Countries worldwide have restrictions on imports of plants and plant products to prevent accidental introduction of plant pests. Most shipments of plants and plant products must be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate, which requires inspection of the shipment by a certified official. Commodities must be certified within 30 days of inspection.

Phytosanitary certificates are $56 (includes a $6 USDA Administrative fee) and are pre-paid through the USDA PCIT system (link below).

Inspection fees are $45 per hour for service and travel time (rounded to the nearest quarter hour) plus roundtrip mileage from the inspector’s duty station and the distance between fields. The mileage rate is equivalent to the current federal rate. Inspections are billed after completion. Phytosanitary certificates must be pre-paid at the time of application.

To apply for an inspection, submit an Export Inspection Request 

To apply for a Phytosanitary Certificate, use the USDA APHIS Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance & Tracking System.

Live Plant Certificate of Inspection

Many states accept shipments of live plants from Kansas when accompanied by a Live Plant Certificate of Inspection. Issuance requires one or more inspections depending on the type of plants being shipped and frequency of shipments.

Requests for Live Plant Certificates are made when applying for or renewing a Live Plant Dealer License, or by contacting the appropriate regional plant protection specialist.

To request a Live Plant Certificate Inspection, submit an Export Inspection Request.

Live Plant Certificates are valid October 1 – September 30 and must be renewed annually.  The certificate fee is $30 and inspection fees are as described below.

State Phytosanitary Certificates and Compliance Agreements

Some states require state phytosanitary certificates or compliance agreements for shipments of live plants or plant products. Summaries of these requirements are available on individual states’ regulatory agency websites and on the National Plant Board website.

Commodities must be certified within 30 days of inspection. The certificate fee is $30, and inspection fees are as described below.

There is no fee for compliance agreements.

Inspection fees for interstate shipping inspections

Inspection fees are $45 per hour for service and travel time (rounded to the nearest quarter hour) plus roundtrip mileage from the inspector’s duty station and the distance between fields. The mileage rate is equivalent to the current federal rate. Inspections are billed after completion.

Some countries and U.S. territories require crops to be inspected in the field prior to harvest to determine absence of plant pests. This requirement is primarily for seed for planting. Entities who plan to ship seed should check the requirements of the importing country well in advance. Requests for inspection should also be made with plenty of notice for staff to schedule field inspections at an appropriate time.

Inspection fees are $45 per hour for service and travel time (rounded to the nearest quarter hour) plus roundtrip mileage from the inspector’s duty station and the distance between fields. The mileage rate is equivalent to the current federal rate. Inspections are billed after completion.

• Growing Season Inspection Request Form

Kansas is infested with European Corn Borer (ECB), a destructive insect pest which feeds on a wide variety of crops. Any entity wishing to ship ECB host material must comply with quarantines imposed by non-infested states. Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas (county-specific) Utah and Washington currently have restrictions to prevent unintentional movement of ECB into their states.

To facilitate export of regulated articles, Plant Protection staff inspect ECB screens and authorize issuance of compliance certificates. The ECB Authorization period is January 1 – December 31 and must be renewed annually.

Inspection fees are $30 per hour for service and travel time (rounded to the nearest quarter hour) plus roundtrip mileage from the inspector’s duty station. The mileage rate is equivalent to the current federal rate. Inspections are billed after completion.

• European Corn Borer Application