Import for laboratory purposes

Import licence from AVA

Laboratory animals must be derived from facilities accredited by AVA.

For the list of Accredited Exporters of Laboratory Animals, please click here.

All imports of laboratory animals must be accompanied by a valid import licence from AVA. Application can be made with the online form Application for Licence to Import/Export/Transship Animals/Birds/Eggs/Biologics within 30 days prior to the date of arrival and a Customs Clearance Permit (CCP) declared through Tradenet prior to importation.

The AVA import licence is valid for 30 days from the date of issue and the fee is S$87 per consignment. Please allow two working days to process the licence upon receipt of the duly complete application. A surcharge equal to the licence fee will be imposed if the licence is required to be processed within a period shorter than 2 working days. Each licence is valid for one consignment only.

• Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Laboratory Animals 1/2
• Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Laboratory Animals 2/2

Export of laboratory animals

Export licence from AVA

You would need to obtain an AVA export licence and a CCP declared through Tradenet prior to exportation. Please submit the completed online application Application for Licence to Import/Export/Transship Animals/Birds/Eggs/Biologics to AVA within 30 days prior to export.

The AVA export licence valid for 30 days from the date of issue and the fee is S$87 per consignment. Please allow 2 working days from date of receipt of the duly complete application to process your application.  If the licence is required with a period shorter than 2 working days, an express service fee of an amount equivalent to the licence fee will be charged, in addition to the licence fee. Each licence is valid for one consignment only.

AVA's services: Health certification and disease testing

You are advised to obtain well in advance, details of the import requirements from the relevant authorities of the destination country or through the appropriate Embassy or High Commission in Singapore. Should a Veterinary Health Certificate or testing of the animals for diseases be required by the destination country, AVA can provide the following services:

• If a government health certificate or endorsement of a health certificate by an official veterinarian is required, you are advised to first bring the animal to any of the veterinary clinics in Singapore for an examination and a health certificate. Then submit this health certificate to AVA for conversion to a government health certificate or for endorsement. The application for conversion to a government health certificate can be made with the online form Veterinary Certificate to AVA. The conversion of the health certificate takes one working day to process and the fee is S$23 per certificate. Endorsement of health certificate may be done within the same day and the fee is S$9.45 per endorsement.
  
• Laboratory diagnostic services are available at the Animal and Plant Health Centre, Tel: 6316 5168 / 88 or Fax: 6316 1090.

Applicants are required to produce a copy of the valid health certificate to accompany the application. Additional documents such as a copy of the import permit or import license from the importing country may be required depending on the destination country.

For transit periods of more than four hours, the animals will either be transferred to the Changi Animal and Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) or the airline's animal holding area (for shorter transit hour or outside CAPQ's operation hours). The accommodation fee in CAPQ is S$26.25 / animal for one day or part thereof (for cats or dogs, with feed) or S$26.25 / kennel unit for one day or part thereof (for other animals or birds, without feed). For more information on Changi Animal and Plant Quarantine, please click here.