CITES Permits 2026: Online Fee Payment for Wildlife Importers

Key data

Importers, exporters and operators of protected wildlife in Spain face an immediate operational change: the fee for CITES permits and certificates is now managed entirely online. The Resolución de 6 de marzo de 2026 de la Subsecretaría, published on 1 April 2026, establishes the self-assessment procedure and conditions for online payment of this fee, regulated under Ley 32/2007.

Until now, obtaining these mandatory permits for international trade in species listed in the CITES appendices required in-person procedures. With this resolution, the process is fully digitalised, directly affecting how operators in the sector must prepare and execute their payments before applying for any permit or certificate.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution regulates two specific aspects of the administrative procedure linked to CITES permits:

• Self-assessment: The operator calculates and declares the applicable fee without the need for the Administration to issue a prior assessment.
• Online payment: The fee is paid exclusively by electronic means, eliminating the obligation to attend in person to make the payment.

CITES permits and certificates are mandatory documents for any international trade operation involving protected wild fauna and flora specimens. Without these documents, the operation cannot be carried out legally. Therefore, payment of the fee is a prior and unavoidable step for any importer, exporter or re-exporter of such species.

The legal basis for the fee is Ley 32/2007, de 7 de noviembre, for the care of animals in their exploitation, transport, experimentation and slaughter. This resolution does not create the fee, but modernises the procedure for assessing and paying it.

Economic and operational impact

The direct impact of this resolution is not a cost increase, but a change in the payment procedure. However, it has real operational consequences for the companies affected:

• Time savings: By eliminating in-person procedures, the process for obtaining CITES permits is streamlined. This can result in shorter waiting times for imports and exports, with corresponding savings in logistics and storage costs.
• Adaptation of internal processes: Companies that previously managed payment in person must update their internal procedures to operate exclusively online.
• Reduction of administrative burdens: Digitalisation eliminates travel and waiting times associated with in-person management, representing real resource savings for operators with a high volume of permits.
• Risk of operational disruption: If an operator fails to adapt its payment system to the new online procedure, it may be unable to obtain CITES permits on time, blocking import or export operations.

Who is affected?

This resolution affects all operators who require CITES permits or certificates to carry out their activities. Specifically:

• Zoos and aquariums: For the acquisition or transfer of animals of protected species between national and international institutions.
• Exotic animal breeders: For the export or import of captive-bred specimens listed in the CITES appendices.
• Wildlife traders: For any international buying and selling operation involving protected species.
• Researchers and research centres: For the import or export of specimens or samples for scientific purposes.
• Specialised transport companies: That manage the international movement of protected live animals.
• Importers and exporters of protected wild flora: Including plants, timber and derivatives of species listed in the CITES appendices.
• Private individuals: Who carry out import, export, re-export or introduction from the sea operations involving CITES specimens.

Practical example

A Spanish zoo acquiring two specimens of a species listed in CITES Appendix I from a German zoo must obtain a CITES import permit before the animals cross the border. Under the previous procedure, the zoo's administrative officer had to manage payment of the fee in person. Under the new resolution, the same process is carried out entirely online: the zoo submits the fee self-assessment through the designated electronic channel, makes the electronic payment and, once payment is confirmed, proceeds with the import permit application. The result is a faster process with no need for travel, which is particularly relevant for operators managing multiple permits per year.

What should companies do now?

1. Check whether your activity requires CITES permits: Verify whether the species you work with are listed in the CITES appendices. If you carry out imports, exports, re-exports or introductions from the sea of wild fauna or flora, you are likely to need these permits.
2. Review the current payment procedure: Identify how the CITES fee has been managed in your organisation until now and what operational changes the new online procedure requires.
3. Adapt internal processes to online payment: Ensure that the staff responsible for administrative procedures are familiar with the new self-assessment and online payment procedure established by the resolution.
4. Check the exact date of entry into force: The resolution was published on 1 April 2026, but the effective application date has not been expressly specified in the published regulation. Consult the official source in the BOE to confirm when use of the new procedure becomes mandatory.
5. Plan permits in advance: Although the process is streamlined, ensure you apply for CITES permits well in advance of each import or export operation to avoid logistical disruptions.

Official source

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, please consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-7428