Ivory sales

Yes. Buying, selling or hiring out elephant ivory has been illegal in the UK since 6 June 2022, unless an item fits one of five narrow exemptions and has been registered or certified. The Ivory Act 2018 is one of the toughest ivory bans in the world.

What the ban covers

The Act bans “dealing” in ivory, which includes buying, selling, hiring, exporting for sale and even advertising or arranging a deal. It applies to raw ivory and to antiques and objects that contain it, whatever their age. Simply owning, inheriting or giving away an ivory item is not banned. Regulations that took effect in January 2025 extended the law to ivory from hippos, killer whales, narwhals and sperm whales.

The five exemptions

Items can still be traded if they qualify for an exemption: items with low ivory content made before 1947, musical instruments made before 1975 with limited ivory, portrait miniatures over 100 years old, sales to and between accredited museums, and pre-1918 items of outstanding artistic or historical importance, which need a certificate after expert assessment. The first four are registered online for a fee, and a new registration is needed each time an item is sold.

Why it took so long

The Act became law in December 2018, but it did not come into force for three and a half years. A group of antique dealers challenged it in court and lost at the Court of Appeal in 2020, and Brexit and Covid added further delays. Campaign group EIA had shown in 2017 that the UK was the world’s largest exporter of antique ivory.

Penalties

The Animal and Plant Health Agency enforces the law. As Mishcon de Reya explains, dealing in unregistered ivory can lead to a fine of up to £250,000 or up to five years in prison, and civil penalties can also reach £250,000.

The UK has other strict animal laws, such as the rules on XL Bully dogs. For other UK product bans, see disposable vapes or the UK page.