Legally Required Document

Applicable to: Entities who import, export and re-export species which are listed in the CITES appendices.

Holder of Document: Entities who import, export and re-export species which are listed in the CITES appendices. 

Signature required by:
Signature of the endorser and Seal of the Endangered Species Import and Export Management Offices in China. List of cities where the Endangered Species Import and Export Management Offices are located: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Shenyang, Hohhot, Urumchi, Lhasa, Harbin, Shijiazhuang, Chengdu, Kunming, Hangzhou, Jinan, Fuzhou, Nanning, Guangzhou, Haikou

Key considerations when checking the doc:
 Is there a signature of the endorser and the seal of the Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office of China?  Is the validity of the permit/certificate not exceeding 180 days? (according to the Measures on the Control of Import and Export Certificates of Wildlife, the validity of the permit/certificate shall not exceed 180 days).  Is the scientific name of the species provided?  Check the document for obvious mistakes and changes made in the document to verify its validity. See Preferred by Natures Thematic Article No. 2: Fake Documents  Contact CITES authorities in the country where issued, and verify that is was issued by the applicable authorities.

Purpose and content of document:
Import/Export as well Re-export Permits are required for trading species included on the CITES appendix lists. The contents of these documents are: Import port, export port, importer and exporter’s names, customs certificate code of the holder, HS code, material type, species’ scientific name, volume/quantity, validity, signature and seal from the Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office of China, etc.

Evidence limitations and weaknesses:
• No publicly available database or website is available to verify this certificate. • Not unlikely to find falsified CITES permits. Extra care should be given to verify its validity.