The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is announcing adjusted user fee rates for the costs of providing certain goods and services, including veterinary diagnostic goods and services and veterinary services for imports and exports of live animals and animal products.

The changes ensure that the fees APHIS charges more closely align with the costs of providing these services. They also allow the agency to improve customer service by hiring and training personnel and ensuring the availability of information technology needed to facilitate trade processes, such as issuing export health certificates. The final notice may be viewed in the Jan. 8 Federal Register and will be effective Jan. 10, 2025.

APHIS has not adjusted its fees for veterinary services since 2012, and the agency does not receive appropriated funding to support these activities. In 2023, APHIS issued a final rule outlining a new process for updating user fees and rates. This is the first fee adjustment using the new process.

APHIS’s animal health import and export user fees cover significant activities across the country, including at border locations and quarantine facilities. These fees support personnel, facilities and information technology systems. They also recover the costs of inspection and certification services for imports and exports of live animals, animal products and animal byproducts as well as provide for veterinary diagnostic goods and services.

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On Nov. 8, 2024, APHIS published a notice in the Federal Register with proposed user fee changes. Stakeholders had 30 days to review the proposed changes and provide comments. The agency reviewed and addressed the 33 comments received in the final notice in the Federal Register. APHIS will post the new fees to user fee website on Jan. 10, 2025.