Importing insects and other invertebrates

The Plant Biosecurity and Phytosanitary Services (PBPS) section regulates these 4 phyla groups of invertebrates:

Annelids (segmented worms): have segmented bodies, often with bristles or setae.
Arthropods (jointed-legged animals such as insects): have jointed appendages, exoskeletons and segmented bodies.
Molluscs (soft-bodied animals): soft bodies often enclosed in a shell or muscular foot.
Nematodes (roundworms): Have cylindrical, unsegmented bodies.

About Import Risk Assessments (IRA)

These invertebrate groups we regulate can be further divided into the 2 categories:

Plant parasitic pathogenic organisms
Invertebrates that benefit the environment (such as through the maintenance of soil health)

Both categories are regulated under the Control of Plants (Plant Importation) Rules, Second Schedule. They require an Import Risk Assessment (IRA) to assess the phytosanitary risks associated with their import.

An IRA includes identifying the best ways to minimise biosecurity risks for regulated articles. They are approved on a case-by-case basis to balance the need for import, our international obligations to the International Plant Protection Convention and our responsibility to protect plant health in our City in Nature.

Invertebrates that do not fall into the above categories (such as stick insects, bees, scorpions, spiders and tarantulas etc) are regulated under the Wildlife Act instead.

If you intend to import them, refer to wildlife import to find out more.

How to apply

Follow these steps to apply:

1. Check against approved list

Check if the organisms you intend to import belong to the list below.

List

List of approved living annelids, arthropods, molluscs and nematodes (PDF, 21KB)

A list of approved living organisms that may benefit the environment (such as butterflies, moths, molluscs and nematodes) for import into Singapore.

Jun 2023

2. Submit the application

If your intended import is:

On the approved list: submit your request for an IRA via the Application for import of approved organism/microorganism into Singapore form.
Not on the approved list: submit your request via the Application for the import of living organism/microorganism into Singapore form instead.

3. Receive outcome of application

We may need a minimum of at least 3 months for an IRA. During the process, we may get in touch with you to request more details if necessary.

The processing time will also be longer if there is a need to consult other government agencies on your request.

If your application is successful, we will send you an in-principle approval with the import conditions for the organisms based on the IRA.

The risk assessment outcome will also establish whether the import of the plant pathogen requires your participation in the Biosecurity Assurance Arrangement (BSAA).