Governments often mandate that traders secure permits before importing or exporting certain products to fulfill objectives such as protecting endangered species, endemic flora, and ensuring consumer safety. The time, cost, and unpredictability associated with obtaining these permits impact the competitiveness of businesses engaged in international trade. This research brief outlines steps to overcome various obstacles that hinder the streamlining, simplification, and automation of these processes to make them more business friendly. Using the issuance of forest permits for horticultural exports as a case study, it shows how adopting steps to facilitate trade can reduce trade costs and strengthen regulatory oversight.