Learn about the requirements for moving poultry into, out of and within Florida. 

Intrastate (Movement Within Florida)

Poultry may be moved within the state of Florida without testing or an Official Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (OCVI).

Vehicles moving poultry are still required to stop at Florida's Agriculture Inspection Stations, where proof of residency and ownership/bill of lading must be presented.

Interstate (Movement Between States)

All domestic fowl, poultry and eggs for hatching purposes imported into Florida, unless exempted by Rule 5C-3.012, Florida Administrative Code, must be accompanied by an OCVI.

Racing pigeons that are transported out of Florida for racing purposes in sealed crates and reenter Florida with unbroken seals do not need to be accompanied by an OCVI.

Poultry and hatching eggs classified under provisions of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) may substitute a Report of Sales of Hatching Eggs, Chicks and Poults, VS Form 9-3, for the OCVI.

For accredited veterinarians issuing OCVIs for animals that require an entry permit, please read this memo [ 219.1 kB ] .

Prior Permission Number

A prior permission number is required on the accompanying documentation for importation of all domestic fowl, poultry and eggs for hatching purposes except those listed here that originate from a state not affected by exotic Newcastle disease (END) or avian influenza (AI):

1. Poultry consigned directly to a recognized slaughtering establishment for slaughter;
2. Individual exotic birds;
3. Racing pigeons returning to Florida in unbroken, sealed containers;
4. Exhibition birds originating in NPIP-participating flocks in Florida and returning to Florida;
5. Those shipments moving through Florida for transshipment outside of the United States and traveling on an international certificate of veterinary inspection, consigning the shipment to a foreign country, provided the shipping containers are not opened in Florida;
6. Hatching eggs or chicks less than 4 days of age originating from NPIP-participating flocks accompanied by a Report of Sales of Hatching Eggs, Chicks and Poults, VS Form 9-3.

To acquire a prior permission number, a Poultry Import Permit application needs to be completed and submitted to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), Division of Animal Industry, through our online portal below. Submission of this permit request does not guarantee approval by FDACS.

Poultry Import Permit Request

Most permits will be issued within three business days; however, it may take up to 14 days to verify the permit information and issue the permit.  

Notice: For permit approval, all addresses must be verifiable 911 addresses. For those shipments moving on an OCVI, the initial premises of delivery (consignee address) must be a complete and accurate 911 address.  If all the birds will not be offloaded at the initial premises of delivery, the other delivery address(es) must be listed in the Remarks or Comments section on the OCVI.

Permits are only valid for 15 days from date of issuance.

Testing Requirements

Pullorum-Typhoid Testing Requirements

An official negative test for pullorum-typhoid is required within 30 days of importation into Florida for poultry or on the flock from which hatching eggs originate.

No pullorum-typhoid test is required for the following:

• Importing poultry or eggs for hatching purposes originating from flocks classified under provisions of the NPIP as U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean;
• Quail, pheasants and other birds used strictly for hunting purposes that are consigned directly to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)-licensed hunting preserve;
• Ratites;
• Waterfowl imported for exhibition purposes;
• Exotic birds or
• Racing pigeons.

Exhibition birds originating from NPIP-participating flocks in Florida returning to Florida must:

• Be accompanied by proof of a valid NPIP flock testing record for pullorum-typhoid indicating that the flock test was conducted within the previous 12 months,
• Be accompanied by proof of a valid NPIP participant card current within the past 12 months, or
• Be consigned directly to a recognized slaughtering establishment for slaughter.

All poultry and poultry products must be accompanied by proof of a negative, approved test for avian influenza.

Entry into Florida must be within 21 days of the avian influenza sample being taken.

If a flock with more than 30 birds is to be imported, then no less than 30 samples per flock must be taken with at least 10 samples taken per house.

If a flock of less than 30 birds is to be imported, then all birds must be tested.

Avian Influenza (AI) Testing Requirements

Poultry or Poultry Products Originating from a Non-AI Affected State

Proof of negative avian influenza testing within 21 days of entry and the FDACS-issued prior permission number must be documented on the Report of Sales of Hatching Eggs, Chicks, Poults, VS Form 9-3, or OCVI listing the description of birds, test date, test results and the name of the laboratory.

 No avian influenza test is required for the following:

• Poultry or poultry products originating from NPIP flocks classified as U.S. Avian Influenza Clean, in non-AI affected states;
• Ratites;
• Exotic birds;
• Racing pigeons.

Poultry Products Originating from an AI-Affected State

Quarantine or Control Area as Defined by Originating State

No domestic fowl, live poultry or poultry products or hatching eggs originating from a quarantine or control area in an AI-affected state may enter Florida except for imported birds that have completed all U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and originating state requirements to move from a quarantine or control area and have completed Florida import requirements.

Non-Quarantine or Control Areas as Defined by Originating State

Proof of negative avian influenza (AI) testing and an FDACS-issued prior permission number must be documented on the Report of Sales of Hatching Eggs, Chicks, Poults, VS Form 9-3, or OCVI listing the description of birds, test date, test results and the name of the laboratory.

Entry into Florida must be within seven days of the AI sample being taken.

If a flock with more than 30 birds is to be imported, then no less than 30 samples per flock must be taken with at least 10 samples taken per house.

If a flock of less than 30 birds is to be imported, then all birds must be tested.

The following poultry and poultry products originating from a non-quarantined area in an AI-affected state are exempt from the AI testing requirements described:

• Poultry or poultry products originating from NPIP flocks classified as U.S. Avian Influenza Clean in AI-affected states;
• Ratites;
• Exotic birds;
• Racing pigeons.

Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) Testing Requirements

Exotic Newcastle disease (END) testing requirements apply to only those shipments of poultry or poultry products originating from an END-affected state.

Quarantine or Control Areas

No domestic fowl, live poultry, poultry products or hatching eggs originating from a quarantine or control area may enter Florida except for imported birds that have completed all USDA and originating state requirements to move from a quarantine or control area and have completed Florida import requirements.

Non-Quarantine or Control Areas

All poultry and poultry products must be accompanied by proof of a negative, approved test for exotic Newcastle disease.

Entry into Florida must be within seven days of the exotic Newcastle disease sample being taken.

If a flock with more than 30 birds is to be imported, then no less than 30 samples per flock must be taken with at least 10 samples taken per house.

If a flock of with less than 30 birds is to be imported, then all birds must be tested.

Documentation

Poultry or poultry products must be accompanied by a Report of Sales of Hatching Eggs, Chicks and Poults, VS Form 9-3, or OCVI indicating the poultry or poultry product originates from an END-negative flock, listing:

• The FDACS-issued prior permission number,
• Description of birds,
• Test date,
• Test results and
• The name of testing laboratory.

Containers for Shipment

All imported domestic fowl, poultry and eggs for hatching purposes must be shipped in new or cleaned and disinfected reusable containers.

International (Movement to or from Foreign Countries)

Visit our International Animal Movement Requirements webpage or the USDA website for international import and export requirements.