Plant Passport Authorisation for Forestry ‘Professional Operators’

Forestry Professional Operators must register with the Department to be authorised to issue Plant Passports. Plant Passports are needed when transporting plants and certain wood products.

All plants for planting must have a Plant Passport when moved from professional operator to professional operator. They have a common format throughout the European Union.

Ireland is recognised as a Protected Zone for six harmful coniferous bark beetle species. Northern Ireland has the same Protected Zone status in respect of these bark beetles. Relevant forestry plants for planting require a Plant Passport for movement in the Protected Zone of Ireland.

The movement of coniferous plants, wood and wood products which are not bark free into and within the Protected Zone should be accompanied by a Plant Passport. For example, the movement of coniferous roundwood from the forest to the place of processing will need to be accompanied by a Plant Passport.

The following species of wood, wood products and isolated bark require a Plant Passport:

• all conifer wood that is not free of bark
• Castanea species with bark
• Platanus species with or without bark

The following types of forest products require a Plant Passport for movement in the Protected Zone:

• round wood in the whole - whole trees, small wood and saw logs
• wood chips processed from round wood on harvesting sites or other sites where aggregation takes place
• isolated bark
• sawn wood that is not bark free

If you are professionally involved in moving forestry plants within a Protected Zone then you will need to register as a professional operator. Certain activities of professional operators require that they register with the department. These activities include:

• introducing or moving within the EU plants, plant products and other objects for which a phytosanitary certificate or a Plant Passport is required
• issuing Plant Passports
• requesting phytosanitary certificates for export
• marking or repairing ISPM 15 standard wood packaging material

In order to become authorised, a professional operator must first submit a Plant Health Application Form to register with the Department. The department has provided further detailed information on Plant Passports for forestry products.

The form below should be returned by post to:

You can also email the completed form to the appropriate dedicated email address below:

• General wood or wood products: forestprotection@agriculture.gov.ie
• Fuel wood: fuelwood@agriculture.gov.ie
• Wood packaging material: ispm15@agriculture.gov.ie
• Forest plants/seeds: frm@agriculture.gov.ie