(a) Who must pay APHIS user fees? Any person for whom a service is provided related to the importation, entry, or exportation of an animal, article, or means of conveyance or related to veterinary diagnostics, and any person requesting such service, shall be jointly and severally liable for payment of fees assessed.

(b) Associated charges—

(1) Reservation fee. Any reservation fee paid by an importer under part 93 of this chapter will be applied to the APHIS user fees specified in §§130.2 and 130.3 for animals or birds quarantined in an animal import center.

(2) Special handling expenses. The user fees in this part do not include any costs that may be incurred due to special mail handling, including, but not limited to, express, overnight, or foreign mailing. If any service requires special mail handling, the user must pay all costs incurred, in addition to the user fee for the service.

(3) When do I pay an additional amount for employee(s) working overtime? You must pay an additional amount if you need an APHIS employee to work on a Sunday, on a holiday, or at any time outside the normal tour of duty of that employee. You pay the amount specified in paragraphs (b)(3) (i), (ii), or (iii) as relevant, for each employee needed to get the work done.

(i) What additional amount do I pay if I receive a flat rate user fee service? In addition to the flat rate user fee(s), you pay the overtime rate listed in the following table for each employee needed to get the work done:

(ii) What amount do I pay if I receive an hourly rate user fee service? Instead of paying the normal hourly rate user fee under §130.30(a), you pay the premium rate listed in §130.30(b) for each employee needed to get the work done.

(iii) For information on rules pertaining to the charges associated with employees of U.S. Customs and Border Protection performing agricultural inspection services, please see 7 CFR 354.1 and 9 CFR 97.1.

(c) When are APHIS user fees due?—

(1) Animal and bird quarantine and related tests. User fees specified in §§130.2, 130.3, 130.5, 130.10, and tests specified in §§130.14 through 130.19 for animals and birds in an Animal Import Center or privately operated permanent or temporary import quarantine facilities, including user fees for tests conducted on these animals or birds, must be paid prior to the release of those animals or birds from quarantine.

(2) Supervision and inspection services for export animals, animal products. User fees for supervision and inspection services specified in §130.30 must be paid when billed, or, if covered by a compliance agreement signed in accordance with this chapter, must be paid when specified in the agreement.

(3) Export health certificates. User fees for export health certificates specified in §130.20 must be paid prior to receipt of endorsed certificates unless APHIS determines that the user has established an acceptable credit history, at which time payment may, at the option of the user, be made when billed.

(4) Veterinary diagnostics. User fees specified in §§130.14 through 130.19 for veterinary diagnostic services, such as tests on samples submitted to NVSL or FADDL, diagnostic reagents, slide sets, tissue sets, and other veterinary diagnostic services, must be paid when the veterinary diagnostic service is requested, unless APHIS determines that the user has established an acceptable credit history, at which time payment may, at the option of the user, be made when billed.

(5) Other user fee services. User fees specified in §§130.6, 130.7, 130.8, and 130.30 must be paid when service is provided (for example when live animals are inspected when presented for importation at a port of entry), unless APHIS determines that the user has established an acceptable credit history, at which time payment may, at the option of the user, be made when billed.

(d) What payment methods are acceptable? Payment must be for the exact amount due and may be paid by:

(1) Cash, will be accepted only during normal business hours if payment is made at an APHIS office7 or an Animal Import Center;

(2) All types of checks, including traveler's checks, drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars and made payable to the U.S. Department of Agriculture or USDA;

(3) Money orders, drawn on a U.S. bank in U.S. dollars and made payable to the U.S. Department of Agriculture or USDA; or

(4) Credit cards (VISATM and MasterCardTM) if payment is made at an Animal Import Center or an APHIS office that is equipped to process credit cards.7

[63 FR 53796, Oct. 7, 1998, as amended at 64 FR 67700, Dec. 3, 1999; 65 FR 52010, Aug. 28, 2000; 67 FR 48524, July 25, 2002; 68 FR 51887, Aug. 29, 2003; 80 FR 59567, Oct. 2, 2015]