50 CFR § 14.52 - Clearance of imported wildlife.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t50/s14.52"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "50 CFR § 14.52 - Clearance of imported wildlife."
title_number: 50
title_name: "Wildlife and Fisheries"
section_number: "14.52"
section_name: "Clearance of imported wildlife."
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "TAKING, POSSESSION, TRANSPORTATION, SALE, PURCHASE, BARTER, EXPORTATION, AND IMPORTATION OF WILDLIFE AND PLANTS"
part_number: "14"
part_name: "IMPORTATION, EXPORTATION, AND TRANSPORTATION OF WILDLIFE"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "16 U.S.C. 668, 704, 712, 1382, 1538(d)-(f), 1540(f), 3371-3378, 4223-4244, and 4901-4916; 18 U.S.C. 42; 31 U.S.C. 9701; Pub. L. 115-334, 132 Stat. 4490."
regulatory_source: "45 FR 56673, Aug. 25, 1980, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "14"
---
# 14.52 Clearance of imported wildlife.
(a) Except as otherwise provided by this subpart, a Service officer must clear all wildlife imported into the United States prior to release from detention by Customs officers. A Service officer must clear all wildlife to be exported from the United States prior to the physical loading of the merchandise on a vehicle or aircraft, or the containerization or palletizing of such merchandise for export, unless a Service officer expressly authorizes otherwise. Such clearance does not constitute a certification of the legality of an importation or exportation under the laws or regulations of the United States.
(b) An importer/exporter or his/her agent may obtain clearance by a Service officer only at designated ports (§ 14.12), at border ports (§ 14.16), at special ports (§ 14.19), or at a port where importation or exportation is authorized by a permit issued under subpart C of this part. An importer/exporter must return forthwith any wildlife released without a Service officer's clearance or clearance by Customs for the Service under authority of § 14.54 to a port where clearance may be obtained pursuant to this subpart.
(c) To obtain clearance, the importer, exporter, or the importer's or exporter's agent will make available to a Service officer or a Customs officer acting under § 14.54:
(1) All shipping documents (including bills of lading, waybills and packing lists or invoices);
(2) All permits, licenses or other documents required by the laws or regulations of the United States;
(3) All permits or other documents required by the laws or regulations of any foreign country;
(4) The wildlife being imported or exported; and
(5) Any documents and permits required by the country of export or re-export for the wildlife.
[45 FR 56673, Aug. 25, 1980; 45 FR 64953, Oct. 1, 1980, as amended at 50 FR 52889, Dec. 26, 1985; 61 FR 31869, June 21, 1996]