At a glance
You need an animal health certificate (AHC) to travel to the EU from the UK with your pet.
You need a new AHC each time you travel to the EU.
To get an AHC, your pet must be microchipped and have a valid rabies vaccination.
If you’re taking your pet on holiday to Northern Ireland from Great Britain, you’ll need a pet travel document (PTD).
What do I need to take my pet abroad?
It depends on where you want to travel with your pet.
Taking a pet to an EU country
You’ll need to get an animal health certificate (AHC) if you want to take your dog, cat or ferret to the EU from Great Britain or Northern Ireland.
The AHC must be issued no more than 10 days before you travel. You’ll need a new AHC each time you travel to the EU with your pet.
To get their AHC, your pet will need:
A valid rabies vaccination – you must wait 21 days to travel after your pet is vaccinated. If it’s a booster jab, you won’t need to wait to travel, as long as there’s been no break in cover.
A microchip – your pet needs to be microchipped before or at the same time they have their rabies vaccination.
Dogs will also need to have a tapeworm treatment if you’re travelling directly to:
Finland
Ireland
Northern Ireland
Norway
Malta.
Taking your pet to Northern Ireland
You’ll need a Northern Ireland pet travel document (PTD) to travel with your dog, cat or ferret from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. That is, unless you live in Northern Ireland, in which case you won’t need a PTD to travel to and back from Great Britain.
To get a PTD, your pet must be microchipped. But you won’t need to provide proof of rabies vaccinations or tapeworm treatments.
You can apply for a Northern Ireland PTD on GOV.UK. It’s free and it lasts for your pet’s whole life.
Taking a pet to a non-EU country
If you’re taking your pet outside the EU, you’ll need an export health certificate (EHC).
You’ll also need to fill out an export application form (EXA) if you’re travelling from England, Scotland or Wales.
The EHC shows that your pet meets the health requirements of the country you’re going to. But you should check the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to for information on any additional hoops you may have to jump through.
You can apply for an EHC online. The EHC will then be sent to your nominated vet to sign.
What is an animal health certificate?
An animal health certificate (AHC) is a legal document that allows you to travel with your pet from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland to EU countries. It contains important information including vaccination records that can verify your pet is fit to travel.
Animal health certificates were introduced in January 2021 to replace pet passports after the UK left the EU.
What information does an animal health certificate contain?
Your AHC should include:
Information about you, as the pet’s owner
Details of your pet – this could include the type of animal, its breed, age and size
Microchip information
Proof of rabies vaccination and blood test (if applicable)
Tapeworm treatment (if applicable)
The country you intend to enter – the AHC should be in the language of that country as well as English.
What do I need to get an animal health certificate?
To get an AHC, take your pet to the vet no more than 10 days before you travel, with proof of their microchipping date and vaccination history. Check first that your vet can issue an AHC as they have to be signed by an official veterinarian (OV).
To ensure your pet can travel with you, it’s advisable to start the process early. Call your vet to check it has an OV who can issue an AHC, and get your appointment booked well in advance.
Remember that, if your dog isn’t yet vaccinated for rabies, you’ll need to get this done at least 21 days before you can get an AHC, so it has time to work. Check with your vet as it may take longer depending on the type of vaccination.
You’ll need to get a new AHC every time you travel with your pet. They won’t need to have a repeat rabies vaccination as long as their vaccination is up to date.
How much will an animal health certificate cost?
Costs vary from vet to vet, but they typically range from £100 to £250. You may get a discount if you need to certify more than one pet, or if you’re a returning customer.
You may also need to pay for your pet to be microchipped (if it hasn’t been already) and for a rabies vaccine or booster. A microchip costs an estimated £15-£25 and a rabies vaccine/booster can set you back £60-£90.
Depending on where you’re going, you may also need to get a tapeworm treatment for your dog before you can travel, which can cost up to £50.
What other costs should I be aware of?
An AHC should cover you to return to the UK within four months of the day you first entered the EU.
If your AHC expires while you’re abroad, you may need to get a pet passport (if you’re in a country that issues them) or a Great Britain pet health certificate to re-enter the UK.
Regardless of when you return from your travels, you’ll need to get your dog a tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before you enter Great Britain (unless you’re coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway).
If you’re going on a short trip (less than five days), you may need to get your dog treated before you go instead.
And then, of course, there’s pet insurance. You’ll need to check your policy to make sure it covers you for travel abroad. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to add this cover on.
As you can see, there’s a lot involved in taking your pet abroad, and it’s not cheap. But keep in mind that it could cost a lot more to keep your dog or cat in kennels or with a pet sitter while you go on holiday. Another downside is you won’t have the pleasure of their company.
It’s a good idea to compare your options and investigate what best suits you and your pet.
How many pets can I travel with on an AHC?
You can travel with up to five pets on an AHC.
You can only take more than five pets from the UK into the EU (and vice versa) if you’re attending or training for a competition, show or sporting event. You’ll need written evidence of registration for the event when you travel, and the animals will need to be at least six months old.
You’ll also need to fill in a declaration form confirming that the pets aren’t being moved for commercial purposes.
If you’re travelling with more than five pets and they’re not attending or training for an event, you’ll need to follow the government’s commercial rules for importing animals.
Do I need an animal health certificate for a guide dog or an assistance dog?
Yes. Guide dogs and assistance dogs must meet the normal rules for travelling with dogs. This means you’ll need an AHC when travelling to the EU, or an EU-issued pet passport if you’re coming into the UK.
However, they can travel inside the plane cabin and they can travel on more approved routes when returning from the EU.
Check for any extra conditions you need to know about before you travel inside or outside the EU. To do this, you should contact your airline, rail operator, ferry or cruise company. The Guide Dogs Association website also has advice about taking assistance dogs abroad.
What are pet passports?
A pet passport is a legal document, issued in the EU and some other countries, that proves a pet is fit to travel. It includes your pet’s date of birth, its microchip number and details about you, the owner, and your pet – just like an AHC. It also includes a record of your pet’s vaccinations to prove that your pet is fit to travel.
Are pet passports still valid?
Following Brexit, pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid for travel into the EU. You’ll need to get an animal health certificate (AHC) instead to prove your pet is fit to travel.
But pet passports are still the law of the land in the EU and some other countries, including Northern Ireland. Here’s how it works now:
Pet passports issued in England, Scotland and Wales can no longer be used for travelling into the EU
Pet passports issued in Northern Ireland may still be valid for travelling to the EU – check with your vet before you travel
Pet passports issued in an EU country are still valid for travelling into the EU and the UK.
What are the rules on bringing pets to the UK?
Travelling to the UK with your pet from the EU
If you live in the EU, you can use a pet passport issued in an EU country or a Great Britain pet health certificate to travel to the UK with your cat, dog or ferret.
You must use an ‘approved route’ to enter Great Britain from the EU (unless you’re coming from Ireland). If you’re travelling with a dog, you may also need to get it treated for tapeworms one to five days before arriving in Great Britain.
You also need to sign a declaration that you’re not going to sell or transfer ownership of your pet while you’re here.
Travelling to the UK with your pet from a non-EU country
Many of the same rules apply if you’re travelling from a non-EU country. Your pet must be microchipped and have any necessary rabies vaccinations or tapeworm treatments. You'll also have to enter Great Britain through an ‘approved route’.
The difference lies in which travel document you’ll need and that depends on what country you’re travelling from. Non-EU countries are classed as either ‘listed’ or ‘non-listed’.
For listed countries – such as Australia, Canada, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the USA – you may be able to enter with either a GB pet health certificate, an AHC or a pet passport, depending on the country you’re travelling from.
If you’re travelling from a non-listed country, you’ll need a GB pet health certificate. And you’ll need to get a rabies blood test for your pet before you can enter the UK.
You can check the requirements for different countries on the GOV.UK website.
Will my pet insurance cover travel with my animal abroad?
Some policies may offer the same level of cover for your pet abroad as they would have at home, but not all do. Before you start planning your trip it’s best to check and make sure you have the right cover for travelling with pets.
If you haven’t already got pet insurance, it could be a good idea to get a policy that covers your cat or dog while you’re abroad.
FAQs
Will my pet insurance cover boarding for my pet?
Some pet insurance policies may cover boarding for your pet if you fall ill and have to go into hospital. However, they won’t cover boarding because you’re going on holiday.
Why are animal health certificates necessary?
Animal health certificates are necessary to keep the UK and EU free from rabies and other foreign diseases that could be brought into the country. They allow your pet to travel between the UK and the EU without quarantine.
How long does an animal health certificate last?
An AHC is valid for 10 days for entry into an EU country. It then lasts for four months for travelling in the EU, including coming back to the UK.
How old does my pet need to be to get an animal health certificate?
Your pet must be fully vaccinated before they can get an AHC. Under EU regulations, pets must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated against rabies. This means that your pet will need to be at least 15 weeks old to get an AHC (12 weeks + 21 day wait).
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Allie has spent her career helping people quickly understand complicated topics, to help them save money and focus on what matters. With almost 10 years’ experience writing, leading and managing content, she is an expert in personal finance and insurance products.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
Helen’s our resident home insurance expert, as the former Head of Home Insurance at Compare the Market. She's also experienced with car insurance and pet insurance from her previous roles across commercial, partnerships and as a freelance consultant, working with more than 100 insurers across a variety of insurance products.
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