Can I Bring My Plants? Moving to Alaska
Can I bring my plants into Alaska?
Alaska asks for an inspection certificate on the plants you bring in. Firewood is the exception — nothing on the page stops you driving it up unless it is coming from Canada — and ordinary hay and straw are fine until a shipment is actually found carrying weed seed.
- Checked Sep 2026
What Alaska asks for
- HouseplantsHouseplants (no outdoor soil)Conditional
- Potted plants in soilPotted plants in soilConditional
- Citrus treesCitrus treesDepends
- Other fruit treesOther fruit treesConditional
- Nursery stock & shrubsNursery stock & shrubsConditional
- Cut flowers & bouquetsCut flowers & bouquetsNo data
- Seeds & bulbsSeeds & bulbsConditional
- FirewoodFirewoodDepends
- Hay & strawHay & strawDepends
- Soil & compostSoil & compostDepends
4 of these change depending on where you're leaving. Pick a state to see which.
Plant by plant
Houseplants (no outdoor soil)
Conditional
- Certificate
Alaska wants a current inspection certificate travelling with your plants if the state you're leaving inspects plants. Houseplants count, even the ones on your kitchen shelf.
You'd need: Current inspection certificate from the state you're leaving
Source & details
Also, each shipment of plants, grown in a country or state which maintains inspection of plants, shall be accompanied by a copy of a current inspection certificate from such country or state.
Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Potted plants in soil
Conditional
- Certificate
Potted plants count here. If the state you're leaving inspects plants, a current inspection certificate needs to travel with them.
You'd need: Current inspection certificate from the state you're leaving
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)
Golden nematode (7 CFR 301.85): Golden nematode is regulated in parts of a few New York counties, not the whole state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of New York, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of New York. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart R: Golden Nematode (eCFR)
Also, each shipment of plants, grown in a country or state which maintains inspection of plants, shall be accompanied by a copy of a current inspection certificate from such country or state.
"Nursery stock" means any plant for planting, propagation or ornamental use.
Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · checked 14 Sep 2026
Citrus trees
Depends
- Certificate
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 2 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: Alaska has no special citrus rule. Your lemon tree just needs a current inspection certificate if the state you're leaving inspects plants.
You'd need: Current inspection certificate from the state you're leaving
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Citrus greening and Asian citrus psyllid (7 CFR 301.76): Citrus plants may not be moved interstate out of a citrus greening quarantine area unless a specific provision allows it. APHIS asks people not to mail or carry home-grown citrus plants out at all. Leaving Georgia, Florida, or parts of Alabama, California, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart N: Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid (eCFR)
Also, each shipment of plants, grown in a country or state which maintains inspection of plants, shall be accompanied by a copy of a current inspection certificate from such country or state.
Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Other fruit trees
Conditional
- Certificate
A fruit tree needs a current inspection certificate if the state you're leaving inspects plants.
You'd need: Current inspection certificate from the state you're leaving
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Spongy moth (trees and shrubs with roots) (7 CFR 301.45): A tree or shrub with roots needs a federal certificate or permit to leave a spongy moth quarantine area. Anything greenhouse-grown all year is exempt, so this is about what has been living in your garden. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)
Also, each shipment of plants, grown in a country or state which maintains inspection of plants, shall be accompanied by a copy of a current inspection certificate from such country or state.
"Nursery stock" means any plant for planting, propagation or ornamental use.
Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · checked 14 Sep 2026
Nursery stock & shrubs
Conditional
- Certificate
Alaska counts anything you'd plant out or keep for looks. Bring a current inspection certificate if the state you're leaving inspects plants.
You'd need: Current inspection certificate from the state you're leaving
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Spongy moth (trees and shrubs with roots) (7 CFR 301.45): A tree or shrub with roots needs a federal certificate or permit to leave a spongy moth quarantine area. Anything greenhouse-grown all year is exempt, so this is about what has been living in your garden. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)
Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)
Also, each shipment of plants, grown in a country or state which maintains inspection of plants, shall be accompanied by a copy of a current inspection certificate from such country or state.
"Nursery stock" means any plant for planting, propagation or ornamental use.
Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · checked 14 Sep 2026
Cut flowers & bouquets
No data
No data yet on bringing cut flowers and bouquets into Alaska.
Alaska Division of Agriculture is the office that answers this one.
Seeds & bulbs
Conditional
- Certificate
Bulbs need a current inspection certificate if the state you're leaving inspects plants. Seed potatoes have a certificate rule of their own.
You'd need: Current inspection certificate from the state you're leaving
Source & details
Also, each shipment of plants, grown in a country or state which maintains inspection of plants, shall be accompanied by a copy of a current inspection certificate from such country or state.
"Nursery stock" means any plant for planting, propagation or ornamental use.
Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · Alaska Plant Quarantine Summary, National Plant Board · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Firewood
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 13 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: Nothing on this page stops you driving firewood into Alaska. Firewood coming in from Canada is the exception: that has to be certified heat-treated.
Because of: State firewood rules.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Gypsy moth (outdoor household articles) (7 CFR 301.45): Firewood counts as an outdoor household article. Moving it out of a gypsy moth quarantine area needs a certificate, or the self-inspection checklist from the "Don’t Move Gypsy Moth" program aid. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)
Bringing firewood into Alaska puts the forests at risk due to harmful tree pests that often hide within the wood.
AK firewood rules, Don’t Move Firewood (The Nature Conservancy) · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Hay & straw
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 6 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: Ordinary hay and straw are fine. The rule only bites once a shipment is actually found carrying the seed of a prohibited noxious weed -- that's what gets sent back within 48 hours, unless it's treated instead.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Whenever anything brought into a part of the state from another part of the state or from any other state or foreign country is found to be infested with the seed of any prohibited noxious weed, the director will notify the owner or bailee of the shipment to return it to the point of shipment within 48 hours, and the owner or bailee of the shipment shall return it.
11 AAC 34.077: Weed seeds in shipment · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Soil & compost
Depends
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 6 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: No data yet on bringing soil and compost into Alaska.
Source & details
Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving
Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)
Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)
Golden nematode (7 CFR 301.85): Golden nematode is regulated in parts of a few New York counties, not the whole state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of New York, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of New York. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart R: Golden Nematode (eCFR)
Still stuck? The people who answer this in Alaska are Alaska Division of Agriculture.