(a) The importer or his representative shall submit to the director of the port of first arrival, for each entry of plants or plant products requiring a plant quarantine permit, a notice of arrival, or its electronic equivalent, for any type of entry except rewarehouse and informal mail entries. Such notice shall be on a form, or its electronic equivalent, provided for the purpose by the Department of Agriculture. The director of the port of arrival shall compare the notice of arrival, or its electronic equivalent, which he receives from the importer or his representative with the shipping documents, certify its agreement therewith, and transmit it, together with any accompanying certificates or other documents pertaining to the sanitary status of the shipment, to the Department of Agriculture. The merchandise may not be moved, stored, or otherwise disposed of until the notice of arrival, or its electronic equivalent, has been submitted and release for the intended purpose has been authorized by an inspector of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs.

(b) Where plant or plant products are shipped from the port of first arrival to another port or place for inspection or other treatment by a representative of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs and all CBP requirements for the release of the merchandise have been met, the merchandise must be forwarded as an in-bond shipment pursuant to part 18 of this chapter to the representative of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs at the place at which the inspection or other treatment is to take place. No further release by the port director will be required.