Since 2021, taking a pet from Great Britain to the European Union has involved a different set of documents from the old pet passport scheme, and Northern Ireland has its own arrangement. This guide summarises the GOV.UK pet travel guidance for people living in England, Scotland or Wales who are travelling with a dog, cat or ferret. Rules can change and each destination country can add its own requirements, so the GOV.UK pages should be checked before booking. This is general information; a vet handles the vaccinations and paperwork.
The steps for travelling to an EU country
GOV.UK sets out the steps in this order:
- Microchip the pet. The chip must be implanted before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination. Otherwise GOV.UK says the pet will need to be vaccinated again.
- Rabies vaccination. The pet must be vaccinated against rabies before it can travel, and the vet needs proof that it is at least 12 weeks old. GOV.UK says the wait before travelling depends on the vaccine but is at least 21 full days after the first vaccination or the last of the first course.
- Animal health certificate (AHC). An AHC is obtained from a vet, and a new one is needed for each separate trip from Great Britain to the EU.
- Tapeworm treatment for dogs. GOV.UK says some countries require this, so it advises checking the destination’s rules.
- Arrival. Travellers go through a travellers’ point of entry and may need to show the AHC and proof of the microchip, rabies vaccination and any tapeworm treatment.
GOV.UK also says travellers should check any additional rules for the country they are visiting.
How the certificate works
The certificate must be signed by an “official veterinarian”, so GOV.UK advises checking that the practice can issue AHCs and, if not, asking it to help find one that can. The vet needs proof of the microchipping date and vaccination history. Up to five pets can be added to a single certificate.
GOV.UK says the AHC is valid for entry into the EU for 10 days after issue, with day 1 counted as the date of issue, so the trip must begin within that window. After entry, it stays valid for onward travel within the EU for 6 months, and for re-entry to Great Britain for 6 months. If the pet’s rabies vaccination expires during the trip, the certificate cannot be used for onward travel or re-entry. The vet also gives the owner a declaration to sign confirming that the pet will not be sold or rehomed while abroad.
The GOV.UK guidance gives a worked example: if a vaccine takes 30 days to work and the pet is vaccinated on 1 October, the certificate can be obtained on 1 November and the pet can enter the EU up to and including 10 November.
Old pet passports
People living in England, Scotland or Wales cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU, even if it was issued in the EU, and GOV.UK warns that a pet may be refused entry if a passport is used instead of an AHC. It adds that an EU pet passport can still be used to enter the EU by people living in Northern Ireland.
Travelling to Northern Ireland
Different rules apply to the route from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. GOV.UK says a Northern Ireland pet travel document (PTD) is needed for a dog, cat or ferret going from England, Scotland or Wales. It is free to apply for online and lasts for as long as the person owns the pet. The pet must be microchipped, but GOV.UK says rabies vaccination and tapeworm treatment are not needed if the pet has a PTD.
- By ferry, the microchip must be scanned at the port before leaving Great Britain using a scanner provided.
- By air, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) must be told at least 10 working days before travel.
- Officials scan the microchip on arrival to check the number against the PTD.
- GOV.UK says people who live in Northern Ireland do not need a PTD to travel to and from Great Britain, and there are no checks on the way to Great Britain.
Coming back to Great Britain
The document needed to return depends on where the pet is travelling from. GOV.UK says a pet coming from an EU country must have one of a pet passport issued in an EU country or certain other countries, an AHC issued in Great Britain in the last 6 months, a Great Britain pet health certificate, or a pet passport issued in Great Britain before 1 January 2021. Pets coming from Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man do not need a passport or health certificate. GOV.UK adds that, for a dog, a vet may need to give tapeworm treatment no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival in Great Britain, and that a pet may be quarantined for up to 4 months, or refused entry if it travelled by sea, if the rules are not followed.
For a wider look at holidays with animals, see the guide to travelling and holidaying with pets.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take more than five pets?
GOV.UK says no more than five pets may be taken in a private vehicle to an EU country, or to Northern Ireland, unless attending or training for a competition, show or sporting event, or exporting for commercial purposes. Up to five can travel with a foot passenger to the EU.
The bottom line
For a trip from Great Britain to the EU, a pet needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination and a fresh animal health certificate for each journey, and the 10-day entry window is short. Northern Ireland uses a free pet travel document instead, and the way home depends on where the pet has been. Because rules can change, the GOV.UK pages should be checked close to departure.
Sources
- GOV.UK, “Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Travelling to an EU country”
- GOV.UK, “Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Getting an animal health certificate”
- GOV.UK, “Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Travelling to Northern Ireland”
- GOV.UK, “Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: What you need to do”
- GOV.UK, “Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Which pet travel document you need”