Learn how to fill out and submit USDA permits online via USDA ePermits website.

1. USDA Plant Pest Permits:
An Introduction to ePermits
and the 526 permit
Prepared for the Association For
Butterflies
October 1-4, 2012

2. Wayne Wehling, PhD
Senior Entomologist, USDA/APHIS
Plant Protection and Quarantine
Pest Permit Branch, Unit 133
4700 River Road, Riverdale, MD 20737
Phone 301-851-2336
Fax 301-734-8700
Wayne.F.Wehling@APHIS.USDA.GOV

3. Day 1: Getting set up with an ePermits Account and
understanding the butterfly release matrix
Day 2: How to fill out and submit applications
Day 3: Short cuts and how to manage your permits
account
Day 4: Follow up on all question

4. Welcome to day one of the butterfly permitting short course.
For today I will email this out in two sections. This first portion
will cover getting set up with an eAuthentication account.
The second portion for today will cover the butterfly release
matrix and how to interpret the matrix for your personal
location and needs.

5. Much of the program will be showing screen shots from
eAuthentication , ePermit, and APHIS web pages. I will use
yellow arrows and yellow boxes outlined in red placed on these
screen shots to point out or make comments on important
details. All of the arrows and boxes are placed by me and are
not present on the screen view. I hope I don’t block any
important details.
Special comments found here

6. You will notice that there is a standard format for the appearance
for all USDA, APHIS, and ePermit web pages. Choices are available in
shadowed blue or grey boxes down the left and right sides of the
screen. Your personal ePermits account will also have this same
structure and appearance.

7. tTake a
look at the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection home page at:
http://www.APHIS.USDA.GOV /
(seen on the next page)
All of the web pages for setting up eAuthentication
And accessing ePermits can be navigated from this
Home page.

8. APHIS Home
Page. The
banner and
center block
picture
constantly
change so don’t
expect to see
these necessarily

9. Register and learn
about
eAuthentication by
Following this link

10. Follow this link to
Start the
eAuthentication
application process.
This view is the
bottom of this screen

11. All of the selections
From this screen are
Useful. Take a minute
And explore several.
Eventually, you will
need a level 1 and
level 2 accounts

12. Be sure to fill in all required
information and to advance
through and fill in all of
the screens. Note the
“continue” button at the
bottom right of the screen.
You will need to scroll down to
see it.

13. The screens will not
advance if you leave any
required lines blank. You
will get red error
messages

14. After you have submitted
the complete level 1
application you will receive
an email confirming submission.
You are now ready to find an
LRA

15. From this map you
can select your
home state to find an
LRA near you

16. Select your county to
find an LRA near you.
This is Iowa and I will
select Franklin county

17. Results for Franklin
County, Iowa
Be sure to call
ahead before going.

18. I hope you found this helpful and a good use of your time.
I realize that if you have not already set up a level 2 account
that you will not be ready for tomorrows lesson plan. I hope
that these lesson plans can be set aside and used when time
allows. Level 2 eAuthentication requires face to face contact
with the LRA.
Please feel free to contact me anytime for help with ePermits,
email works best. Please note that help is available via the
web pages for eAuthentication and ePermits.
information specialist in our office can help with ePermit
questions. 301-851-2046 Scott Kravetz or Chris Bembenek.
Keep in mind that eAuthentication and ePermits are different
Software packages and are supported by different staffs. The
APHIS permitting staff will not be able to help you with
eAuthentication questions.