Lacey Act for hardwood importers: the paperwork you actually need

The paperwork, one row per document

| Document | Who issues | What it must say | |---|---|---| | Commercial invoice | You (importer) or exporter | Full description, HS code, unit + total value in USD, INCOTERMS | | Bill of lading | Ocean carrier | Vessel, container number, port pair, consignee | | Packing list | Exporter | m³ per grade, number of packs, gross/net weight | | Phytosanitary certificate | Rosselkhoznadzor (Russia) | Botanical name, treatment (kiln-dried), no live pests | | FSC CoC certificate | The mill (optional but useful) | Chain-of-custody claim, FSC 100% or FSC Mix | | PPQ 505 (Lacey declaration) | You, at entry | Species (botanical), country of harvest, volume, value |

What Lacey Act cares about

The Lacey Act amendment (2008) makes it illegal to import "plants" (including hardwood lumber and finished panels under HS chapter 44) that were taken in violation of foreign law. Enforcement is on the importer — meaning you are legally responsible for confirming that the wood was legally harvested in Russia.

In practice this means:

1. Ask the exporter for FSC Chain-of-Custody paperwork, or equivalent (SGS legality certificate, EUTR-compliant documentation). FSC CoC is the cleanest signal for US CBP.
2. On the PPQ 505, use the botanical name — Quercus mongolica, Fraxinus mandshurica, Betula costata, Ulmus, Populus maximowiczii — not the trade name.
3. Keep records for 5 years. CBP has re-audited entries from 2015 in 2020.

What we ship with every container

• Phytosanitary certificate (heat-treated wood packaging under ISPM-15 marking on pallets)
• FSC Chain-of-Custody document tied to the invoice
• Commercial invoice and packing list, split per grade and species
• Board-to-log traceability report on request

If you're new to importing Russian hardwood into the US, ask us — we've cleared containers at LA, Long Beach and Houston and can share the exact broker checklist.