Red Tape Travel

Flying a ferret from the United States to the European Union

EU: The EU member states, for pets moving in from another member state or from outside the EU. Northern Ireland follows the same rules on its own page. Northern Ireland follows the EU pet travel scheme. See United States to Northern Ireland.

Last verified 23 primary sources

Conditional: yes, with 2 hard deadlines

A ferret can enter the European Union (The EU member states, for pets moving in from another member state or from outside the EU) from the United States without quarantine when every condition is met. It must fly as the airline allows, with the owner or an authorised person. It needs a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before departure, an EU animal health certificate, endorsed in ink by USDA, within 10 days before arrival and 6 more steps (see the planner). If a condition is missed: A pet that fails the checks may be returned, quarantined until it complies, or, if neither is possible, put down. The owner pays for these measures.

Cabin
Airline decidesEU rules do not say whether a pet flies in the cabin, in the hold or as cargo; the airline's rules decide. The pet travels with its owner, or with a person the owner has authorised.
Quarantine
Noneno quarantine for a pet that meets the rules
Rabies titer
Not requiredListed third country (Annex II)
Lead time
23 days

Your deadlines, counted back from arrival

2 of these steps are hard deadlines. Changing the date re-dates the plan in your browser; it fetches nothing.

Lead time: 23 days

  1. By 107 days before arrival

    Birth

    No later than

    The pet is at least 12 weeks old when it receives its primary rabies vaccination. Timing: at least 12 weeks before the rabies vaccination.

    Fails if: Done less than 12 weeks before the rabies vaccination.

  2. By 23 days before arrival

    Microchip

    No later than

    The pet is identified by a microchip before, or on the same day as, its rabies vaccination. A clearly readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011 also counts. Timing: on or before the rabies vaccination.

    Fails if: The chip does not meet the EU standard and the owner cannot provide a reader for it.

  3. By 23 days before arrival

    Rabies vaccinationHard deadline

    No later than

    The pet has completed its primary course of rabies vaccination at least 21 days before it travels, or has had a booster while its previous vaccination was still valid. Timing: at least 21 days before departure.

    Fails if: Done less than 21 days before departure.

    Note: For Ireland, the wait after the primary vaccination follows the vaccine's datasheet. It is at least 21 days, and 30 days if the datasheet says immunity starts only on day 30.

  4. By 1 day before arrival

    Vet signs the health certificate

    Between and

    A USDA-accredited vet issues the non-commercial health certificate and submits it through VEHCS for USDA endorsement. It is valid for 30 days after the vet issues it. Timing: within 30 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done more than 30 days before arrival.

  5. By 1 day before arrival

    Health certificate issued or endorsedHard deadline

    Between and

    The pet travels on the EU animal health certificate, issued or endorsed no more than 10 days before the checks at the point of entry. Timing: within 10 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done more than 10 days before arrival.

    USDA endorses the completed certificate in ink within 10 days before the pet arrives in the EU. A printed copy of the endorsed certificate travels with the pet. Timing: within 10 days before arrival.

    Fails if: Done more than 10 days before arrival.

  6. Arrival

    Arrive on

This plan assumes one air journey, with every step done before you leave. It assumes you leave the day before arrival or on arrival day. Where a rule counts hours, it assumes you land at 12:00 local time. Times are local to the European Union (Europe/Brussels).

Which airlines carry ferrets on this route

Fees are per animal, one direction, as published on .
AirlineCabinHoldManifest cargoFee fromSnub-nosed
American AirlinesNoNoYesQuoted on requestn/a
  • American Airlines: From May 1 to September 30, no pets outside the cabin to, through or from Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas or Palm Springs.
  • American Airlines: American Airlines Cargo will not carry animals when the ground temperature at the origin, a connection or the destination is above 85 or below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Between 20 and 44 degrees it needs a vet's acclimation letter, and even then carriage is not guaranteed.
  • American Airlines: American Airlines Cargo will not carry animals on any single flight of 12 hours or more.
  • American Airlines: No ferrets to or from California.

2 changes in 12 months

Where every rule above came from

Rules change without notice. Confirm each item against the linked official page before you book: we re-check weekly and date every check, but the official page is the authority.

See everything that applies in European Union, or what changed across the site.