Pet Passport UK: Taking Your Dog, Cat or Ferret to the EU

If you are getting ready to take your pet to Europe, an old pet passport may be the first thing you look for. For people who live in England, Scotland or Wales, it is not the document used to enter the EU now, even if it was issued in an EU country. Instead, each trip to the EU with a dog, cat or ferret needs a new animal health certificate, usually called an AHC.

Start with your pet’s records rather than the certificate appointment. Check the microchip and rabies vaccination details early, then arrange an AHC with a vet who can issue one. Rules can also vary by destination and route, so check the current requirements for every country involved before you travel.

Do I need a pet passport to travel to the EU?

For a non-commercial trip from Great Britain, meaning England, Scotland or Wales, to an EU country, a dog, cat or ferret needs an AHC. You will need a new certificate each time you travel from Great Britain to the EU, so it is not a reusable replacement for the old passport. The UK and EU are negotiating an agreement that should bring back a reusable pet passport for EU trips. The government expects the wider agreement to take effect in mid-2027 but has not confirmed when pet passports will return, so for now you need a new AHC for every trip.

Using a pet passport instead of an AHC can mean your pet is refused entry. Since 22 April 2026, this also applies to EU-issued passports held by people living in England, Scotland or Wales.

Northern Ireland has different arrangements. If you live there, you can enter the EU using an EU pet passport. If you live in Great Britain and are taking your pet to Northern Ireland, you need a free Northern Ireland pet travel document rather than an AHC. The rules are also different if you are going to a non-EU country or moving animals for a commercial purpose, such as a change of ownership. In those cases, check the guidance for that journey instead.

What must be in place before the AHC appointment?

Your pet must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If the vaccination happened first, it does not count for travel and the pet will need to be vaccinated again. Keep the microchip date and the full rabies vaccination history somewhere you can find easily, as your vet will need proof of both when preparing the AHC.

A vet needs proof that a pet is at least 12 weeks old before giving a rabies vaccination. After a first rabies vaccination, or the last vaccination in a first course, there is a wait of at least 21 full days before travel. Some vaccines take longer to work, so ask your vet what date applies to your pet.

If your pet has already had a rabies vaccination, check whether a booster is due. You do not have to wait to travel after a booster if there has been no break in vaccine cover. A gap in cover may affect the date your pet can travel, so check this well before you make final plans.

When should I arrange an animal health certificate?

An AHC must be signed by an official veterinarian, known as an OV. Not every veterinary practice can issue one, so tell your practice what you need when you make contact. If they cannot provide the certificate, they may be able to help you find an OV.

The certificate is valid for entry into the EU for 10 days after it is issued, with the issue date counting as day one. Sort out any vaccination questions first, then book the certificate appointment so that you will arrive in the EU within that 10-day window.

After you enter the EU, the same AHC is valid for onward travel within the EU for six months and for re-entry to Great Britain for six months. Your pet’s rabies vaccination must stay valid. If it expires while you are away, you cannot use the certificate for onward EU travel or to return to Great Britain.

At the appointment, the vet will give you a declaration to sign. It confirms that you will not sell or rehome your pet while you are abroad. If that is part of the plan, it is not ordinary pet travel and you need to check the separate export rules.

What else do I need to check?

One AHC can include up to five pets. You cannot take more than five pets in one private vehicle to an EU country, although there are exceptions for animals attending or training for an event and for commercial exports. If you are relying on the event exception, you need written proof of registration when you travel. If someone other than the owner is travelling with the pet, they must carry the owner’s written permission.

Dogs need tapeworm treatment from a vet before entering Finland, Ireland, Malta or Norway, and before returning to Great Britain from most other countries, including France and Spain. The treatment must be given between 24 hours and 5 days (120 hours) before you arrive, and the vet records it on the AHC. On a trip of five days or less, your own vet can treat your dog before you leave. On a longer trip, you will need to see a vet abroad before coming home. Cats and ferrets do not need this treatment.

When you arrive in an EU country, you need to go through a travellers’ point of entry. You may be asked to show the AHC, or a valid pet passport where one is accepted, with proof of the microchip and rabies vaccination. Proof of tapeworm treatment may also be needed if it applies to your dog.

Before leaving Great Britain, check the rules for bringing your pet back as well. They depend on the country you are returning from, and you must come back on a route and with a travel company approved for pets.

A practical check before you travel

A check a few weeks before departure gives you time to fix any problems:

• Check that you have the microchip date and rabies vaccination history.

• Check whether the rabies vaccination is current and whether the first-vaccination waiting period has passed.

• Book an OV to issue the AHC within the right 10-day period.

• Check the rules for your destination, travellers’ point of entry and return journey.

• If you have a dog, book tapeworm treatment for 24 to 120 hours before you arrive back in Great Britain, unless you are returning from Finland, Ireland, Malta or Norway.

• Take the original AHC and the signed declaration with you.

Keep your pet’s travel documents together while you are away, as you may need them at the border or on the journey home.

When it is time to speak to your vet

Contact a veterinary practice early if you cannot find the microchip date, are unsure about the rabies vaccination history or need to know whether the practice has an OV. These are the details needed before an AHC can be completed, and the 10-day entry period only begins once the certificate has been issued.

Your vet can tell you what records they need and when your pet can be vaccinated or certified. For the legal travel rules, check the latest government advice for your destination and return route before setting off.