Short answer: every country requires a phytosanitary certificate for live plants from Indonesia, and Labijo includes it with every order. Whether you also need an import permit depends on your country. The United States (for Labijo orders), Canada, Singapore, Australia and several others require one before we can ship; the European Union and the United Kingdom generally do not, but have their own registration and notification rules.
We use your permit for two things: Indonesia’s quarantine agency needs it to write the correct declarations on the phytosanitary certificate, and some countries need it printed on or packed with the parcel. Get your permit before you order. If plants are refused or destroyed at the border because a required permit is missing, we cannot replace or refund them.
Import requirements by country
| Country | Import permit | Other key requirements | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Required for every Labijo order: USDA PPQ 587, applied for in APHIS eFile by a US resident | 13+ plants go through a USDA plant inspection station; plants must be soil-free. See our US import guide. | USDA APHIS |
| Canada | Required: Permit to Import for all plants for planting from outside the continental US, issued before the shipment leaves | Apply in My CFIA well in advance (CFIA suggests about 6 weeks); certificate must list every plant; soil-free; check each species in AIRS | CFIA D-08-04 |
| European Union | Generally not required for houseplants | Phytosanitary certificate for all plants for planting; plants on the EU “high-risk” list are prohibited pending risk assessment; importers need an EORI number and may need to register as a professional operator | European Commission plant health |
| United Kingdom (Great Britain) | Not a permit, but the importer must register and pre-notify | Pre-notification on IPAFFS before arrival; phytosanitary certificate issued within 13 days of dispatch | GOV.UK |
| Singapore | Required: NParks import permit, applied for after the phytosanitary certificate is issued | Bare-root ornamental plants must be pest-free; CITES permit for listed species | NParks |
| Australia | Required for all nursery stock, whatever the quantity | Species must be listed in BICON; many plants need post-entry quarantine at Mickleham, Victoria, with fees; species not in BICON cannot be imported until assessed | DAFF / BICON |
| New Zealand | Required where the import health standard calls for post-entry quarantine, and for all citrus | Most nursery stock goes through post-entry quarantine, often including testing for Xylella | MPI import health standard |
| Malaysia | Required, based on our shipping experience | Apply to the Department of Agriculture before ordering | Department of Agriculture Malaysia |
| Philippines | Required: Plant Quarantine Clearance (formerly Permit to Import) | Issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry | Bureau of Plant Industry |
| United Arab Emirates | Required: MOCCAE import permit, plus a release permit after inspection | Fees apply for both permits; plants must be free of soil | MOCCAE |
| Hawaii | USDA rules plus state rules | Hawaii Department of Agriculture inspects plants arriving in the state | Hawaii Department of Agriculture |
Rules change often. We last checked the official sources above in October 2026; always confirm with your country’s plant protection authority before you order. Not listed? Email us your country and we will tell you what we know from previous shipments.
How to get an import permit
- Find your authority: the agriculture ministry or national plant protection organization (NPPO) in the table above.
- Use scientific names: permit offices work with genus and species names, such as Philodendron gloriosum, not trade names. Our product pages list the botanical name.
- List every plant you plan to import: plants not covered by the permit cannot be shipped, and in some countries an unlisted plant can lead to the whole parcel being refused.
- Apply early: processing takes from a few days to several weeks, and longer where post-entry quarantine is involved.
- Send us the permit with your plant list at [email protected] or with your list from the wholesale catalog. We check it before we quote.
What Labijo provides for every shipment
- Export permit from the Indonesian government
- Phytosanitary certificate from Indonesia’s quarantine agency, with the declarations your permit requires
- Commercial invoice and packing list with scientific names and quantities
- Bare-root plants, cleaned and treated, packed in moss or tissue depending on your country’s rules
Read more about the phytosanitary certificate and the full ordering process in how to buy and import plants from Indonesia.
FAQ
Is a phytosanitary certificate the same as an import permit?
No. The phytosanitary certificate is issued by the exporting country (Indonesia) and confirms the plants were inspected and are free of pests. The import permit is issued by your country and authorizes you to bring the plants in. Many countries require both.
How much does an import permit cost?
It depends on the country. Some issue permits without a fee, others charge per permit or per consignment, and countries with post-entry quarantine also charge for the quarantine period. Check your authority’s website.
Do I need a permit for a small order?
Often, yes. Australia requires a permit whatever the quantity, and every US order from Labijo needs a permit because Indonesia’s quarantine agency asks for it. Check the table above for your country.
What happens if I order without the right permit?
We will not ship to a country that requires a permit until we have it. If plants are refused or destroyed at the border because of missing documents on the buyer’s side, we cannot replace or refund them.
