Importation of Bats Questions

Is an import permit required for importation and transfer of live bats?

Yes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) limits the importation of bats under the authority of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. § 264) based on the significant public health risks associated with bats. Specifically, bats are known carriers of infectious biological agents that cause communicable and other diseases in humans. The most significant of these infectious biological agents are Nipah virus and viruses that cause communicable diseases such as Ebola, Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever, Sudden Acute Severe Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and rabies.

Is an import permit required to transfer bats within the United States?

If the bat is a native species of the United States, no permit is required to transfer the live bats. However, the CDC Import Permit Program requires a permit for the transfer of live bats within the United States if the bat was previously imported from outside of the United States. This requirement is listed as a condition indicated on the issued permit. To initiate the process for a permit, the facility would need to submit the “Application for Permit to Import or Transport Live Bats” through the Electronic Import Permit Program (eIPP).

What are the requirements for importation of live bats within the United States?

An importer must demonstrate an understanding of the risks which bats pose to public health and provide evidence of efforts taken to protect the importer and the public from such risks. In order to make the determination that an importer will protect public health, through this notice, and in addition to a completed application, CDC requires:

1. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) describing how the bats will be cared for, what personal protective equipment (PPE) will be worn during care, how the cages and exhibit will be cleaned, and how the waste will be handled for both the quarantine period and post quarantine.
2. An SOP describing how the bats will be contained and how escapes will be prevented.
3. An SOP for veterinary care, including procedures for what will be done with sick or dead bats, including a necropsy when a bat dies.
4. An SOP of an Occupational Health Plan including a risk assessment for exposure and a plan should an exposure occur.
5. An SOP explaining that the bats will not be re-distributed after importation.
6. An SOP detailing what will be done with the bats when they are no longer being used for science, education, or exhibition.

What application do I need to complete if I wish to import live bats or transfer live bats within the United States?

The Import Permit Program (IPP) uses a secure electronic information system, eIPP, to conduct all program business. This two-way portal, accessible by both the program and those seeking import permits, is used to submit and share information. As of September 2018, the only way to apply for a CDC import permit is by using this system.

All potential applicants are required to have a SAMS (Secure Access Management Services) account. This protects the security of the information by requiring users to enter a user ID and password, or other secure credentials, before providing access to the system. In order to access the eIPP system, applicants have to apply for a permit. If you do not yet have a SAMS account but would like to establish one in order to submit a new application, please contact us.

Only applications submitted via eIPP will be accepted.