Does plywood need a Lacey Act declaration?
Yes. Plywood under HTS heading 4412 is covered by the APHIS declaration schedule, so covered entries must be declared with the botanical species and the country of harvest. Because the phase-in schedule changes, confirm the current APHIS list for your exact HTS code at the time of entry, but plan on plywood being declarable and gather the species and origin data in advance.
Who files the Lacey Act declaration?
The US importer of record files PPQ Form 505 and carries the legal obligation. The overseas mill or exporter does not file it and cannot file it on your behalf. The mill's role is to supply the underlying data: botanical species, country of harvest, and legality and chain-of-custody records.
What is PPQ Form 505?
PPQ Form 505 is the Plant and Plant Product Declaration used for the Lacey Act. It is filed electronically through CBP's ACE at entry and asks for the scientific name (genus and species), the country of harvest, and the quantity and value of the plant-product portion of the shipment.
Is an FSC certificate enough for the Lacey Act?
FSC or PEFC chain of custody supports your due-care position and helps trace the material, but it does not by itself satisfy the declaration. You still file PPQ 505 with the specific genus, species, and country of harvest. Documented, plantation-grown sourcing makes those fields easier to complete, but the filing and the records retention remain the importer's responsibility.
How is the Lacey Act different from EUDR?
The Lacey Act is a US legality-and-species declaration filed on PPQ 505. EUDR is an EU deforestation-free due-diligence regime filed as a due-diligence statement through TRACES. They are separate obligations in separate jurisdictions, and both are different again from US AD/CVD trade-remedy duties, which are about money, not legality documentation.
