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Australia

Last Modified: Sep 29, 2021
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IRegs for LIVE Animals

Notice: If you have any questions or concerns regarding the procedures and requirements for exporting animals, you should contact the VS Field Office covering the area from which the animal will be exported, the area in which your office is located.

This country allows USDA Accredited Veterinarians to use USDA’s online Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS) to complete health certificates.

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USDA Accredited Veterinarian Signature Electronic Signature Accepted
USDA APHIS Veterinary Medical Officer Signature Digital Endorsement Accepted
The health certificate bears digital signature/seal
Before going to VEHCS: Scroll below this banner to view animal-specific requirements.

To process some health certificates, VEHCS may need the USDA Accredited Veterinarian to upload the completed fillable PDF version found below. Either save a copy of the PDF below, or return to this page for the health certificate, if prompted by VEHCS.
USDA Accredited Veterinarians, log in here if you wish to use VEHCS.
USDA Accredited Veterinarians, help with using VEHCS is available on the VEHCS Help Page. To walk yourself through issuing a health certificate in VEHCS, click here.
NOTE: The printed paper endorsed health certificate must accompany each shipment. USDA Accredited Veterinarians can print the health certificate from VEHCS once it is endorsed.
Australia’s import conditions for live animals are available on their Biosecurity Import Conditions (BICON) website.

Equine

Note: The health certificates for export of horses from the United States to Australia were updated in September 2019 (a summary of updates can be found here), December 2019 (Hong Kong was reinstated as an approved country), and September 2020 (department name updated to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment).

Note: In addition to the export health certificate, Australia requires an Appendix B certificate when the horse has been in the country of export for less than 60 days:

For horses traveling from the United States to an approved country and then to Australia (within the 60 days before export to Australia), the above Appendix B must be issued by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian and endorsed by APHIS.

For horses traveling from an approved country to the United States and then to Australia (within the 60 days before export to Australia), an Appendix B must be obtained from the country the horse resided in before traveling to the United States.

Appendix B can be issued retroactively, if required.

  • Equine - Semen
    • Health Certificates for Equine Semen: Please visit Australia's BICON website to view the health certificates.

Note: The health certificates for equine semen to Australia were updated in April 2020 (change to requirements for EEE/WEE, please click here for more information.

Aquatic Animals

APHIS Registered Aquaculture Export Facility approval is required for freshwater aquarium fish and marine aquarium fish.

Protocols available on Australia's BICON website for export from the United States to Australia:

  • Fish for Laboratory Use (Zebra Fish)
  • Freshwater Aquarium Fish
    • See import permit for inspection standards
    • Click here to view the list of permitted live freshwater fish suitable for import
    • BICON contains additional health certification criteria and procedures for gouramis, bettas, paradise fish, cichlids, poeciliids, and goldfish
  • Marine Aquarium Fish
    • See import permit and BICON for inspection standards
    • Click here to view the list of permitted live marine fish suitable for import

Note: USDA, APHIS must endorse each page of the health certificate and species list. (The species list can either be in the body of the health certificate or a separate page on plain paper.)

Poultry

Note: Effective September 1, 2021, Australia is making several changes to the wording of health certificates for hatching eggs. They do not reflect changes to the import requirements; rather they clarify the wording of existing conditions for consistency across different laboratories and exporting countries.

Note: Approval for uplift - Consignments of hatching eggs require provision of a pre-export compliance statement at least three business days prior to uplift of the eggs, instead of a draft health certificate. A copy of the laboratory reports that will accompany the health certificate must be attached. The statement may be completed and provided by the exporter, USDA accredited veterinarian, or importer, and does not require endorsement by USDA APHIS. Click here to view an example of the aforementioned statement. The final endorsed health certificate with relevant attachments is required at the time of export.

Cattle

Note: Please visit Australia's BICON website to view the health certificates for the commodities listed below.

  • Bovine - Semen
  • Bovine - Embryos

Sheep and Goats

Note: Please visit Australia's BICON website to view the health certificates for the commodities listed below.

  • Sheep - Semen
  • Goat - Semen
  • Sheep - Embryos
  • Goat - Embryos

Other Animals

Note: Please visit Australia's BICON website to view the health certificates for the commodities listed below.

  • Camelids
  • Canine - Semen
  • Laboratory Animals and Germplasm
  • Zoo Animals
  • Giraffe - Semen
  • Elephant - Semen

Pets

Visit the APHIS Pet Travel Website for information about exporting your pets.
For species not listed, the requirements are not known.  However, exporters wanting to ship livestock and/or germplasm, whose requirements are not listed above, should have the interested party (importer/buyer) in the country of destination apply for an Import Permit at the appropriate ministry.  This Import Permit will most likely outline the specific requirements.



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