How to Get a USDA / VS Permit: A Guide to Exporting Animal Products to the U.S.
If you manufacture a product containing animal-derived ingredients (pet food, gelatin, collagen, animal protein, leather or hide products, etc.) and want to sell it in the U.S., FDA requirements alone are usually not enough. That is why the question of how to get a USDA VS Permit should be settled at the very start of the process. For these products, a USDA-APHIS VS Import Permit is often required, and a shipment without one may be held at customs.
If you would like us to handle the process from start to finish, the full set of steps and the package are here: USDA and APHIS permit service.
Rather than defining “What is USDA?”, this guide focuses on how a manufacturer shipping animal products to the U.S. can obtain the permit, in what order and with which documents. In other words, it answers “How do I get a USDA / VS Permit?” using the current APHIS eFile process as of 2026.
Short answer: how do you get a USDA / VS Permit? Run your product through APHIS's VS Permitting Assistant (VSPA), create an eAuthentication account, file the application through APHIS eFile using VS Form 16-3, attach the veterinary health certificate from the country of origin, and designate an importer in the U.S. (Importer of Record). An approved permit receives a permit number, and that number accompanies every shipment.
First Things First: Do You Need This Permit?
The general rule is simple: if your product contains an ingredient derived from animals or that has been in contact with animal-origin material, it is likely subject to a USDA-APHIS Veterinary Services (VS) permit. Products that commonly fall into this category include:
• Pet food with animal ingredients (dog and cat food, chews, freeze-dried treats)
• Meat, poultry and fish by-products (meal, fat, protein concentrate)
• Gelatin, collagen, milk powder and their derivatives
• Raw materials based on leather, hide, bone, wool or feathers
• Cosmetics, supplements and pharmaceuticals containing animal enzymes or proteins
The most frequent mistake is skipping the permit on the assumption that “my product isn't food.” Even a single animal-derived ingredient (for example, a gelatin capsule in a supplement) can trigger the process. APHIS's VS Permitting Assistant (VSPA) confirms whether your product requires a permit.
For the full process specific to pet food: Exporting Pet Food to the U.S., USDA & VS Permit. For dog chews and treats: Exporting Natural Dog Chews to the U.S..
USDA, APHIS and VS in Brief
A quick overview (without getting lost in detail):
• USDA is the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
• APHIS is the USDA unit responsible for animal and plant health inspection.
• Veterinary Services (VS) is the team within APHIS responsible for import permits for animal products; this is the office you will work with.
The logic of the permit: because animal products may carry a risk of foreign animal diseases (foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza, BSE), their entry into the U.S. is controlled through the VS Permit.
Don't Confuse USDA with FDA: You May Need Both
One of the most costly mistakes manufacturers make is assuming that FDA registration is enough. The two agencies are separate, and for animal products their requirements often overlap:
| Agency | What does it regulate? |
| FDA | Food safety, labeling, facility registration (all foods, including pet food) |
| USDA APHIS / VS | Biosecurity and animal disease risk (animal-derived products) |
| USDA FSIS | Inspection of meat, poultry and eggs intended for human consumption |
So a product with animal-derived ingredients may require both FDA registration and a USDA VS Permit, and each should be planned separately.
For the FDA side: our FDA Registration and Certification guide.
How to Obtain a USDA VS Permit: Step by Step in APHIS eFile
Important update: USDA's legacy ePermits system has been retired. Since May 31, 2022, new applications and renewals are submitted only through APHIS eFile. Older online content that still describes "ePermits" may be out of date.
The process from the manufacturer's side:
1. Run your product through VSPA. The VS Permitting Assistant indicates whether your product requires a permit and which documents will be needed.
2. Create an eAuthentication account. A USDA identity verification account is required to sign in to APHIS eFile.
3. Submit the application. The permit application is filed in eFile using VS Form 16-3; an approved permit is issued in VS 16-6 format.
4. Prepare the health certificate of origin. A document from the veterinary authority in your country showing that the product comes from a source free of disease risk (for example, BSE-free).
5. Set up the U.S. side. Designate an importer (Importer of Record) and, where required, a U.S. representative (US Agent).
An approved permit receives a unique permit number; this number is listed on export and customs documents, and a copy of the permit accompanies every shipment. Permits are valid for a limited period and are renewed through eFile.
What Happens at Customs? (CBP)
Once the permit is issued, the process runs in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). At entry, CBP matches the permit in the USDA/APHIS system against your documents. If there is no permit or the permit number is incorrect, the product may be placed on hold, entry may be refused, and the product may be re-exported or destroyed.
That is why accurate labels, product lists and permit numbers on your documents have a direct effect on how a shipment is handled.
For the customs side: U.S.-Canada Customs Service and FDA Labeling and Customs Guide.
5 Common Mistakes Manufacturers Make
1. Assuming FDA registration is enough, while products with animal-origin content also need a USDA permit.
2. Assuming "it's not food, so it doesn't apply", while a single animal-derived ingredient in a cosmetic, supplement or pharmaceutical product can trigger the permit requirement.
3. Following outdated ePermits resources, while the current system is APHIS eFile.
4. Overlooking the health certificate of origin, without which both the permit and customs clearance can stall.
5. Leaving the permit number off the documents, since a missing or incorrect number can hold the shipment at customs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who should obtain the USDA VS Permit: the manufacturer or the importer?
The permit belongs to the party bringing the product into the U.S. (the importer, or Importer of Record); however, the manufacturer is at the center of the process, providing the health certificate of origin and product and ingredient information. Both parties should work in coordination.
I have FDA registration. Do I also need a USDA permit?
If the product contains animal-origin ingredients, most likely yes. FDA and USDA are separate obligations; one does not replace the other.
I plan to export pet food. Is a permit required?
If it contains animal-derived ingredients (meat meal, fish oil, animal protein and similar), a VS Permit is likely to apply. The VS Permitting Assistant gives the definitive answer.
Are applications still filed through ePermits?
No. Since May 31, 2022, new applications and renewals have been submitted through APHIS eFile.
How long does the USDA VS Permit process take?
It depends on how complete the file is; missing documents or inaccurate ingredient declarations are the most common causes of delay. That is why it makes sense to plan the application before launch.
If you plan to export animal-origin products to the U.S., the USDA VS Permit should be in place before the product ships. In short: for animal-origin content, a USDA APHIS VS Permit is required in addition to FDA, the application is filed through APHIS eFile, CBP checks it at customs, and a missing permit can cost you the shipment.
If you plan to enter the U.S. market with pet food, gelatin, collagen or another animal-origin product, Export Partners manages the USDA VS Permit application, origin documents, FDA registration and customs process end to end.
Our own U.S. brand: Chewport. With Chewport, our own brand of dog chews and dried pet treats for the U.S. market, we handle the USDA APHIS, FDA and customs process firsthand. Our pet product export experience comes from our own product line, not from theory.
Related guides: U.S. Pet Food Exports, USDA & VS Permit · Pet Product Exports to the U.S. · FDA Registration and Certification
