from the EU
- products of animal origin from the EU
- composite products from the EU
- compound products from the EU to Great Britain
- plants and plant products from the EU
- fish to the UK
- live animals, animal products and high risk food and feed not of animal origin from non-EU countries
- plants and plant products from non-EU countries
- live animals and germinal products to Great Britain under Balai rules
Before you start
Before you start to create a new import notification, make sure you have all your import documents in electronic format, for example PDF. Great Britain accepts verifiable PDF GB health certificates from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway for imports of:
liveanimalsanimalproductsincludinggerminalproducts,POAOandABP
You must upload the documents to the import notification before you submit it.
Get help
If you need technical help with IPAFFS:
- call the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) helpline on 0330 041 6999
- email APHAServiceDesk@apha.gov.uk
If you need help to complete import notifications for:
- live animals, email importsriskmanagement@apha.gov.uk
- HRFNAO, email imported.food@food.gov.uk
- plants and plant products, you can read the IPAFFS for plants guidance or fill
emailin the online contact formphsi-importers@apha.gov.uk - animal products, contact the port health authority (PHA) at your relevant border control post (BCP)
If you need help with your customs declaration,declaration
Contact contact HMRC. for help.
Updates to this page
Last updated 17
-
The way you contact APHA has changed because the email address phsi-importers@apha.gov.uk is no longer in use. A link to the contact form has been added.
Sign up for emails or print this page
Update history
2026-09-17 10:00
The way you contact APHA has changed because the email address phsi-importers@apha.gov.uk is no longer in use. A link to the contact form has been added.
2024-04-30 00:01
The page has been updated with information about changes to imports in line with the Border Target Operating Model.
2024-01-31 00:15
Removed a section exempting certain products from the Republic of Ireland from import notifications on IPAFFS. From 31 January 2024, import notifications will be required. Added risk level for plants and plant products.
2024-01-05 16:25
A prompt has been added to prepare for new import controls which begin on 31 January 2024.
2023-06-12 12:21
Added a link to guidance on importing plants and plant products from non-EU third countries to Northern Ireland under ‘Check import rules’. Added a link to IPAFFS for plants guidance in the ‘Get help’ section.
2022-04-22 10:28
Added information for import agents acting on behalf of an importer.
2021-12-20 15:41
Updated the section ‘If you need help with your customs declaration’.
2021-12-17 09:56
Added a ‘If you need help with your customs declaration’ section.
2021-12-16 15:47
Updated to include plants and show change in rules from 1 January 2022 for imports from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain.
2021-09-14 15:24
Updated with new dates for the introduction of controls on imports of products of animal origin, animal by-products and high risk food and feed not of animal origin.
2020-09-30 11:57
Removed the registration guides PDFs – you can now use the service to understand how to register.
2020-09-04 16:39
Explained that you can enrol into IPAFFS if you have registered for another Defra service by signing into your service.
2020-08-27 09:12
The dates agreed with the EU commission for using IPAFFS (7 and 15 September 2020) are no longer valid – TRACES will still be the process to follow.
2020-08-26 09:24
Explained that “from 7 September 2020, you must use IPAFFS to notify authorities of GB imports of products of animal origin (POAO) from non-EU countries.” Clarified processes about importing from EU and non-EU countries.
2020-06-29 16:14
Added registration guides.
2020-06-29 12:03
Removed “If your notification is shown as 'in progress' you'll need to call the relevant border control post (BCP) to ask them for access to make your changes” because it only applies to non-EU imports.
2020-06-29 10:47
Added information on how and when to submit and update a notification.
2019-11-29 12:02
Updated information about IPAFFS and added a link to TRACES New Technology (NT), which must be used from 14 December 2019.
2019-10-02 11:43
IPAFFS is open for registration.
2019-09-16 14:01
Revised page to explain more about what IPAFFS is – page will be updated when IPAFFS is open for registration and when any new import processes are confirmed.
2019-08-23 16:05
Edited call out to make it clearer how TRACES and IPAFFS can be used before and after Brexit.
2019-04-17 11:16
Added note that IPAFFS is currently for testing and training only. Importers should continue to use TRACES to notify authorities of imports into the UK.
Update history
2026-09-17 10:00
The way you contact APHA has changed because the email address phsi-importers@apha.gov.uk is no longer in use. A link to the contact form has been added.
2024-04-30 00:01
The page has been updated with information about changes to imports in line with the Border Target Operating Model.
2024-01-31 00:15
Removed a section exempting certain products from the Republic of Ireland from import notifications on IPAFFS. From 31 January 2024, import notifications will be required. Added risk level for plants and plant products.
2024-01-05 16:25
A prompt has been added to prepare for new import controls which begin on 31 January 2024.
2023-06-12 12:21
Added a link to guidance on importing plants and plant products from non-EU third countries to Northern Ireland under ‘Check import rules’. Added a link to IPAFFS for plants guidance in the ‘Get help’ section.
2022-04-22 10:28
Added information for import agents acting on behalf of an importer.
2021-12-20 15:41
Updated the section ‘If you need help with your customs declaration’.
2021-12-17 09:56
Added a ‘If you need help with your customs declaration’ section.
2021-12-16 15:47
Updated to include plants and show change in rules from 1 January 2022 for imports from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain.
2021-09-14 15:24
Updated with new dates for the introduction of controls on imports of products of animal origin, animal by-products and high risk food and feed not of animal origin.
2020-09-30 11:57
Removed the registration guides PDFs – you can now use the service to understand how to register.
2020-09-04 16:39
Explained that you can enrol into IPAFFS if you have registered for another Defra service by signing into your service.
2020-08-27 09:12
The dates agreed with the EU commission for using IPAFFS (7 and 15 September 2020) are no longer valid – TRACES will still be the process to follow.
2020-08-26 09:24
Explained that “from 7 September 2020, you must use IPAFFS to notify authorities of GB imports of products of animal origin (POAO) from non-EU countries.” Clarified processes about importing from EU and non-EU countries.
2020-06-29 16:14
Added registration guides.
2020-06-29 12:03
Removed “If your notification is shown as 'in progress' you'll need to call the relevant border control post (BCP) to ask them for access to make your changes” because it only applies to non-EU imports.
2020-06-29 10:47
Added information on how and when to submit and update a notification.
2019-11-29 12:02
Updated information about IPAFFS and added a link to TRACES New Technology (NT), which must be used from 14 December 2019.
2019-10-02 11:43
IPAFFS is open for registration.
2019-09-16 14:01
Revised page to explain more about what IPAFFS is – page will be updated when IPAFFS is open for registration and when any new import processes are confirmed.
2019-08-23 16:05
Edited call out to make it clearer how TRACES and IPAFFS can be used before and after Brexit.
2019-04-17 11:16
Added note that IPAFFS is currently for testing and training only. Importers should continue to use TRACES to notify authorities of imports into the UK.