Certificates of Free Sale & Export Statements

If you are exporting biocidal products or active substances outside of Great Britain (GB), you may be asked to provide a Certificate of Free Sale (CFS).

A CFS is an official document confirming that the product or active substance complies with the relevant laws on biocides and may be freely sold across GB. They are usually requested when the country you are exporting to does not have its own regulatory regime.

If a product or active substance does not comply with the relevant laws on biocides but is only intended for export from GB (so is not made available on the GB market), an Export Statement may be able to be issued. Find out more about importing and exporting.[67]

Find out about CFS and Export Statements[68] if you are exporting from Northern Ireland.

Who issues CFS or Export Statements?

HSE can issue various CFS or Export Statements for biocidal products (sometimes referred to as non-agricultural pesticides) and active substances that are regulated under the Control of Pesticides Regulations (COPR) or the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (GB BPR).

HSE can also issue various CFS or Export Statements for plant protection products (sometimes referred to as agricultural pesticide products). Find out how to get a CFS or Export Statement for a plant protection product[69].

CFS for products that are not in the scope of biocides or plant protection product regulations can be requested from the Department for International Trade (DIT).

DIT can also issue CFS for products that are within the scope of GB BPR but do not yet need to be authorised under the regulation – eg non-COPR products such as disinfectants where the active substance is still under review under GB BPR.

Get a CFS or Export Statement

Before you request a CFS you should:

  • find out if your product or active substance is in scope of GB BPR[70] or COPR[71]
  • check the status[72] of the active substance in your product or the active substance you are exporting
  • check if your product is already approved under COPR or authorised under GB BPR[73]
  • check if your product is being made available on the market in GB

Making available on the market means any supply of a biocidal product, whether in return for payment or free of charge, at all stages of the supply chain. Some examples of this could include:

  • manufacturer to distributor
  • distributor to retail store
  • retail store to user

Using this information, choose the appropriate template from the table below.

If your product / active substance is within the scope of… …and it is… …you should complete…
COPR a product with current COPR approval CFS Template A (.docx) [74]
a product without current COPR approval Export Statement Template B (.docx) [75]
an active substance approved for use in COPR products Export Statement Template C (.docx) [76]
GB BPR a product with current GB BPR authorisation CFS Template E (.docx) [77]
a product without current GB BPR authorisation but an application for product authorisation has been made and is currently under evaluation under GB BPR CFS Template F (.docx) [78]
a product that does not have current GB BPR authorisation and is not currently under evaluation under GB BPR but the date of approval of the last active substance in the product was no more than 180 days ago CFS Template G (.docx) [79]
an active substance with current GB BPR approval Export Statement Template H (.docx) [80]
a product that does not have current GB BPR authorisation and is for export only (not made available on the GB market) Export Statement Template I (.docx) [81]

Complete the template with all of the relevant information that you wish to appear on the CFS or Export Statement. Some of the templates allow for additional information to be added such as manufacturing sites, exporter, distributor etc. This information is optional and, as it cannot be verified by HSE, it can only be placed under the section that reads 'The following information has been supplied by the applicant to the Health and Safety Executive'.

Send the completed template to biocidesenquiries@hse.gov.uk along with the following information:

  • details of the product or active substance being exported – if the product is authorised or approved under one of the biocides regimes in GB, please provide the authorisation / approval number
  • a declaration that the information you are providing is true and correct by using this statement – The contents of this request are true and correct, and the information provided is entirely the responsibility of the applicant company.

Certificates and statements will be issued with the official HSE seal within three working days of the request.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Biocideshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/index.htm
  2. Biocides: Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/introduction.htm
  3. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/regulated/index.htm
  4. Biocides: active substance statushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/checking/index.htm
  5. Importing and exportinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/importing.htm
  6. Certificates of Free Sale and Export Statementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/certificates-of-freesale.htm
  7. Treated articleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/treated-articles.htm
  8. Monitoring trapshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/monitoring-traps.htm
  9. Article 3(3) decisions on scopehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/decisions-on-scope.htm
  10. In situ generationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/in-situ-generation.htm
  11. Get product on UK markethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/market.htm
  12. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/using.htm
  13. Honey beeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/honey-bees.htm
  14. Rodenticideshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/rodenticides.htm
  15. Reporting exposurehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/reporting.htm
  16. Biocides enforcementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/enforcement.htm
  17. Authorities and activitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/enforcement-authorities.htm
  18. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/active-substance-approval.htm
  19. UK Review Programmehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/review-regulation.htm
  20. Active substances: How to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/how-to-apply.htm
  21. Simplified active substanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/simplified-actives.htm
  22. The GB List of Active Substanceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-list-active-substances.htm
  23. GB Article 95: The basicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-article-95-basics.htm
  24. GB Article 95: How to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-article-95-how-to-apply.htm
  25. The GB Article 95 Listhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-article-95-list.htm
  26. Technical equivalence of an active substancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/technical-equivalence.htm
  27. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/product-authorisation-overview.htm
  28. National authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/national-authorisation.htm
  29. Simplified authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/simplified-product-authorisation.htm
  30. Same biocidal product authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/same-biocidal-product.htm
  31. Change or cancel a biocidal product authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/change/index.htm
  32. Renew an existing product authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/renew.htm
  33. Research and developmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/research.htm
  34. Essential use authorisationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/essential-use-authorisation.htm
  35. Critical situation permitshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/critical-situation-permits.htm
  36. Food and feed derogationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/derogation.htm
  37. Unfettered access notificationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/unfettered-access-notification.htm
  38. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-authorised-biocidal-products.htm
  39. Advertisement requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/advertisement-requirements.htm
  40. Packaging and labelling requirementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/packaging-labelling-requirements.htm
  41. Record keepinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/recording-keeping-reporting.htm
  42. Informing NPIShttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/informing-npis.htm
  43. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/data-protection.htm
  44. Access to documents: Biocidal active substances and productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/access-to-documents.htm
  45. Data sharing in GBhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/data-sharing.htm
  46. Vertebrate testinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/vertebrate-testing.htm
  47. GB BPR feeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/fees.htm
  48. Biocides regulationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/regulations.htm
  49. Northern Irelandhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/northern-ireland.htm
  50. Existing products: Transfer to GB BPRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/transfer-from-uk-national-law.htm
  51. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/index.htm
  52. COPR approval: how to applyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/application.htm
  53. COPR product approval typeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/approvals.htm
  54. COPR approved productshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/approved.htm
  55. COPR feeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/fees.htm
  56. COPR labellinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/labelguidance.htm
  57. Conditions of approvalhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/copr/conditions.htm
  58. Open invitations and notificationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/open-invitations-notifications.htm
  59. Consultations and surveyshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/consultations.htm
  60. Consultations: Submitting informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/consultations-submitting.htm
  61. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/information.htm
  62. Glossaryhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/glossary.htm
  63. Useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/links.htm
  64. Contacthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/contact.htm
  65. Service standardshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/servicestandards.htm
  66. Temporary changes to GB biocides application processing timeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/temporary-changes-application-processing-time.htm
  67. Find out more about importing and exporting.https://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/importing.htm
  68. CFS and Export Statementshttps://www.hseni.gov.uk/topic/biocides
  69. Find out how to get a CFS or Export Statement for a plant protection producthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pesticides/register.htm
  70. GB BPRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/regulated/index.htm
  71. COPRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/regulations.htm
  72. check the statushttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/checking/index.htm
  73. authorised under GB BPRhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/uk-authorised-biocidal-products.htm
  74. CFS Template Ahttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-a-cfs-approved-product.docx
  75. Export Statement Template Bhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-b-products-only-for-export.docx
  76. Export Statement Template Chttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-c-export-active-ingredients.docx
  77. CFS Template Ehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-e-cfs-authorised-biocidal-product.docx
  78. CFS Template Fhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-f-cfs-biocidal-application-assessed.docx
  79. CFS Template Ghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-g-cfs-biocidal-application-not-made.docx
  80. Export Statement Template Hhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-h-export-statement-active-substance.docx
  81. Export Statement Template Ihttps://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/assets/docs/template-i-export-statement-biocidal-product.docx

Glossary of abbreviations/acronyms on this page

COPR
Control of Pesticides Regulations

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Updated 2025-03-12