Guides / International pet travel
Bringing a dog or cat to the UK in 2026: the health certificate, the tapeworm treatment and the approved routes
What a dog or cat needs to enter England, Scotland or Wales from the US, Canada, Australia or anywhere else: the microchip and rabies timing, the Great Britain pet health certificate and its 10-day window, the tapeworm treatment for dogs, and why your pet will fly as cargo.
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To bring a dog or cat into England, Scotland or Wales from the US, Canada or Australia, your pet needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at 12 weeks or older at least 21 days before travel, and a Great Britain pet health certificate signed by an official vet no more than 10 days before you arrive. Dogs also need a tapeworm treatment from a vet 1 to 5 days before arrival. From a country that isn't on the UK's list, such as India, your pet also needs a rabies blood test and a 3-month wait. You must travel on an approved route, and on a plane your pet flies as cargo unless it is a guide or assistance dog or you charter a private plane.
Who these rules are for
Say Marcus and Jen live in Chicago and are moving to London in June with Otis, their five-year-old beagle, and Clementine, their cat. Neither pet has travelled before.
The rules below are the UK government's rules for pet dogs, cats and ferrets coming into Great Britain: England, Wales and Scotland. They also apply to guide and assistance dogs. Northern Ireland has its own guidance from DAERA, its agriculture department. If you live in Great Britain and are taking your pet to Spain or elsewhere in the EU, our guide to taking your dog or cat from the UK to the EU covers that trip.
The microchip and the rabies vaccination
Every dog and cat needs both, in this order:
- A microchip first. It must go in before the rabies vaccination. An ISO 11784/11785 chip is recommended; any other chip is accepted only if you bring your own reader.
- A rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older. You then wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination (or the last of the first course) before you travel. That makes about 15 weeks the youngest a puppy or kitten can arrive.
Is your country listed?
The UK sorts countries into listed and not listed, and the difference decides how far ahead you need to start.
Rabies blood test for pets coming to Great Britain
| Travelling from | Rabies blood test | Earliest you can travel after the vaccination |
|---|---|---|
| A listed country, including the US, Canada and Australia | Not needed | 21 days |
| A country that is not listed, such as India | Needed | 3 months after the blood sample |
From a country that isn't listed, your 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. You then wait 3 months from the day the sample was taken. The test stays valid as long as your pet's rabies vaccinations are kept up to date, so plan on about 4 months from the vaccination to the trip.
For Marcus and Jen, coming from the US, there's no blood test. Otis and Clementine can travel 21 days after their rabies vaccination.
The Great Britain pet health certificate
From the US, Canada, Australia or a country that isn't listed, your pet travels on a Great Britain pet health certificate. An official vet, one with authority from their government to issue it, must sign, stamp and date it. If your own vet isn't an official vet, they contact their local authority to get it signed. The certificate is in English, and your pet must enter Great Britain within 10 days of the day it is issued. You also fill in a declaration that you won't sell or transfer ownership of your pet.
If you have a cat and are coming from Australia, you also need a certificate from the Australian Department of Agriculture confirming your cat has not been exposed to the Hendra virus in the 60 days before you left.
Where this comes from
GOV.UK's guidance on bringing a pet to Great Britain (Which pet travel document you need, Blood tests for rabies and Great Britain pet health certificate), last checked on October 20, 2026. WayFur's readiness check takes its Great Britain entry rules from the same pages.
Tapeworm treatment for dogs
A vet must treat your dog for tapeworm no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days (120 hours) before you arrive in Great Britain, and record it on the certificate with the product, the date and time, and their stamp and signature. Cats don't need it. A dog coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway doesn't need it either.
For Marcus and Jen, landing in London at 9am on Tuesday 9 June, Otis's treatment must be given between 9am on Thursday 4 June and 9am on Monday 8 June. If the flight is delayed past the 5 days, Otis may need a new treatment.
Coming to Great Britain from an EU country
From an EU country, or from Switzerland, Norway and a few other countries the UK treats the same way, your pet can travel on any one of these:
- a valid pet passport issued in one of those countries
- a Great Britain pet health certificate
- an animal health certificate issued in Great Britain in the last 6 months, for a pet that left Great Britain on one
- a pet passport issued in Great Britain before 1 January 2021
With a pet passport, you don't need the Great Britain certificate as well. An authorised vet fills it in, and it must show your pet's microchip, rabies vaccination and, for a dog, the tapeworm treatment. Bring the original, not a copy. No rabies blood test is needed.
The tapeworm rule is the same as for every other dog: a vet treats it 1 to 5 days before arrival, unless it comes directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway. A dog from Ireland that travels through France on the way still needs the treatment.
Where this comes from
GOV.UK's guidance on bringing a pet to Great Britain (Which pet travel document you need and Tapeworm treatment for dogs), last checked on October 20, 2026. WayFur's readiness check uses the same rules.
How your pet can travel to Great Britain
You can only enter Great Britain with a pet on approved routes and with approved travel companies, and the routes can change or run only at certain times of year. Before you book, check that the company will take your pet, and how many pets it takes.
- By plane, your pet has to travel as cargo, unless you're on a chartered private plane or travelling with a guide or assistance dog.
- By sea or through the Channel Tunnel, check that the company allows pets.
- By private boat, you can bring a pet in only from Ireland or Northern Ireland. From Ireland you don't need an approved route.
Practical tip
If you are moving with more than one pet, ask the travel company about each one before you book. Approved routes and pet limits vary by company.
Dogs the UK bans
You can't bring a dog of a banned type into Great Britain unless it already has a valid Certificate of Exemption. The banned types are the pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and XL Bully. Whether a dog counts depends on how it looks, not on its breed name or papers.
Where this comes from
GOV.UK's guidance on bringing a pet to Great Britain (What you need to do, Travel routes for pets and Tapeworm treatment for dogs), last checked on October 20, 2026, and GOV.UK's Banned dogs page. WayFur's readiness check uses the same banned dog list.
If something isn't right on arrival
A pet that arrives without the microchip, rabies vaccination, tapeworm treatment or the right document may be put into quarantine for up to 4 months, or refused entry if you travelled by sea. You pay any fees or charges.
Different rules, called the Balai rules, apply if you're going to sell, rehome or transfer ownership of your pet, if your pet arrives more than 5 days before or after you, or if you bring more than 5 pets and aren't going to a competition, show or sporting event.
Put in your route to Great Britain, your travel date and your pet, and the free readiness check lists the entry requirements for that trip, including a rabies blood test if your pet needs one, and flags the UK's banned dog types when your dog's breed is one of them, with each border's source.
Sources
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: What you need to do
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Travel routes for pets
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Which pet travel document you need
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Blood tests for rabies
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Great Britain pet health certificate
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Tapeworm treatment for dogs
- European Commission (DG SANTE): Designated laboratories for performing rabies antibody titration tests
- GOV.UK (Home Office): Banned dogs
Common questions
What do I need to bring my dog to the UK?
From a listed country such as the US, Canada or Australia: a microchip, a rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older at least 21 days before travel, a Great Britain pet health certificate signed by an official vet no more than 10 days before arrival, and a tapeworm treatment 1 to 5 days before arrival. You must also travel on an approved route.
Can I bring my cat to the UK?
Yes, with the same microchip, rabies vaccination and Great Britain pet health certificate as a dog. Cats don't need the tapeworm treatment. A cat from Australia also needs the Australian Department of Agriculture's Hendra virus certificate.
Do pets have to go into quarantine in the UK?
Not if they meet the rules. A pet that arrives without the right microchip, vaccination, treatment or document may be put into quarantine for up to 4 months, at your cost.
Can my dog fly in the cabin to the UK?
Only if it is a guide or assistance dog, or you're on a chartered private plane. Otherwise pets fly into Great Britain as cargo, on an approved route.
Can I bring my dog to the UK from France or Spain with a pet passport?
Yes. A valid pet passport issued in an EU country is enough, with no Great Britain certificate needed. It must show the microchip, the rabies vaccination and the tapeworm treatment, given 1 to 5 days before you arrive. Bring the original passport, and travel on an approved route.
How far ahead should I start if I'm moving to the UK with a dog?
From a listed country, at least 21 days after the rabies vaccination, plus the time to book an approved route. From a country that isn't listed, plan on about 4 months: the blood test comes at least 30 days after the vaccination, then a 3-month wait.