Bringing a pet into Great Britain
UK — Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Guide and assistance dogs follow the same rules. Northern Ireland follows the EU pet travel scheme. See Northern Ireland.
Last verified Applies to dogs, cats and ferrets26 primary sourcesSite-wide weekly check due
Entry permitted: no quarantine when compliant
To meet the entry rules
- A pet needs a microchip, then a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before it travels.
- From the EU or a Part 1 listed country, the pet travels on a pet passport, an animal health certificate issued in Great Britain in the last 6 months, or a Great Britain pet health certificate.
- From a Part 2 listed country such as the USA, or a country that is not listed, it needs a Great Britain pet health certificate and enters within 10 days of its issue.
- From a country that is not listed, it also needs a rabies blood test taken at least 30 days after the vaccination, and a wait of 3 months after the sample.
- Dogs also need a tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before arrival, unless they come directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway.
- By air, pets travel as cargo with an approved airline into an approved airport.
Full answer
A pet needs a microchip, then a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before it travels. From the EU or a Part 1 listed country, the pet travels on a pet passport, an animal health certificate issued in Great Britain in the last 6 months, or a Great Britain pet health certificate. From a Part 2 listed country such as the USA, or a country that is not listed, it needs a Great Britain pet health certificate and enters within 10 days of its issue. From a country that is not listed, it also needs a rabies blood test taken at least 30 days after the vaccination, and a wait of 3 months after the sample. Dogs also need a tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before arrival, unless they come directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway. By air, pets travel as cargo with an approved airline into an approved airport.
- Quarantine
- No quarantine when compliantno quarantine when every rule is met
- Titer required
- From Not listed: a Great Britain pet health certificate and a rabies blood testA rabies blood test at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination
- Rules allow in cabin
- Assistance dogs onlyBy plane, pets travel as cargo. Only a guide or assistance dog, or a pet on a chartered private plane, may travel otherwise.
- Banned breeds
- 5 breedsIncluding Pit Bull Terrier
Requirements, in the order they must happen
| Step | Requirement | Timing rule | Fails if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | The pet is at least 12 weeks old when it is vaccinated against rabies.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | at least 12 weeks before the rabies vaccination | Done less than 12 weeks before the rabies vaccination. |
| Microchip | The pet is microchipped before, or at the same visit as, its rabies vaccination.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | on or before the rabies vaccination | Done after the rabies vaccination. |
| Rabies vaccination | After the first rabies vaccination (or the last of the first course), the pet waits at least 21 full days before travelling; day 1 is the day after the vaccination.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | at least 21 days before departure | Done less than 21 days before departure. |
| Blood sample | A vet takes a blood sample at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and sends it to an EU-approved laboratory. The result must show a rabies antibody level of at least 0.5 IU/ml.Only: Not listed: a Great Britain pet health certificate and a rabies blood test | at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination | Done less than 30 days after the rabies vaccination. |
| Blood sample | The pet waits 3 months after the blood sample was taken. The Great Britain pet health certificate can be issued only after those 3 months.Only: Not listed: a Great Britain pet health certificate and a rabies blood test | at least 3 months before the certificate's issue or endorsement | Done less than 3 months before the certificate's issue or endorsement. |
| Health certificate issued or endorsed | From a Part 2 listed country such as the USA, or a country that is not listed, the pet travels on a Great Britain pet health certificate and enters within 10 days of its issue. A pet passport or animal health certificate is refused.Only: Part 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only or Not listed: a Great Britain pet health certificate and a rabies blood test Official source · City of London Corporation (Heathrow Animal Reception Centre)Official source · Pet travel: apply for a Great Britain pet health certificateOfficial source · Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great BritainOfficial source · GOV.UK (APHA)Official source · Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad | within 10 days before arrival | Arriving on a pet passport or animal health certificate instead. |
| Tapeworm treatment | A vet treats the dog for tapeworm and records the date and time, no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before it enters Great Britain.Dogs only; Except: Coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway | between 24 and 120 hours before arrival | Done less than 24 or more than 120 hours before arrival. |
| Exemption | From Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, a pet needs no pet passport or health certificate.Only: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | — | — |
| Requirement | From the EU or a Part 1 listed country, the pet travels on a pet passport issued there, an animal health certificate 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.Only: EU country or Part 1 listed country: a pet passport, an animal health certificate or a Great Britain pet health certificate | — | The rabies vaccination in a passport issued from 1 January 2021 was entered by a vet in Great Britain or another country that cannot issue pet passports. |
| Note | There is no 3-month wait if the pet was vaccinated, blood tested and given a pet passport or Great Britain health certificate in the EU before it went to the country that is not listed.Only: Not listed: a Great Britain pet health certificate and a rabies blood test | — | — |
| Requirement | The owner fills in a declaration that they will not sell the pet or transfer its ownership.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | — | The pet is to be sold, rehomed or given to a new owner, so the commercial (Balai) rules apply instead. |
| Limit | No more than 5 pets can come into Great Britain, unless they are attending or training for a competition, show or sporting event and the owner carries written evidence of registration. | — | — |
| Banned breeds | A dog of a banned type (Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro or XL Bully) cannot come into Great Britain unless it already has a valid Certificate of Exemption. Whether a dog is a banned type depends on what it looks like, not its breed or name.Dogs only | — | — |
| Note | A recognised assistance dog is trained to help its owner with a disability or health condition; a dog that only gives emotional support usually does not count. It meets the same rules as other dogs but may fly in the cabin. Tell the airline at least 48 hours before you travel.Dogs only | — | — |
| Fee | At Heathrow, HARC charges £104 to collect the pet or pets from the aircraft. A pet transport agent includes HARC's fees in its total charge.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | — | — |
| Fee | At Heathrow, HARC charges £213 boarding when the Pet Travel Scheme paperwork was pre-checked.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | — | — |
| Fee | At Heathrow, HARC charges £293 boarding when the Pet Travel Scheme paperwork was not pre-checked.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | — | — |
| Fee | At Heathrow, HARC charges £55 boarding for each additional pet, with or without a pre-check.Except: Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | — | — |
Routes into Great Britain
- Canada → Great BritainDog · Part 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: assistance dogs only
- Canada → Great BritainCat · Part 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: no (assistance dogs only)
- European Union → Great BritainDog · EU country · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: assistance dogs only
- European Union → Great BritainCat · EU country · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: no (assistance dogs only)
- European Union → Great BritainFerret · EU country · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: no (assistance dogs only)
- Northern Ireland → Great BritainDog · Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: assistance dogs only
- Northern Ireland → Great BritainCat · Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: no (assistance dogs only)
- Northern Ireland → Great BritainFerret · Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: no (assistance dogs only)
- United States → Great BritainDog · Part 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: assistance dogs only
- United States → Great BritainCat · Part 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: no (assistance dogs only)
- United States → Great BritainFerret · Part 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only · Titer not required · Rules allow in cabin: no (assistance dogs only)
Leaving Great Britain with a pet
To Canada
| Step | Requirement | Timing rule | Fails if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health certificate issued or endorsed | Apply online for export health certificate 2923 and nominate an official vet to certify the pet before departure. This British export step is separate from Canada's rabies-document requirements. | on or before departure | Done after departure. |
| Clinical examination | For a pet travelling from Great Britain to Canada, the official vet's guidance requires a clinical examination within 72 hours before export. The pet must show no clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease and be fit to travel. Confirm the examination time against the actual departure time. | within 72 hours before departure | Done more than 72 hours before departure. |
To the European Union
| Step | Requirement | Timing rule | Fails if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health certificate issued or endorsed | An official vet in Great Britain issues an animal health certificate (AHC). The pet enters the EU within 10 days, day 1 being the issue date. | within 10 days before arrival | A resident of England, Scotland or Wales travels on a pet passport instead, even one issued in the EU. |
| Note | Each separate trip from Great Britain to the EU needs a new animal health certificate. | — | — |
| Note | With the certificate, the owner signs a declaration that they will not sell or rehome the pet while abroad. | — | — |
| Health certificate issued or endorsed | From 1 October 2026 official vets in Great Britain must use the new animal health certificate template, which the EU introduced on 22 April 2026. They may issue the old template up to and including 30 September 2026. | — | — |
To Northern Ireland
| Step | Requirement | Timing rule | Fails if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requirement | The owner applies to APHA for a free Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document, one for each pet. The applicant lives in England, Scotland or Wales, owns the pet, is over 16 and has had it microchipped. | — | The microchip number scanned at the port or airport does not match the one on the pet travel document. |
To the United States
| Step | Requirement | Timing rule | Fails if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | From 1 August 2024, a dog needs Great Britain export health certificate 8860 only for certain US states, such as Massachusetts. Check the state's own import rules before applying. | — | — |
| Note | From 1 August 2024, a cat going to Massachusetts travels on Great Britain export health certificate 8696. | — | — |
To Hawaii
| Step | Requirement | Timing rule | Fails if |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | For a dog going to Hawaii, APHA recommends Great Britain export health certificate 8860, which is applied for online. | — | — |
Routes out of Great Britain
Where every rule above came from
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britainEngland, Scotland and Wales; EU country; Part 1 listed country: a pet passport, an animal health certificate or a Great Britain pet health certificate; Part 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only; and 20 more
- DAERA (Northern Ireland)daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/travelling-petsNorthern Ireland follows the EU pet travel scheme
- GOV.UK (APHA)gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-checks-on-pets-by-transport-carriers/pet-travel-checks-on-pets-by-transport-carriersPart 1 listed country: a pet passport, an animal health certificate or a Great Britain pet health certificate; Rabies vaccination; From the EU or a Part 1 listed country, the pet travels on a pet passport issued there…; Health certificate issued or endorsed; and 2 more
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-apply-for-a-gb-pet-health-certificatePart 2 listed country: Great Britain pet health certificate only; Health certificate issued or endorsed: what fails; Health certificate issued or endorsed
- GOV.UK (APHA/Defra)gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-approved-air-sea-and-rail-carriers-and-routesUK countries, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland; A pet flying into Great Britain must use an airline and airport that APHA has approved
- Canadian Food Inspection Agencyinspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/exports/petsFerret travel from Canada has not been reviewed for this release
- Canadian Food Inspection Agencyinspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/exports/pets/great-britain-0Ferret travel from Canada has not been reviewed for this release
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroadFrom Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, a pet needs no pet…; Health certificate issued or endorsed; Health certificate issued or endorsed: what fails; Each separate trip from Great Britain to the EU needs a new animal health certificate; With the certificate, the owner signs a declaration that they will not sell or rehome…
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/guidance/put-your-pet-in-rabies-quarantineA pet that meets the pet travel rules, or travels within the UK or from the Channel…; Quarantine for up to 4 months, or refused entry if the pet came by sea
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/604b52ec8fa8f505c6eedf55/GB_Pet_Health_Certificate_-_PDF_format.pdfBirth; Blood sample
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-declaration-for-the-non-commercial-movement-of-animalsThe owner fills in a declaration that they will not sell the pet or transfer its ownership
- GOV.UK (Defra)gov.uk/control-dog-public/banned-dogsA dog of a banned type (Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro…
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain/travel-routes-petsBy plane, pets travel as cargo
- GOV.UK (APHA/Defra)gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-approved-air-sea-and-rail-carriers-and-routes/approved-air-routes-for-pet-travelApproved route: Air Canada; Approved route: British Airways; Approved route: American Airlines; Approved route: Delta Air Lines; A pet flying into Great Britain must use an airline and airport that APHA has approved
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain/guide-dogsA recognised assistance dog is trained to help its owner with a disability or health…
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)gov.uk/export-health-certificates/export-cats-and-dogs-to-canada-certificate-2923Health certificate issued or endorsed
- GOV.UK (Defra/APHA)assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/653f91c9e6c9680014aa9cfa/2923NFG.pdfClinical examination
- GOV.UK (APHA)gov.uk/apply-for-northern-ireland-pet-travel-documentThe owner applies to APHA for a free Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document, one for each…
- GOV.UK service 'Taking a pet from Great Britain to Northern Ireland' (APHA)take-your-pet-from-gb-to-ni.service.gov.uk/Content/TermsAndConditionsThe owner applies to APHA for a free Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document, one for each…
- GOV.UK (APHA)assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a3a338ce1fd0da7b592df2/8860NFG.pdfFrom 1 August 2024, a dog needs Great Britain export health certificate 8860 only for…; For a dog going to Hawaii, APHA recommends Great Britain export health certificate 8860…
- GOV.UK (APHA)gov.uk/export-health-certificates/export-dogs-to-usa-certificate-8860From 1 August 2024, a dog needs Great Britain export health certificate 8860 only for…; For a dog going to Hawaii, APHA recommends Great Britain export health certificate 8860…
- GOV.UK (APHA)gov.uk/export-health-certificates/export-dogs-and-cats-to-the-commonwealth-of-massachusetts-usa-certificate-8696From 1 August 2024, a cat going to Massachusetts travels on Great Britain export health…
- City of London Corporation (Heathrow Animal Reception Centre)cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-health-welfare/heathrow-animal-reception-centre/pet-travel-schemeRabies vaccination; Health certificate issued or endorsed
- City of London Corporation (Heathrow Animal Reception Centre)cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-health-welfare/heathrow-animal-reception-centre/service-dogsDeparture
- Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, City of London Corporation (PDF hosted by USDA APHIS)aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/heathrow-precheck_3.pdfDeparture
- City of London Corporation (Heathrow Animal Reception Centre)cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-health-welfare/heathrow-animal-reception-centre/importing-your-dog-cat-or-ferretAt Heathrow, HARC charges £104 to collect the pet or pets from the aircraft; At Heathrow, HARC charges £213 boarding when the Pet Travel Scheme paperwork was…; At Heathrow, HARC charges £293 boarding when the Pet Travel Scheme paperwork was not…; At Heathrow, HARC charges £55 boarding for each additional pet, with or without a…
Rules change without notice. Confirm each item against the linked official page before you book: we date every check, but the official page is the authority.