Five ways to make UK plant passport labels, compared
Every authorised seller has to put a UK plant passport on each parcel and keep a record of it. Here are the five ways sellers do it, from a pen to software, with the time, cost and record keeping each one involves.
Short answer
For a few parcels a week, a free Word or PDF template or neat handwriting is enough. Spreadsheet mail merge suits sellers who already keep orders in Excel or Google Sheets. Once you send dozens of parcels a week, a tool that reads your shop’s orders saves the most time, because it fills in the botanical names and keeps the 3-year record for you. All five meet the rules if the passport has the right heading, elements A to D and is legible.
The options at a glance
Whichever you choose, the passport content is the same: the heading "UK Plant Passport", A the botanical name, B your APHA registration number, C a traceability code and D the country of origin (GOV.UK). The difference is how much copying you do per order and where your records end up.
| Method | Cost | Work per order | Records | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handwritten or rubber stamp | Labels and a pen | Write A, C and D for every parcel | Separate notebook or sheet | A handful of parcels a week |
| Free Word or PDF template | Free | Type each label, print and cut | Separate | Up to about 20 parcels a week |
| Spreadsheet and mail merge | Free with Excel, Word or Google Docs | Paste orders, check names, run the merge | The spreadsheet, if you keep it | Sellers comfortable with spreadsheets |
| Label printer software (Dymo, Brother) | Printer plus labels | Type or import each label | None built in | Fast single-label printing |
| Plant Passport Ops | Free up to 20 passports a month, then from £9 a month | Import orders; names and codes fill in | Kept automatically, searchable and exportable | Shopify, Etsy and WooCommerce sellers with regular orders |
Handwritten labels and templates
Defra accepts handwritten passports if the details are in capitals and legible (Defra FAQ Q4.8). A self-inking stamp with the heading, your registration number (B) and "GB" (D) leaves only the botanical name and code to write.
A template does the layout for you. The free UK plant passport template has 8 labels per A4 sheet as a fillable PDF and a Word file. Both methods leave record keeping to you: note what each passport said and keep it for 3 years.
Spreadsheet and mail merge
If your orders already land in a spreadsheet, add columns for the botanical name, traceability code and country, then use Word’s mail merge (or a Google Docs add-on) to print them onto label sheets such as Avery L7163. It is free and fast once set up.
The weak spot is the botanical name. Shop exports list product titles such as "Swiss cheese plant 12cm", so someone has to map each product to its botanical name every time, and a wrong name on a passport is a compliance problem.
Label printer software
Dymo and Brother printers come with free design software. You can build a passport layout once and type the variable parts for each label. It prints quickly, but it does not know your orders or keep a passport record, so it works best alongside one of the other methods. See label sheets and printers for sizes.
A plant passport tool
Plant Passport Ops is built for this job. It imports Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce or CSV orders, matches each product to a botanical name from your plant catalogue, prints passports for a whole batch onto A4 sheets or label printer rolls, and keeps every passport on record for the 3 years the rules require. It is free for up to 20 passports a month; Starter is £9 a month for up to 250 and Pro £19 a month for up to 1,000 (prices exclude VAT).
Software does not replace authorisation: you still need to register with APHA and be authorised before you issue passports. See how to get a plant passport.
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
What is the cheapest way to make UK plant passports?+
A free template or handwriting on plain labels. Both are allowed if the passport has the right heading and elements A to D and is legible.
Is there software for UK plant passports?+
Yes. Plant Passport Ops creates UK plant passports from Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce or CSV orders and keeps the records. It is free for up to 20 passports a month.
Can I use mail merge for plant passports?+
Yes. A mail merge from a spreadsheet onto label sheets works well, as long as each row has the correct botanical name, your registration number without "GB", a traceability code and the country of origin.
Do I have to keep records of the passports I issue?+
Yes. You need to keep records of the plant passports you issue for 3 years, whichever method you use to make them.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Issuing plant passports to trade plants in Great Britain
- Defra Plant Health Portal: Plant passport FAQ
- Retained Regulation (EU) 2017/2313, Article 2 (plant passport format)
- GOV.UK: Apply for authorisation to issue plant passports
This guide summarises official guidance for Great Britain as of 14 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.
Make plant passport labels from your orders
Connect Shopify or Etsy, or import a WooCommerce or CSV order export, fill in the passport details once and print labels in batches. Free for 20 passports a month.
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