Stony corals are listed on CITES Appendix II, which means every box that leaves Indonesia needs an export permit issued before the shipment flies. The permit is not paperwork you can chase after the fact — the numbers on it must match the box, the invoice and your import permit exactly.
Who issues the permit
In Indonesia the Management Authority is the Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Exporters draw from an annual quota per species, so the species list on your order has to be confirmed against remaining quota before the permit is requested.
What the permit shows
- Scientific name of every species, at species level — never just "SPS".
- Piece count per species, matching the packing list exactly.
- Source code — C for captive bred, F for F1, W for wild. Maricultured corals ship as C.
- Permit number and expiry date. Most permits are valid six months from issue.
Matching your import permit
Customs compares the export permit against your import permit line by line. A mismatch in piece count or a synonym used for a species name is the most common reason a consignment is held. Send us your import permit before we finalise the packing list and we will mirror the naming used on it.
Timeline
Plan on five to seven working days between confirming an order and wheels-up: quota check, permit issue, health certificate inspection, then packing on the morning of the flight.