In December 2018, one of the world’s toughest bans on ivory sales became law as the Ivory Bill gained Royal Assent and became the Ivory Act 2018. The Government believes that tighter controls on ivory trade will help curtail the threat to elephants from poaching. However, there is no date for when the legislation is expected to come into force due to challenges around practical implementation.
The Ivory act covers ivory items of all ages, not just those produced after a certain date. By covering ivory items of all ages and adopting narrow exemptions, the UK’s ban will be one of the toughest in the world. The maximum penalty for breaching the ban will be an unlimited fine or up to five years in jail.
The exemptions include:
Items made before 3 March 1947 which comprise of less than ten per cent ivory by volume. The ivory must be integral to the item as a whole, i.e. removing it would be difficult or damage the item.
Musical instruments with less than 20 per cent ivory content which were made prior to 1975. This is when Asian elephants were added to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Portrait miniatures painted on thin slivers of ivory made before 1918 with a surface area of no more than 320cm2.
Rarest and most important items of artistic, cultural or historic significance made prior to 1918. 'Such items will be subject to the advice of specialists at institutions such as the UK’s most prestigious museums'.
Commercial activities to, and between, museums which are accredited by the Arts Council England, Welsh Government, Museums and Galleries Scotland or the Northern Ireland Museums Council. Museums outside the UK must be accredited by the International Council of Museums.
It is an extraordinary achievement to have passed this Act of Parliament. The Ivory Act is a landmark in our fight to protect wildlife and the environment. The speed of its passage through Parliament shows the strength of feeling on all sides of the House on this critical issue.
The UK has shown global leadership and delivered on a key commitment in the 25 Year Environment Plan. We are determined to end this insidious trade and make sure ivory is never seen as a commodity for financial gain or a status symbol.
Michael Gove MPEnvironment Secretary | Between June 2017 and July 2019
Hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, killer whale (orca) and sperm whale will receive greater legal protections under the UK’s world-leading ban on importing, exporting and dealing in items containing ivory.
Fact Sheet for members
Our easy to read fact sheets break down legislation highlighting the changes, who it applies to and most importantly, what you need to do.
The Ivory Act 2018 fact sheet is exclusively for our NAVA Propertymark members.
The purpose of the Ivory Act is to prohibit commercial activities concerning ivory in the UK and the import and re-export of ivory for commercial purposes to and from the UK. This includes intra-EU trade to and from the UK.
In our response, to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs consultation on Banning UK Sales of Ivory, we outlined that the Government should focus on enforcing and closing any loopholes in the current legislation instead of a total ban on ivory.
Hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal, killer whale (orca) and sperm whale will receive greater legal protections under the UK’s world-leading ban on importing, exporting and dealing in items containing ivory.
The near-total ban on the import, export and dealing of items containing elephant ivory comes into force today, 6 June 2022, which puts the UK at the forefront of global conservation efforts.
