Guides / International pet travel
Taking your dog or cat from the UK to the EU in 2026: you need an animal health certificate, not a pet passport
A UK pet passport no longer gets a pet from Great Britain into the EU. Here is what a dog or cat needs for a trip to Spain or another EU country: the microchip, the rabies timing, the animal health certificate and its 10-day window, and the tapeworm treatment for the trip home.
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WayFur answer
To take a dog or cat from England, Scotland or Wales to Spain or any other EU country, you need an animal health certificate from your vet, not a pet passport. Your pet must be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies, at 12 weeks or older, at least 21 days before you travel. The certificate must be issued no more than 10 days before you enter the EU, and it then covers travel within the EU and your return to Great Britain for 6 months from the date it was issued. Dogs coming back to Great Britain also need a tapeworm treatment from a vet 1 to 5 days before arrival.
Why your UK pet passport won't work for the EU
Say Priya lives in Manchester and is taking Bramble, her four-year-old cocker spaniel, to Málaga for three weeks in March. Bramble has a pet passport from a few years ago, and Priya assumes it still works.
It doesn't. The UK government's guidance says that if you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you can't use a pet passport to enter the EU, even one issued in the EU, and a pet travelling on one "may be refused entry." What you need instead is an animal health certificate, and you need a new one for each trip. If you live in Northern Ireland, you can still enter the EU with an EU pet passport.
The entry rules come from an EU regulation, so they are the same for Spain and every other EU country, with one exception for dogs going to Finland, Ireland or Malta, covered further down. The UK guidance also tells you to check for any additional rules in the country you're going to. Our guide to travelling to the EU with your pet covers the national extras in France, Germany and the Netherlands.
What your pet needs before the vet appointment
The EU counts Great Britain as a listed country, so a dog or cat travelling straight from Great Britain needs no rabies blood test. It does need:
- A microchip. It must go in before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination. If it goes in after, your pet has to be vaccinated again.
- A rabies vaccination, given at 12 weeks or older. At least 21 full days must pass after the first vaccination (or the last of the first course) before you travel. That puts the youngest age a puppy or kitten can travel from Great Britain to the EU at about 15 weeks.
- No gap in rabies cover. A booster given before the last one runs out needs no new wait. If the vaccination expires during the trip, the certificate stops working for onward travel and the return.
The animal health certificate and its dates
Your vet issues the certificate, and you sign a declaration that you won't sell or rehome your pet while you're away. The EU's rules also ask for a written declaration that the trip is not commercial. Your pet should look healthy and be fit to travel.
The certificate's dates all count from the day it is issued:
How long an animal health certificate from Great Britain lasts
| What the certificate covers | How long, from the date of issue |
|---|---|
| Entering the EU | 10 days |
| Travel between EU countries after you arrive | 6 months |
| Coming back into Great Britain | 6 months |
For Priya, that means a vet appointment no more than 10 days before she reaches Spain. If she arrives in Spain on 14 March, the certificate must be dated 4 March or later. The same certificate brings Bramble back into Great Britain at the end of the trip.
Where this comes from
GOV.UK's guidance on taking a pet abroad (Travelling to an EU country), last checked on October 20, 2026. WayFur's readiness check uses the same EU entry rules.
Arriving in Spain
When you arrive, you go through a travellers' point of entry, where you may be asked for the certificate with your pet's microchip and rabies details on it. A dog going to Spain needs no tapeworm treatment.
Two more rules from the UK guidance can catch people out:
- More than 5 pets. You can't take more than 5 pets to an EU country in a private vehicle unless you are going to a competition, show or sporting event, with written proof of registration.
- Your pet travelling with someone else. A friend or family member can travel with your pet if their journey is within 5 days of yours, and you sign a declaration naming them.
Dogs going to Finland, Ireland or Malta
These three EU countries are free of the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm, so a dog entering them from outside the EU needs a tapeworm treatment from a vet 24 to 120 hours before it arrives. The vet records it on the certificate. Cats don't need it. Spain, France and the other EU countries don't ask for it.
Coming back to Great Britain from Spain
To bring your pet back into Great Britain from an EU country, it needs one of these:
- an animal health certificate issued in Great Britain in the last 6 months
- a pet passport issued in an EU country
- a Great Britain pet health certificate
- a pet passport issued in Great Britain before 1 January 2021
That last one is the only use left for an old UK pet passport: it can bring your pet home from the EU, but it can't take your pet into the EU.
Visiting Great Britain from an EU country, or from further away? Our guide to bringing a dog or cat to the UK covers the rules for coming in.
Dogs also need a tapeworm treatment from a vet in Spain, given no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days (120 hours) before you arrive in Great Britain. The vet records it in the "Echinococcus treatment" section of the certificate, with the product name and maker, the date and time, and their stamp and signature. A dog coming back directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway doesn't need it.
For Priya, flying home on 4 April, that means booking a vet in Málaga between 30 March and 3 April. If her flight is delayed past the 5 days, Bramble may need a new treatment before travelling.
Practical tip
On a trip of 5 days or less, you can have your dog's tapeworm treatment done in Great Britain before you leave, as long as you return at least 24 hours and no more than 5 days after it.
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.
Put in your route from Great Britain to Spain or another EU country, your travel dates and your pet, and the free readiness check lists the entry requirements for your trip (for a round trip, the trip out and the trip home), with each border's source.
Sources
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Travelling to an EU country
- GOV.UK (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs): Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Tapeworm treatment for dogs
- 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: Tapeworm treatment for dogs
- European Commission (EUR-Lex): Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131
- European Commission (EUR-Lex): Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636
Common questions
Can I use my UK pet passport to travel to Spain?
No. If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, you can't use a pet passport to enter Spain or any other EU country, even one issued in the EU, and your pet may be refused entry. You need an animal health certificate from your vet. A UK pet passport issued before 1 January 2021 can still bring your pet back into Great Britain from the EU.
How long is an animal health certificate valid for?
It must be no more than 10 days old when you enter the EU. From the date it was issued, it then covers travel between EU countries for 6 months and your return to Great Britain for 6 months. You need a new certificate for each trip.
What do I need to take my dog to Spain from the UK?
A microchip, a rabies vaccination given at 12 weeks or older at least 21 days before travel, and an animal health certificate issued no more than 10 days before you enter the EU. The EU asks for no tapeworm treatment or rabies blood test for a dog going to Spain from Great Britain.
Does my dog need a tapeworm treatment to come back to the UK?
Yes, to come back into Great Britain from Spain and most other countries. A vet must give it 24 hours to 5 days before you arrive and record it on your dog's certificate or passport. Dogs coming directly from Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta or Norway don't need it.
How old does a puppy have to be to travel from the UK to the EU?
About 15 weeks. The rabies vaccination can't be given before 12 weeks, and 21 days must pass after it before you travel.