IPAFFS

What Is IPAFFS and Why Does It Matter for Your Business?

IPAFFS (Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System) is the UK’s mandatory pre-notification platform that every importer must use before bringing regulated goods into Great Britain. Operated by DEFRA, it replaced the former EU system TRACES and became the sole notification channel for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) controlled imports. If your supply chain involves live animals, products of animal origin (POAO), plants, plant products, high-risk food, or feed of non-animal origin (HRFNAO), submitting an IPAFFS notification is not optional — it is a legal requirement.

The system generates a Common Health Entry Document (CHED), which acts as the official compliance record for your consignment. Border Control Post (BCP) staff rely on this document to plan and execute checks before your goods are released into free circulation. Without a correctly submitted CHED, your shipment faces delays, additional inspections, and potential refusal at the UK border.

At On The Spot Broker, we handle IPAFFS notifications on behalf of importers across the UK and EU, ensuring your pre-notification is accurate, timely, and fully aligned with your customs import declaration.

Which Goods Require an IPAFFS Notification?

Not every import triggers an IPAFFS obligation. The requirement depends on the type of commodity and its BTOM (Border Target Operating Model) risk category. Below is a breakdown of the 4 main product groups that demand pre-notification:

Products of Animal Origin (POAO)

Dairy, meat, fish, eggs, honey, and processed animal products fall under this category. Every POAO consignment — whether originating from the EU or a third country — must be pre-notified via IPAFFS using a CHED-P document. Medium and high-risk shipments also require an Export Health Certificate (EHC) issued by the competent authority in the country of origin.

Live Animals and Germinal Products

Importing livestock, companion animals, or germinal products such as semen and embryos demands a CHED-A notification. These consignments are almost always classified as high risk, meaning 100% documentary and identity checks apply at the designated BCP.

Plants and Plant Products

Since April 2024, all plant import pre-notifications must go through IPAFFS (the former PEACH system was permanently closed). High and medium-risk A goods require both a phytosanitary certificate and a CHED-PP submission. Low-risk plant products from the EU are currently exempt from pre-notification, though this may change as BTOM risk categories are periodically reviewed.

High-Risk Food and Feed Not of Animal Origin (HRFNAO)

Certain commodities — such as groundnuts, spices, and sesame seeds — carry elevated contamination risks (aflatoxins, pesticide residues, Salmonella). These products require a CHED-D notification along with supporting lab results and health certificates, regardless of the country of origin.

IPAFFS and the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM)

The UK government introduced the Border Target Operating Model to simplify and risk-proportion import controls. Under this framework, every SPS-regulated commodity is assigned one of 3 risk categories — low, medium, or high — each carrying different documentation and inspection obligations.

Risk Category	IPAFFS Pre-notification	Health Certificate	Physical Checks
Low	Required (no CHED for some plant products)	Not required	Intelligence-led only
Medium	Required	Required (for most commodities)	Reduced frequency (1–30%)
High	Required	Required	100% documentary + identity checks

Determining the correct BTOM risk category for your commodity is essential before raising an IPAFFS notification. Selecting the wrong category — or failing to attach the appropriate health certification — will trigger queries from BCP officials and stall your consignment at the port. Our team at OTS Broker verifies every risk classification against the latest DEFRA spreadsheets before submitting your CHED.

Types of CHED Documents in IPAFFS

The IPAFFS platform uses 4 types of Common Health Entry Documents, each tailored to a specific product group. Selecting the correct CHED form is one of the most common areas where importers make costly mistakes.

• CHED-A — covers live animals and germinal products. Think cattle, horses, poultry, and breeding materials.
• CHED-P — applies to products of animal origin, animal by-products, and composite products containing processed animal ingredients.
• CHED-PP — used for plants, plant products, seeds, wood, and other regulated botanical commodities.
• CHED-D — reserved for high-risk food and feed not of animal origin, where additional sampling or laboratory testing may be required.

Each document type demands different supporting evidence. A CHED-P for EU-origin dairy, for example, requires a digitally signed and verifiable GB health certificate, while a CHED-PP for non-EU cut flowers needs a phytosanitary certificate issued in the exporting country. Mixing up document types or uploading incorrect certificates is the fastest route to border detention.

How We Handle IPAFFS Notifications for You

Managing IPAFFS in-house can consume significant time and resources — particularly for businesses that import multiple commodity types across different risk categories. Our customs specialists at On The Spot Broker take that burden off your plate.

Here is how the process works when you entrust your IPAFFS submissions to us:

1. Register on the Government Gateway — you set up your DEFRA account and IPAFFS profile (a one-time step we can guide you through).
2. Authorise OTS Broker as your Trade Partner — this grants us permission to raise and manage CHED notifications on your behalf.
3. Provide shipment details and documentation — commercial invoices, packing lists, health certificates, phytosanitary certificates, and transport documents.
4. We submit your CHED notification — our team verifies the BTOM risk category, commodity codes, net weights, and all supporting evidence before submitting the notification within the required timeframe.
5. We link IPAFFS with your customs declaration — the CHED reference number (e.g., CHEDP.GB.2025.XXXXXXX) is cross-referenced with your import clearance on CDS to prevent discrepancies that could trigger holds.
6. We monitor BCP outcomes — once your consignment arrives, we track whether it has been selected for documentary, identity, or physical inspection and keep you informed at every step.

When Must the IPAFFS Notification Be Submitted?

At least 1 working day before your consignment arrives at the designated point of entry — that is the standard lead time for most commodities. You can, however, submit notifications up to 30 days in advance, which gives greater flexibility for planned shipments.

Timing is critical. Late submissions attract penalty fees at many ports, and a missing CHED reference in your customs declaration will result in an automatic hold on CDS. For businesses operating tight delivery schedules — particularly in the fresh produce, seafood, and livestock sectors — even a few hours of delay at the border can mean spoilage, welfare concerns, and substantial financial losses.

Our 7-day-a-week availability means we submit your IPAFFS notifications even outside standard business hours, covering weekend arrivals and bank holiday shipments that other agencies may not accommodate.

Common Mistakes That Cause IPAFFS Delays

After processing thousands of CHED notifications, we have identified 5 errors that account for the majority of border delays related to IPAFFS:

1. Mismatched CHED reference numbers — the CHED number entered in CDS must exactly match the one generated in IPAFFS. Since January 2025, all CHED references carry a “2025” prefix (e.g., GBCHD2025.1234567). Using an outdated format triggers incorrect holds.
2. Incorrect commodity codes — IPAFFS uses its own commodity code system, which differs from the standard Trade Tariff codes. Entering the wrong code leads to misclassification and potential inspection.
3. Missing or invalid health certificates — uploading an expired certificate, an unsigned document, or one from a non-approved establishment will stall your consignment at the BCP.
4. Wrong CHED type selection — submitting a CHED-D instead of a CHED-P (or vice versa) creates a fundamental mismatch that cannot be corrected without raising a new notification.
5. Net weight discrepancies — if the weight declared on IPAFFS does not align with the customs declaration and commercial documents, the consignment is flagged for additional scrutiny.

Each of these errors is preventable with proper preparation and attention to detail — exactly what our goods classification and customs clearance teams deliver with every submission.

IPAFFS for EU and Non-EU Imports — Key Differences

Prior to Brexit, goods moved freely between the EU and the UK without SPS border checks. Today, EU-origin imports face the same IPAFFS notification requirements as goods from the rest of the world, albeit with some transitional concessions still in place for certain low-risk commodities.

For EU imports, the key changes under BTOM include mandatory pre-notification via IPAFFS for all POAO, ABP, and medium/high-risk plant products since January 2024. EU exporters can now issue digitally signed and verifiable PDF health certificates, which DEFRA accepts in lieu of paper originals.

For non-EU (rest of world) imports, the controls have always been stricter. Health certification requirements remain largely unchanged, though BTOM has simplified inspections for low-risk commodities by removing routine checks and relying on intelligence-led interventions instead.

Regardless of origin, one principle holds: the data in your IPAFFS notification, health certificate, and customs declaration must tell a consistent story. When these 3 documents contradict each other — different weights, different commodity codes, different consignor details — the border treats it as a compliance risk and responds accordingly.

Linking IPAFFS with Your Customs Declaration

IPAFFS does not operate in isolation. The CHED reference number generated by your notification must be accurately entered into your customs declaration on CDS (Customs Declaration Service). The two systems are linked through 3 data points: the CHED reference, commodity codes, and the net weight declared.

Getting this alignment right is essential. A single digit error in the CHED reference — or a mismatch between the IPAFFS commodity code and the CDS tariff code — can trigger an automatic hold, sending your goods to the BCP inspection lane instead of clearing them for release.

When you work with On The Spot Broker, we manage both your IPAFFS notification and your import customs clearance simultaneously. This integrated approach eliminates the communication gaps that occur when different agents handle each system independently.

Why Choose On The Spot Broker for IPAFFS?

Selecting the right customs partner for your SPS-controlled imports can make the difference between a smooth clearance and days of costly delays. Here is what sets our IPAFFS service apart:

• Cross-border expertise across 4 countries — with branches in the UK, France, Netherlands, and Poland, we understand both the export and import side of every SPS-controlled shipment.
• 7-day availability — perishable goods and live animals do not wait for Monday morning. Neither do we.
• Integrated customs and IPAFFS service — we handle your CHED notification and customs declaration under one roof, ensuring perfect data alignment between IPAFFS and CDS.
• Up-to-date BTOM compliance — risk categories and inspection rates change regularly. We monitor every DEFRA update so your notifications reflect the current requirements.
• Support for first-time importers — new to SPS-controlled trade? We walk you through registration, documentation, and the entire IPAFFS process from start to finish.

Whether you are importing fresh seafood through Dover, cut flowers via Felixstowe, or livestock feed through Immingham, our team ensures your IPAFFS notification is submitted correctly, on time, and fully reconciled with your customs entry.

Ready to Simplify Your IPAFFS Notifications?

Navigating the IPAFFS system demands precision, current regulatory knowledge, and the ability to act quickly when shipments are en route. Our experienced customs team at On The Spot Broker handles the entire process — from BTOM risk assessment and CHED preparation to submission, CDS linking, and BCP monitoring.

Get in touch today for a free consultation on your IPAFFS requirements. Send us your shipment details by email, phone, or through our contact form, and we will provide a clear quote within hours — not days.