Does plywood need a Lacey Act declaration?
Yes, for almost every commercial shipment. APHIS Phase VII began on 1 December 2024 and brought in the remaining plant-product HTS codes, and plywood under heading 4412 is on the schedule. A declaration is due once a listed code arrives on a formal entry, which generally means a value of 2,500 dollars or more, so a container of plywood is nearly always in scope.
What does PPQ Form 505 ask for?
PPQ Form 505, the Plant and Plant Product Declaration, asks for the scientific name of every wood in the panel, the country where the trees were harvested, a quantity in a metric unit and the value. Genus and species have to be written out, so "hardwood" or a grade name will not pass, and a core that mixes species means listing every one that may be present. Country of harvest is where the trees were cut, not where the panel was pressed.
Who fills out the Lacey Act declaration for imported plywood?
The US importer of record files it, either directly or through a customs broker holding a power of attorney, and APHIS holds both of them responsible for what is declared. The overseas mill has no filing role. Its job is to supply accurate species and harvest-country data, along with the legality and chain-of-custody records that support your due-care position.
Can PPQ 505 still be filed on paper?
No. APHIS stopped accepting paper PPQ 505 forms on 1 January 2026, so the declaration now goes in electronically, either through CBP's ACE system at entry or through the APHIS LAWGS portal. If your broker still works from paper templates, move the species and origin data into the electronic workflow before the next container lands.
Is an FSC certificate enough to meet the Lacey Act?
No. FSC or PEFC chain of custody supports your due-care position and makes the timber easier to trace, but it does not replace the declaration itself. You still file PPQ 505 with the genus, species and country of harvest, and you keep the shipment records in case APHIS or CBP asks questions later. Vinawood is FSC-COC and PEFC certified and uses plantation-grown species harvested in Vietnam, which keeps those fields short and consistent.
Does Vietnamese plywood need TSCA Title VI as well as a Lacey declaration?
Usually it does, because the two rules answer different questions. The Lacey Act covers whether the timber was legal and which species it contains, while TSCA Title VI is the EPA formaldehyde standard for composite wood products, including hardwood plywood. Covered panels need certification by an approved third-party certifier, a compliant label on the product when it enters the US, and an import certification, so confirm the classification of your panel with your certifier or broker. Vinawood holds EPA TSCA Title VI (CARB P2) certification and can send the certificate and label details with the order.
