Fruit and Vegetable Shipping Permit

(F&V Shipping Permit)
What is the purpose of this permit?
A shipping permit is a document attesting that fruits or vegetables are known to be in compliance with the provisions of Chapter 15.17 RCW, Standards of grades and packs, and Chapter 16-390 WAC, WSDA fruit and vegetable inspection districts, inspection fees and other charges.
Who issues this permit?
Washington State Department of Agriculture
What activities require this permit?
A shipping permit can be issued in lieu of a certificate of compliance. No person may ship, transport, accept for shipment or accept delivery of any commercial lot of apples, apricots, asparagus, Italian prunes, peaches, pears, and sweet cherries for which a certificate of compliance or shipping permit has not been issued. A shipping permit is required for shipping apples, apricots, asparagus, Italian prunes, peaches, pears, and sweet cherries to a processing plant outside the State of Washington. Apples, apricots, asparagus, Italian prunes, peaches, pears and sweet cherries being shipped to processors within Washington State do not require a shipping permit. Fruits or vegetables covered by a certificate of compliance do not require a shipping permit.
How much will this permit cost?
If the lot of fruits or vegetables has not been certified, the minimum fee is $5.00, and is based on an inspection charge of 2/3 the applicable CWT fee specified in WAC 16-390-030. The permit fee is waived if the lot was issued a grade and condition certificate under the applicable hundredweight (CWT) or hourly fee. Depending on the commodity, the WSDA inspector will also collect the assessment fees for the Washington Apple Commission or the Washington State Fruit Commission. For apples, an additional fee of $.015 per CWT for apple maggot survey is assessed. All charges applicable to the inspection must be either collected at the time of inspection or an account must be arranged with WSDA.
Where can I get the application for this permit?
The application is called ' Request for Inspection--Apples and Pears, Req for Insp--Cherry Packout Report, Req for Insp--Other Commodities' is online and can be accessed at https://agr.wa.gov/services/licenses-permits-and-certificates/summary-descriptions/fv-shipping-permit.
Do I need to include anything with my application?
To issue your shipping permit, WSDA will need you to complete a Request for Inspection form with your shipper number (if applicable), order number, origin of produce, type of inspection, the commodity and variety name, container type, quantity, weight, and destination. Prior to issuing the shipping permit, the WSDA inspector will certify or perform a quality control inspection on the produce being shipped in order to satisfy compliance with the provisions of Chapter 15.17 RCW, Standards of grades and packs, and Chapter 16-390 WAC, WSDA fruit and vegetable inspection districts, inspection fees and other charges.
Is the decision on my permit dependent on anything besides the information in my application?
The decision on issuing your shipping permit is dependent on whether the fruits or vegetables it covers meet applicable grades and standards. For sweet cherries, the decision on your shipping permit also depends on the cherries being free from live Western cherry fruit fly larvae at the time of shipment.
How long will it take to review my application?
Shipping permits are issued the same day they are requested and inspected to meet the applicable commodity grades and standards.
Where do I submit my application?
The Fruit and Vegetable Inspection Program now recognizes service areas as regions rather than districts. See changes below.

The application process is to contact the applicable Fruit & Vegetable Inspection regional office. You will set up an appointment with the inspector and prior to the inspection be required to fill out a Request for Inspection Form.
    NW/NE Regional Office, (509) 662-6161
    SW/SE Regional Office, (509) 249-6900
How long is my permit valid?
Shipping permits are valid for the period of time the fruits or vegetables are in transit to their destination.
Legal Authority:
Where can I get permitting assistance?
Web page URL: https://agr.wa.gov/services/licenses-permits-and-certificates/summary-descriptions/fv-shipping-permit
Subject matter expert phone: Fruit & Vegetable Inspection Program Manager, (509) 885-4500
Subject matter expert email: jjmartin@agr.wa.gov
Other: The WSDA inspector completing your shipping permit will connect you with a supervisor or manager if you have questions he or she cannot answer.
Statewide Contact:
Washington State Department of Agriculture
Headquarters
1111 Washington Street SE
PO Box 42560
Olympia, WA 98504-2560
Telephone: (360) 902-1800
Fax: (360) 902-2092
Email: poffice@agr.wa.gov
Website: http://agr.wa.gov/
* Permit information last updated 6/20/2023
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