Lacey Act Phase VII Declaration Implementation

On May 30, 2024, APHIS announced Phase VII of the Lacey Act provisions for certain imported plant and wood products. Implementation of Phase VII will begin December 1, 2024.

In this phase, Lacey Act declarations will be required for all remaining plant product Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes that are not 100 percent composite materials. That means a wide array of imported products—such as furniture, additional essential oils, and cork—that have never before needed Lacey Act declarations will now need them. You can view the products included in Phase VII in the Federal Register notice at Federal Register: Public Inspection: Implementation of Revised Lacey Act Provisions.

Preparing for Phase VII

Below are some tips importers can follow to prepare for Phase VII:

Know Your Supply Chain for Each Piece of Plant Material in the Product

• An imported product may include many different plant species. For example, furniture may include inlays of many species. Communicate with your suppliers to obtain plant information: The scientific name for each piece of plant product and where that plant was harvested.

Learn How To File a Declaration

• What information do I need to file?
• How do I file?

Get Answers to Your Questions

• Read the Frequently Asked Questions.

Stay Connected

• APHIS will conduct numerous outreach events over the year to inform importers about these upcoming requirements.
  • Subscribe for APHIS email updates (select the “Lacey Act” topic under Plant Health->Importation into the US->Entry Requirements Including Permits).
  • Sign up for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Cargo Systems Messaging System.
  • Sign up for the Federal Register.
  • Send questions about Lacey Act declaration requirements to lacey.act.declaration@usda.gov.

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