Plant Industry - EAB Quarantine & Compliance Agreements FAQ
Emerald Ash Borer Program
The EAB Quarantine has been repealed!
The federal quarantine for Emerald ash borer (EAB) placed by USDA-APHIS-PPQ was repealed in 2021, and North Carolina lifted the statewide quarantine in 2026.
What areas of North Carolina are currently quarantined for emerald ash borer?
NONE! The entire state of North Carolina is now considered infested with EAB.
However, other states may still have exterior quarantines with their own list of regulated articles. Ash plant and product producers should contact their regional Plant Pest Specialist with compliance questions, including kiln certification for heat-treated firewood.
How do I contact my regional Plant Pest Specialist?
A map showing county coverage and contact information can be found on our Plant Protection Field Services webpage.
What is a quarantine?
A quarantine is a temporary rule intended to help prevent a potentially dangerous or destructive pest or disease organism from spreading outside a known infested area into new areas. In the case of emerald ash borer (EAB), some uninfested states have exterior quarantines designed to limit the movement of potentially infested firewood or other materials such as live ash trees that might harbor EAB life stages.
Which states have exterior quarantines for EAB?
A full summary of state regulations including exterior quarantines for EAB and regulations related to firewood, nursery stock, and other regulated articles are available on the National Plant Board website. As of June 2026, exterior quarantines for EAB are listed for 17 states in part or whole: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah.
What are regulated articles?
The following are three categories of regulated articles that states with exterior quarantines may have:
- The emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire)
- Ash trees (Fraxinus sp.), ash limbs and branches, ash stumps and roots, ash logs, ash lumber, ash chips and ash bark chips
- Firewood of any hardwood (deciduous) species
Compliance Agreements Questions and Answers
Important—NO regulated articles are legally allowed to move from North Carolina into a state with an exterior quarantine unless they meet the receiving state’s entry requirements. States with exterior EAB quarantines may require a state phytosanitary inspection and/or compliance agreements in order to ship firewood or other ash products to them. State requirements can be found on the National Plant Board website. Your NCDA&CS regional Plant Pest Specialist can help you navigate compliance questions.
What is a Compliance Agreement?
A Compliance Agreement is a document that describes how a company will properly treat regulated articles to mitigate the spread of EAB and adhere to receiving states’ quarantine laws Your NCDA&CS regional Plant Pest Specialist is available to discuss Compliance Agreements in more detail at the request of any business or other entity involved in moving regulated articles. NCDA&CS can provide free training and also help determine how any business can lower the risk of spreading EAB with the least amount of disruption to business practices.
Do I need a Compliance Agreement?
If you are moving regulated articles (e.g. ash material or hardwood firewood) from North Carolina into an area with an exterior quarantine you will need a state phytosanitary certificate or a Compliance Agreement. Ash material that originates in North Carolina can be moved freely throughout the state. Contact NCDA&CS for further information.
How do I get a Compliance Agreement?
Your NCDA&CS regional Plant Pest Specialist will work with you to determine which Compliance Agreements, if any, are needed, explain the requirements, and work with you to implement any needed quarantine restrictions by receiving states.
Why is all hardwood firewood regulated instead of only ash firewood?
Once a log has been cut and split, identifying ash wood from other hardwood species becomes extremely difficult. While this is especially true for the casual firewood user and homeowners, the experience of other EAB regulatory agencies across the nation have shown that the same has often applied to firewood business too. Therefore, due to the potential risk associated with moving EAB-infested firewood, all hardwood firewood is considered a risk.
What can I do with my ash material?
If moving ash material or other regulated articles from North Carolina to an area with an exterior quarantine, several options are available but require a Compliance Agreement with NCDA&CS. Exterior quarantine restrictions may specify one or more of these options, depending on the type of product being shipped. These are specific to each state, but many have retained practices from the former federal EAB quarantine. Examples include:
- Material can be chipped to 1 inch or less in two dimensions (two of three measurements—length, width and thickness must be 1” or smaller).
- Material can be debarked, which means complete bark removal plus ½ inch of wood.
- Material can be composted; material must reach at least 140° Fahrenheit for four days and the pile must be turned after four days.
- Material can be heat treated; the center of the wood must reach at least 140° Fahrenheit for 60 minutes.
- Material can be kiln dried; must meet USDA guidelines.
- Material can be fumigated by a licensed fumigator.
Your NCDA&CS regional Plant Pest Specialist will confirm which practices meet entry requirements for each state you are shipping to under your Compliance Agreement.
If I sign a Compliance Agreement, will I be required to keep records?
Yes. If your company ships regulated articles under a Compliance Agreement or with NCDA&CS certification, you will need to maintain those shipping and/or certification records for 36 months, unless otherwise specified.