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How to Obtain a Phytosanitary Certificate
- Confirm eligibility
Contact MDA Export Services at 651-201-6558 to determine whether your commodity is eligible for phytosanitary certification. Only raw or minimally processed plant products qualify. - Determine requirements
Contact MDA Export Services at 651-201-6558 to confirm certification requirements for the destination country. - Decide whether certification is needed
- If certification is required, make sure you can meet all destination country requirements.
- If certification is not required, decide whether you need one for business purposes and confirm you can meet the requirements.
- Plan for inspection
Determine how you will meet inspection requirements:- Nursery stock, logs, lumber and seed are inspected by the MDA.
- Bulk or large-quantity grain is inspected by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), which issues a 921-2 inspection form.
- Submit an application in Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking (PCIT)
Create and submit your application in PCIT to the MDA duty station (MN: St. Paul (state)). - Provide inspection documentation
- Attach your 921-2 inspection form to your PCIT application, or
- Schedule an inspection with the MDA by phone.
- Track inspection timelines
Monitor your timeline to avoid expiration. Inspections are typically valid for 30 days, but some countries have shorter time limits. - Submit all required documentation
Provide all supporting documents required for certification. Documents in a foreign language must include:- The original document, and
- A complete English translation
- Processing time
The MDA processes complete applications (including all inspections and documents) within one to three business days. Certificates are mailed to the applicant unless another delivery method or address is requested. - Provide the certificate at destination
Phytosanitary certificates must be presented to the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) in the destination country when the shipment arrives. Choose a delivery method
Phytosanitary certificates must be presented to the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) in the destination country at the time the shipment arrives in that country.
- Send the certificate to a broker in the destination country,
- Include it inside shipment boxes, or
- Use another secure method to ensure it arrives with the shipment
Important: Never place phytosanitary certificates in shipping label holders on the outside of boxes. They can be lost during transit.
