Pre-signed CITES Permit

For retail of reptilian (eg crocodile, alligator, caiman etc) manufactured products (eg handbags, wallets etc)

A retailer of crocodilian/reptilian products may apply for pre-signed CITES permits.  These permits are pre-approved with no quantity of products listed.  The retailer or shop owner will have to indicate on the pre-signed CITES permit, the quantity for the items when a walk-in customer makes a purchase.  The customer may be required to produce the permit when clearing customs inspections at the country of destination. For existing stocks, retailer needs to inform the Wildlife Regulatory Branch, CITES Section, of the CITES export permit number, country of origin and date of issuance of the CITES export permit which accompanied the product(s) at the time of import.

 
New application

Please familiarise yourself with the following before you apply for a new Pre-signed CITES Permit.

• Terms & conditions 
• Explanatory notes
• HDB
• Frequently Asked Questions

If you are submitting the supporting documents online, please get them ready in soft copy format. Alternatively, you may submit them offline (i.e. via fax, over the counter).

• Apply for new Pre-signed CITES Permit now*. 
• I'm a foreigner applying for new CITES Import, Export, Re-export Permit.  
• Resume my application for new Pre-signed CITES Permit now. 
• Apply for new Pre-signed CITES Permit by copying from an existing application now.
• Apply for amendment of CITES Permit now.
• Enquire on my application's status now. 
• Pay for my New Certificate now. 

Terms & conditions

1.      All import/export/re-export must be in compliance with CITES and AVA’s regulations.

 2.      Applicant must comply with the requirements or conditions imposed by the importing country.

 3.      Applicant is to ensure that the correct documentation accompanies the outgoing consignment.

 4.         The original permit or certificate must accompany the shipment.

 5.      AVA reserves the right to reject an application if the information provided in the application is false or is not in accordance with our re-export regulations.

 6.      All unused or expired certificates or permits must be returned to the Wildlife Regulatory Branch at 5, Maxwell Road, Tower Block MND Complex, #02-03, Singapore 069110.

 7.      All carbon copies of the certificates or permits must be returned to the Wildlife Regulatory Branch at 5, Maxwell Road, Tower Block MND Complex, #02-03, Singapore 069110.

 8.      No refund would be catered for any unused or expired certificate or permit.

 9.      Applicant must agree and comply with the terms and conditions for certificate application before proceeding with any application.

 10.    AVA has the right to amend any existing conditions and/or impose further conditions as and when it deems necessary.

 

Explanatory Notes / Instructions / Guides to applicants
 

a.     Definition of CITES

“CITES” is the acronym for the Convention on International Trade In Endangered Species of Wild Fauna And Flora.  It is an international agreement to ensure that trade ceases to threaten wildlife with extinction.  Singapore became a signatory to CITES in 1986 and regulates trade in endangered species through a system of permits.

b.     Definition of CITES Species

“CITES Species” means any species of animal or plant, dead or alive or parts, products and derivatives which is listed in any of the CITES Appendices – CITES Appendix I, II, or III.

c.     CITES Appendix I

CITES Appendix I lists highly endangered species with are threatened with extinction.   Commercial import/export is not allowed. Movement of these species may be authorized under certain circumstances (eg. zoos, research institutions, museums, universities, etc).

d.    CITES Appendix II

CITES Appendix II includes species, which may become endangered if trade in these species is not regulated.  Trade is allowed if specimens are accompanied by proper and valid CITES permits.

 
e.    CITES Appendix III

CITES Appendix III species are not considered endangered but are under protection in certain countries.  They can be traded with a Certificate of Origin, export permit or re-export certificate.

f.       Definitions of import, export and re-export

“Import” means to bring into Singapore by land, sea and air, any specimen from another foreign country.

“Export” means to take out of Singapore by land, sea and air, any specimen that originates from Singapore.

“Re-export” means export of any specimen or product of that specimen that has previously been imported into Singapore.

Pre-signed CITES permits are applicable to export and re-export of reptilian manufactured products only.

g.     Permittee, Consignor/Consignee

“Permittee” refers to the applicant or person or company who is importing, exporting or re-exporting the specimen(s).

For import, “consignor” refers to the overseas person or company who is exporting or re-exporting the specimen(s) to Singapore.

For export/re-export, “consignee” refers to the overseas person or company who is the importing or receiving party for the specimen(s) from Singapore.  It may also refer to the person or permittee who is transporting the specimen to another country.

Complete name and address, including the country of the permittee, consignor/consignee must be provided on the pre-signed CITES permit by the retailer.

h.     Purpose

The following codes should be used – T for commercial, Z for zoos, G for botanical gardens, Q for circuses and traveling exhibitions, S for scientific purposes, H for hunting trophies, P for personal, M for medical, E for education, N for reintroduction or introduction into the wild and B for breeding in captivity or artificial propagation, L for law enforcement / judicial / forensic

i.       Scientific name and common name

Indicate the scientific or Latin name (genus and species, and subspecies, where applicable) of the animal or plant as it appears in the CITES Appendices and the common name of the animal or plant as known in the country issuing the permit.

j.       Description & markings

Describe, as precisely as possible, the specimen(s) entering trade (eg handbags, wallets, shoes, etc).  If the specimen is marked (eg tags, identifying marks, rings, etc), indicate the number and type of mark.

k.    Appendix Number
Enter the number of the Appendix of the Convention (I, II or III) in which the species is listed.

l.    Source of the specimen

Source refers to where the specimen (live, parts & derivatives) was obtained and the following codes indicate the source of the specimens.

          W      = specimens taken from the wild
          R       = specimens originating from a ranching operation
          D       = Appendix I animals captive bred or plants artificially propagated for
                      commercial purposes, and originate from CITES-registered operations
          A       = artificially propagated plants
          C       = Appendix I animals bred in captivity for non-commercial
                      purposes or captive bred Appendix II/III species
          F       = F1 generation of animals born in captivity
          U       = source unknown (must be justified)
          I        = confiscated or seized specimens
         O       = Pre-convention specimen

m.    Quantity & units

Please indicate quantity and units for the specimen(s) that enter trade.

The quantity fields will have to be completed by the retailer when the customer makes a purchase for the reptilian manufactured products.

n.    Country of origin

The country of origin is that country in which the specimens were taken from the wild or bred in captivity or artificially propagated. Indicate the number of the permit or certificate of the exporting country and the date of issuance.

o.    Country of last re-export

The country of last re-export is the country from which the specimens were re-exported before entering the country in which the present document is issued.  Enter the number of the re-export certificate of the country of last re-export and its date of issuance.