Can I Bring My Plants? Moving to Maine
Can I bring my plants into Maine?
Maine lets you bring indoor plants along with your belongings, no certificate needed. Anything else green wants an inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, and firewood is the strict one.
- Checked Sep 2026
What Maine asks for
- HouseplantsHouseplants (no outdoor soil)Fine
- Potted plants in soilPotted plants in soilConditional
- Citrus treesCitrus treesDepends
- Other fruit treesOther fruit treesConditional
- Nursery stock & shrubsNursery stock & shrubsConditional
- Cut flowers & bouquetsCut flowers & bouquetsFine
- Seeds & bulbsSeeds & bulbsConditional
- FirewoodFirewoodNot allowed
- Hay & strawHay & strawDepends
- Soil & compostSoil & compostDepends
3 of these change depending on where you're leaving. Pick a state to see which.
Plant by plant
Houseplants (no outdoor soil)
Fine
Indoor plants moving with your belongings are allowed, no certificate needed. They have to look pest-free, and not be a species barred at either end because of a pest.
Source & details
Plants grown indoors and moved to Maine as part of a persons belongings are allowed, but must meet the following criteria: Plants must be apparently free from pests Plants are not one of the species prohibited by Maine's plant health quarantines that are listed below Plants are not a species that is prohibited from moving from the state of origin due to a local, state or federal quarantine.
Importing Plants, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · checked 14 Sep 2026
Potted plants in soil
Conditional
- Certificate
Potted plants count. An inspection certificate from the state you're leaving has to be attached to each package.
You'd need: Inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to each package
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)
Any nursery stock shipped into Maine shall have an inspection certificate, issued by the appropriate regulatory official of the state of origin, attached to each package and the contents must be apparently free of plant pests.
Any woody plants and herbaceous plants and all viable parts of these plants, except cut flowers, cut Christmas trees, dried plants, field crops and seeds.
Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Citrus trees
Depends
- Certificate
This one depends on where you are leaving from. 2 states are treated differently from the rest.
From most states: Maine has no special citrus rule. A citrus tree travels like any other plant: an inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to the package.
You'd need: Inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to each package
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)
Any nursery stock shipped into Maine shall have an inspection certificate, issued by the appropriate regulatory official of the state of origin, attached to each package and the contents must be apparently free of plant pests.
Any woody plants and herbaceous plants and all viable parts of these plants, except cut flowers, cut Christmas trees, dried plants, field crops and seeds.
Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · checked 15 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Other fruit trees
Conditional
- Certificate
A fruit tree needs an inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to each package.
You'd need: Inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to each package
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)
Any nursery stock shipped into Maine shall have an inspection certificate, issued by the appropriate regulatory official of the state of origin, attached to each package and the contents must be apparently free of plant pests.
Any woody plants and herbaceous plants and all viable parts of these plants, except cut flowers, cut Christmas trees, dried plants, field crops and seeds.
Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Nursery stock & shrubs
Conditional
- Certificate
Anything from a nursery needs an inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to each package. A few species are barred because of a pest.
You'd need: Inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to each package
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)
have an inspection certificate issued by the appropriate regulatory agency of the state of origin attached to each package
Plants grown indoors and moved to Maine as part of a persons belongings are allowed, but must meet the following criteria: Plants must be apparently free from pests Plants are not one of the species prohibited by Maine's plant health quarantines that are listed below Plants are not a species that is prohibited from moving from the state of origin due to a local, state or federal quarantine.
Importing Plants, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · Importing Plants, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · checked 14 Sep 2026
Cut flowers & bouquets
Fine
Cut flowers are left out here, along with cut Christmas trees, dried plants and seeds. A bouquet needs no certificate.
Source & details
Any woody plants and herbaceous plants and all viable parts of these plants, except cut flowers, cut Christmas trees, dried plants, field crops and seeds.
Any nursery stock shipped into Maine shall have an inspection certificate, issued by the appropriate regulatory official of the state of origin, attached to each package and the contents must be apparently free of plant pests.
Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · checked 14 Sep 2026
Seeds & bulbs
Conditional
- Certificate
Bulbs need an inspection certificate from the state you're leaving. Seeds are left out, so they travel with nothing.
You'd need: Inspection certificate from the state you're leaving, attached to each package
Source & details
Any nursery stock shipped into Maine shall have an inspection certificate, issued by the appropriate regulatory official of the state of origin, attached to each package and the contents must be apparently free of plant pests.
Any woody plants and herbaceous plants and all viable parts of these plants, except cut flowers, cut Christmas trees, dried plants, field crops and seeds.
Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · Summary of Plant Protection Regulations, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out
Firewood
Not allowed
- Treatment
You can't bring firewood into Maine unless it's been heat-treated to 160°F for 75 minutes, packaged, and labelled to show the treatment and where it came from.
You'd need: Proof of heat treatment to 160°F for 75 minutes, on the packaging
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)
Maine prohibits the entry of all types of out-of-state firewood unless it has been heat-treated to at least 160°F for 75 minutes and is packaged and clearly labeled with the evidence of heat treatment and the origin of the firewood.
ME 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: No data yet on bringing hay and straw into Maine.
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)
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 Maine.
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 Maine are Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry.