Cut through the confusion on UK plant health rules. Do green coffee beans need IPAFFS or a phytosanitary certificate under BTOM in 2026? Here’s the pragmatic answer, plus a step-by-step CHED‑PP walkthrough for edge cases, BCP selection tips for Felixstowe and London Gateway, and the most common mistakes we see importers make.
If you’ve been told three different things about IPAFFS for green coffee in the last month, you’re not alone. We handle Indonesian coffee exports to the UK every week, and half our work is just aligning everyone on what actually needs a CHED‑PP and what doesn’t. Here’s the short, experience-based version we share with buyers and port agents.
The 2026 snapshot: do green coffee beans need IPAFFS or a phytosanitary certificate?
Do green coffee beans need a phytosanitary certificate to enter the UK?
For hulled, unroasted green coffee beans (HS 0901.11 for not decaffeinated, 0901.12 for decaffeinated), our experience and current GB plant health rules align. They’re typically out of scope for plant health controls. That means no phytosanitary certificate (PC) and no CHED‑PP in IPAFFS. You clear via customs like any other non-SPS good.
When does that change? If what you ship isn’t just hulled green beans. Coffee plants, leaves, fresh berries, husks/skins, and unprocessed parchment can move a consignment into regulated territory. Mixed loads with regulated botanicals will trigger IPAFFS for those items. That’s where problems start.
Practical takeaway
- If your import is “green coffee beans, hulled, free from pulp, not roasted,” you’re usually outside plant health. No IPAFFS. No PC.
- If you include husks/skins, unhulled parchment, or other regulated plant products, expect an IPAFFS CHED‑PP and a PC for those regulated items.
Do I need to raise an IPAFFS pre-notification for coffee, or is a customs entry enough?
For straight green coffee beans, customs entry is enough under current rules. No IPAFFS pre-notification. If an agent is asking for a CHED‑PP for clean, hulled beans, we recommend a quick commodity check against the GB regulated list and the exact HS subheading used on the commercial invoice.
Does roasted or soluble coffee require IPAFFS under BTOM?
Roasted coffee and soluble/extracts are out of scope for plant health. No CHED‑PP. No PC. You still do customs as normal.
HS code choices that prevent headaches
Which commodity code should I use for unroasted Indonesian coffee beans (HS 0901)?
Use:
- 0901.11.00 for coffee, not roasted, not decaffeinated.
- 0901.12.00 for coffee, not roasted, decaffeinated.
Add a clean description on paperwork: “Coffee beans, unroasted, hulled, free from pulp/husk, not for planting.” It sounds basic, but this single line has helped avoid BCP queries more than once.
In our supply, you’ll see this clarity on documents for lots such as Arabica Bali Kintamani Grade 1 Green Coffee Beans and Blue Batak Green Coffee Beans. Both are hulled, fully processed beans, which keeps them outside plant health rules.
If you do need IPAFFS (edge cases), here’s the CHED‑PP walkthrough
Most readers won’t need this for coffee beans. But if your consignment includes regulated material like coffee husks/skins or other plants, here’s the process we use to get it right the first time.
Who submits and when?
- Responsible party. The UK-based importer or their registered agent with an IPAFFS account. Overseas exporters can’t submit directly.
- Pre-notification timing. Submit at least 24 hours before arrival at the Border Control Post. For deep-sea containers, we advise 48–72 hours before ETA at the UK port to absorb schedule slips and avoid holds.
What details from the Indonesian phytosanitary certificate go into the IPAFFS form?
Map these fields precisely. Typos trigger holds.
- PC number, issue date, and issuing authority. From the top-right of the Indonesian PC.
- Botanical name. Coffea arabica or Coffea canephora (Robusta). Use both if mixed.
- Commodity description. “Coffee product: husks/skins” or “parchment beans” if that’s what’s included. Avoid “green coffee” if it’s not hulled beans.
- Quantity and units. Number of packages/bags and net weight per bag, plus total net and gross weight.
- Packaging type. “Bags” or “Sacks.” If boxed, state “Cartons.”
- Country of origin and dispatch. Indonesia for both in most cases.
- Place of destination. UK warehouse address where the container will be devanned.
- Transport ID. Vessel name and voyage if known.
- Container and seal numbers. Must match the bill of lading and your customs entry.
- Treatments. List fumigation if applied for pests. If none, leave blank.
- Additional declarations. Only if the PC includes them. Don’t invent text.
- Uploads. PDF scans of the PC and any treatment certificates.
Border Control Post (BCP) selection for Felixstowe and London Gateway
Pick the BCP that corresponds to the actual landing port and is approved for “Plants and plant products.”
- Felixstowe. Select the Felixstowe plant-health BCP operated by the local port health authority. Your shipping line or agent can confirm the exact label in IPAFFS.
- London Gateway. Choose the plant-health BCP for London Gateway. Again, verify the IPAFFS entry matches the port operator’s facility.
Two field tips we’ve learned the hard way
- Don’t pick a BCP your commodity category isn’t approved for. If husks/skins are on the load, confirm the BCP accepts that CN code group.
- If you’re directed to inspection, some ports require a time slot booking. Your agent usually handles this, but it’s on you to nudge them early.
Practical takeaway
- For clean, hulled green coffee, you won’t be selecting a BCP in IPAFFS because you won’t be raising a CHED‑PP. Keep the route simple and avoid creating paperwork you don’t need.
Common mistakes we still see on coffee consignments
- Calling hulled green beans “parchment” or including “husks/skins” in the description when none exist. That invites plant-health questions.
- Mismatched HS codes between the invoice and customs entry. Stick to 0901.11 or 0901.12 for unroasted beans.
- Missing container seal numbers or using a different seal number across customs vs pre-notification. Keep them identical.
- Wooden packaging not ISPM 15 compliant. Your pallets and dunnage must be ISPM 15 stamped. Port checks for this.
- Mixed consignments with spices or botanicals in the same box. If those items are regulated, each may require its own CHED‑PP. Plan routing to a port with the right BCP capability.
Timing and roles: who does what, and when?
- Exporter in Indonesia. Provides accurate commercial invoice, packing list, and if needed, obtains the PC from Indonesia’s NPPO for regulated items. We also label commodity descriptions clearly. For example, our Bali Natural Green Coffee Beans paperwork states “hulled, fully washed” to make the status obvious.
- UK importer or agent. Files customs entry. Raises IPAFFS CHED‑PP only if the consignment contains regulated plant products.
- Pre-notification window. We recommend 48–72 hours before UK ETA for sea freight if a CHED‑PP is needed. Earlier submissions mean you can fix minor errors before the vessel berths.
If you want a quick sense-check on whether your specific mix of items triggers IPAFFS, just Contact us on whatsapp. We’ll tell you in two minutes if you’re over-complicating it.
Quick answers to the big questions
Do green coffee beans need a phytosanitary certificate to enter the UK?
Not for clean, hulled, unroasted beans. Add a clear description to your invoice and packing list to avoid confusion.
Do I need to raise an IPAFFS pre-notification for coffee, or is a customs entry enough?
Customs entry is enough for hulled green coffee. IPAFFS applies only if regulated plant material is present.
Which commodity code should I use for unroasted Indonesian coffee beans (HS 0901)?
0901.11.00 for not decaffeinated. 0901.12.00 for decaffeinated. Keep the description consistent across all docs.
When must the IPAFFS be submitted before arrival, and who is responsible for it?
Only if required. Then the UK importer or their agent submits. Aim for at least 24 hours before port arrival for deep-sea containers. We prefer 48–72 hours.
What details from the Indonesian phytosanitary certificate go into the IPAFFS form?
PC number/date, botanical name, quantity, packaging, origin/dispatch, destination, transport, container/seal, treatments, and any additional declarations exactly as written.
Which UK Border Control Post should I choose for a container of coffee arriving at Felixstowe or London Gateway?
Choose the plant-health BCP at the actual landing port that’s approved for your commodity category. Confirm with your agent that the BCP covers your CN code before you submit.
Does roasted or soluble coffee require IPAFFS under BTOM?
No. They’re outside plant health controls. Handle via customs.
Final word: keep coffee simple, and document like a pro
Here’s the thing. Most delays we see aren’t about rules. They’re about ambiguity. Spell out “hulled, unroasted, not for planting” on your documents, align HS codes across the board, and keep your pallets ISPM 15 stamped. If your load truly has regulated plant material, follow the CHED‑PP steps above and submit early.
If you’re also sourcing, we can ship consistent, hulled specialty lots from origin that keep compliance clean. Start with View our products and we’ll line up samples to match your specification and route.