How to get a plant passport in the UK: steps and costs
You do not buy plant passports. You get authorised to issue your own. In England and Wales that means registering with APHA, applying for authorisation and passing an inspection. Here are the steps, timings and fees.
Short answer
In England and Wales: 1) register with APHA as a plant health professional operator using the online form, 2) apply for authorisation to issue UK plant passports, which is free online, 3) pass an APHA inspection shortly after you are authorised (£61.58 per 15 minutes, minimum £123.16) and 4) renew every year. Allow at least 2 weeks to get registered and authorised. In Scotland, contact SASA; in Northern Ireland, DAERA.
Step 1: Register as a professional operator
Use the online form "Register to become a plant health professional operator" on GOV.UK. If you cannot use the online form, the same page explains how to register by email.
APHA emails a confirmation once the registration is processed, normally within 5 working days of a complete application (Defra FAQ Q3.2). Your registration number is what goes in element B of your passports.
Step 3: The APHA inspection
APHA inspects "shortly after you’re authorised". Inspectors audit your records and inspect and sample plants (GOV.UK). Having your plant list, suppliers and passport records in order makes the visit shorter, which matters because it is charged by time. What to expect at the APHA inspection has the details and a checklist.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Registration as a professional operator | No fee stated on GOV.UK |
| Authorisation applied for online (expression of interest or eDomero) | Free |
| Authorisation by paper or emailed form | £20.66 |
| Inspection after authorisation | £61.58 per 15 minutes or part, minimum £123.16 |
| Yearly renewal inspection | Same as the first inspection |
Step 4: Start issuing passports and keeping records
Once authorised, you print your own passports and attach one to each parcel you send. The label must follow the format in UK plant passport label requirements.
You must keep records for 3 years: who supplied passported plants to you, which professional operators you supplied, and the information in each passport you issue (Defra FAQ Q2.7 and Q5.3). The plant passport record keeping guide has a free template to start with.
Step 5: Renew every year
Authorisation is renewed each year through eDomero, and renewal inspections are charged at the same rate as the first one.
Online sellers can also choose to join the list of authorised distance plant sellers, a public GOV.UK list that buyers can use to check a seller is authorised.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Wales uses the same APHA process as England. In Scotland, plant passports are handled by the Scottish Government’s plant health inspectors with SASA; contact them for the current forms and fees.
Northern Ireland follows EU plant passport rules under the Windsor Framework. Registration and authorisation are with DAERA.
Change ahead: under the UK–EU SPS agreement, the government says EU plant passports will replace UK plant passports, with the agreement intended to take effect in mid-2027 (subject to negotiations). Until new guidance is published, the UK rules on this page apply. See EU plant passports in 2027.
Common questions
How long does it take to get a plant passport?+
Defra advises allowing at least 2 weeks to become registered and authorised. The inspection follows after authorisation.
How much does a plant passport cost?+
Online registration and authorisation are free and you print your own passports. The cost is the APHA inspection: £61.58 per 15 minutes, with a minimum of £123.16, repeated at each yearly renewal. Paper applications add £20.66.
Can I sell plants online while my application is being processed?+
You need authorisation before you issue plant passports, and passports are required for online sales of plants for planting. Plan your launch around the 2 weeks Defra suggests allowing.
Who do I contact about plant passports?+
APHA in England and Wales, SASA and the Scottish Government’s plant health inspectors in Scotland, and DAERA in Northern Ireland. Plant Passport Ops is not affiliated with any of them.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Register to become a plant health professional operator
- GOV.UK: Apply for authorisation to issue plant passports
- GOV.UK: Issuing plant passports to trade plants in Great Britain
- Defra Plant Health Portal: Plant passport FAQ
- GOV.UK: Join the list of authorised distance plant sellers
- SASA: Plant passports (Scotland)
- DAERA: Plant health regulation (Northern Ireland)
- GOV.UK: SPS agreement, horticulture industry: preparing your business
This guide summarises official guidance for Great Britain as of 12 Oct 2026. Rules can change, so check the linked GOV.UK pages or contact APHA (Scotland: SASA) for your own situation. Plant Passport Ops does not grant official authorisation or provide legal or regulatory advice. It helps sellers organise label and record workflows based on the information they enter.
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