Wildlife & Cultural

Coral & shells

Restricted

Many corals and shells are CITES-protected.

Coral and shell rules are governed by CITES and biosecurity laws that vary by destination, and the official wildlife and customs authorities make the final decision.

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What this means

Coral and shells are marine souvenirs such as coral pieces, seashells, and items made from them. Many corals and some shells (like giant clam and queen conch) are protected under CITES and may need permits or be banned, and biosecurity rules can also apply to untreated marine material. A souvenir sold openly abroad is not automatically legal to bring home.

What's included

Hard (stony) coral pieces and branches
Coral jewelry and ornaments
Giant clam shells and products
Queen conch shells and conch products
Sea fans and other shell/coral curios
Coral sand, gravel, or rock from reefs

What's not included

Ivory items (separate wildlife item)
Reptile-skin and exotic-leather goods (separate wildlife item)
Pearls from aquaculture (generally not CITES-restricted, different item)
Fresh seafood for eating (food/biosecurity category)

Common types & examples

Stony (hard) coral
Listed under CITES (Scleractinia); international trade needs permits, including coral sand/rock recognizable as coral.
Queen conch
CITES-listed; personal allowances are small (e.g. around 3 shells in some regimes) and excess needs a permit.
Giant clam
CITES-listed; limited personal allowances by number and weight, otherwise a permit is required.
Coral jewelry
Finished products can still be controlled; openly sold does not mean legally exportable.
Plain seashells
Many common shells are unrestricted but may still need biosecurity declaration if untreated or sandy.

Why it's regulated

Many corals and shells are protected under CITES to prevent reef and species depletion, and untreated marine material can also pose biosecurity risks, so import is often permit-controlled or requires declaration.

Typical allowance

Some regimes allow small personal quantities of listed shells without a permit (for example a handful of queen conch shells or a few giant clam specimens under CITES personal-effects rules), but corals are frequently prohibited or permit-only and limits vary by destination, so treat any number as provisional.

Provisional — confirm with your destination

Before you travel

Documents you may need

CITES permit/certificate for listed species (coral, giant clam, queen conch)
Biosecurity/quarantine declaration for untreated shells or sand
Proof of personal use / quantity within allowance
Customs declaration form

Next steps

1.Check whether the coral or shell species is CITES-listed before buying
2.Declare shells, coral, and sand at customs and biosecurity
3.Obtain a CITES permit if your items or quantity require one
4.Keep within any small personal-effects allowance
5.Avoid buying protected corals even if they are openly sold

Official sources

Check if you need a CITES permit to import or export endangered species (coral, shells)· UK Government (gov.uk) / APHA
Bringing or mailing goods to Australia (shells, coral, declaration)· Australia DAFF
Exemptions and special procedures (CITES personal/household effects)· CITES

Always verify with the official authority for your destination.

Country-specific rules

The default posture above applies worldwide. For the exact rules at your destination, check the country guide.

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