What documents does my dog need to travel abroad?

Usually a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, and an official health certificate or pet passport for the destination, sometimes with a tapeworm treatment or a rabies blood test. The exact list depends on where you are going and where you are coming from, so check the destination country’s official rules.

How long before travel should my pet have a rabies vaccine?

For the EU and Great Britain, at least 21 days after the first rabies vaccination, and the pet must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated. Other countries can have longer waits or require a blood test, so start planning months ahead.

Can I use an EU pet passport from the UK?

Not if you live in England, Scotland or Wales. Since 2021, pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate for each trip to the EU. Residents of Northern Ireland can use an EU pet passport.

Do I need a health certificate to fly with my pet?

Often, yes. Many airlines ask for a vet’s health certificate issued shortly before the flight, and international trips usually need an official, government-endorsed one. Ask your airline and check the destination country’s rules before booking.

Do cats need the same travel documents as dogs?

Mostly. Cats usually need the same microchip, rabies vaccination and health certificate. The EU tapeworm treatment rule for certain countries applies to dogs only.

Travelling With a Pet: Documents and Health Certificates

To travel with a dog or cat, you will usually need four things: a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination (given after the microchip), an official health certificate or pet passport for the place you are going, and any extra treatments or tests your destination requires, such as a tapeworm treatment for dogs or a rabies blood test. The rules depend on both where you are going and where you are coming from, and they change, so always check the destination’s official government website before you book.

This guide explains each document in plain terms so you know what to ask your vet. It is not a substitute for the official rules.

Start early

Some requirements take weeks or months to meet. A first rabies vaccination needs a waiting period before travel; a rabies antibody blood test, where required, can add months; and official certificates often have to be issued within a few days of departure. As a rule of thumb, start looking at the rules at least 3 to 4 months before an international trip, and longer for countries with strict import rules.

The documents, one by one

1. Microchip

Almost every country requires a microchip so your pet can be matched to their paperwork. In the EU and UK, the chip must meet the ISO 11784/11785 standard; if it doesn’t, some countries ask you to bring your own scanner. The order matters: the GOV.UK guidance says the microchip must go in before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination may need to be repeated. Ask your vet to scan the chip before you travel to make sure it reads.

2. Rabies vaccination

Rabies vaccination is the backbone of pet travel. For the EU and Great Britain:

Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated.
After the first rabies vaccination, you must wait at least 21 days before travelling.
Boosters given before the previous one expires don’t need a new wait. Let it lapse, and you start again with the 21 days.

Other countries can have different minimum ages, longer waits, or require a rabies antibody (titre) blood test done at an approved lab, with its own waiting period. Keep the signed rabies certificate; you will need it. See our rabies vaccine guide for more on the vaccine itself.

3. Health certificate or pet passport

This is the document border officials check. Which one you need depends on the trip:

Trip	Usual document
Within the EU, pet living in the EU	EU pet passport, issued by an authorised vet
Into the EU from outside it	EU animal health certificate, signed by an official vet in your country no more than 10 days before arrival, plus a declaration that the trip is non-commercial
Great Britain to the EU	Animal health certificate from your vet for each trip, valid for 10 days for entry, then for onward EU travel and return to Great Britain for up to 6 months
From the US to another country	A health certificate from a USDA-accredited vet, often endorsed by USDA APHIS, in the format the destination requires
Domestic flights	Whatever your airline asks for: often a recent vet health certificate

A few points that catch people out:

GB pet passports no longer work for the EU. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you can’t use a pet passport to enter the EU, even one issued in the EU. You need an animal health certificate for each trip. Northern Ireland residents can use an EU pet passport.
The EU limits you to five pets on a non-commercial trip, unless you can show they are going to a competition, show or sporting event.
In the US, USDA APHIS works through accredited vets. Your vet is the person who can tell you what your destination needs and help you get a USDA-endorsed certificate.

4. Tapeworm treatment (dogs)

Dogs travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland must be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis before arrival, because those places are free of it. The treatment has to be given by a vet and recorded on the dog’s paperwork, within a set window before arrival, usually between 1 and 5 days (24 to 120 hours). Cats don’t need it.

5. Other tests and permits

Depending on the country, you might also need an import permit, extra vaccinations, parasite treatments, a period in quarantine, or proof that your pet has lived in a particular country for a set time. Island nations and rabies-free countries tend to have the strictest rules. Never assume the rules for one country apply to another.

Bringing a dog into the United States

The CDC sets the rules for dogs entering or returning to the US, and they depend on where your dog has been in the previous six months. Dogs that have been in a country the CDC lists as high-risk for dog rabies face extra requirements. If your dog was vaccinated in the US and you are travelling to one of those countries, a USDA-accredited vet may need to complete a form before you leave. Check the CDC’s current guidance well before your trip; the rules have changed several times in recent years.

Returning home

The rules for coming back can be different from the rules for going out. Great Britain, for example, has its own entry requirements that depend on the country you are returning from. Check the return rules before you leave, not on the last day of your holiday.

Flying with a pet: airline basics

Each airline sets its own rules on top of government ones. Before you book, ask:

Can my pet travel in the cabin, as checked baggage, or only as cargo? Small cats and dogs can often travel in the cabin in an under-seat carrier; larger dogs usually go in the hold.
What health certificate do you need, and how recent? Many airlines want one issued within a few days of the flight.
What carrier is allowed? Size limits are strict. The carrier must be secure, ventilated and big enough for your pet to stand and turn around.
Are there breed or temperature restrictions? Many airlines limit flat-faced (brachycephalic) dogs and cats, such as pugs, bulldogs and Persians, in the hold, because they are at higher risk of breathing problems. Some also stop pets flying in the hold in very hot or cold weather.
Are pets accepted on every leg of the trip? Connections and partner airlines can have different rules.

Talk to your vet before giving any sedative for travel: sedation can be risky at altitude and some airlines won’t accept sedated animals. Getting your pet used to the carrier at home in the weeks before is far more useful; our guide to getting a cat into a carrier works for small dogs too.

Your travel document checklist

Pack these together in a waterproof folder, with photos or scans on your phone:

If keeping track of all this paperwork is the hard part, PetTrackr keeps your pet’s vaccines with their due dates and stores documents like the rabies certificate and health certificate, so they are on your phone at the border.

Where to check the official rules

EU: the European Commission’s pet travel pages, and the official site of the country you are visiting
Great Britain: GOV.UK, “Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad”
US, leaving the country: USDA APHIS pet travel pages and a USDA-accredited vet
US, entering or returning: the CDC’s rules for dogs, and USDA APHIS for other animals
Anywhere else: the destination country’s government agriculture or veterinary authority, or its embassy

PetTrackr helps you keep track. It is not veterinary advice: if your pet seems unwell, call your vet.

Travelling with a pet: the documents you need