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Post-Brexit Travel Guide

Traveling with Your Dog from UK to European Union

Planning to take your dog from the UK to the EU? Here's your complete post-Brexit guide to pet travel requirements.

Basic Requirements

Important: UK pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer valid for travel to the EU

For Travelers Starting in the UK:

  • • Your dog must have a microchip that can be read by a universal scanner
    Note: Must be implanted before rabies vaccination
  • • Valid rabies vaccination
  • • Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official veterinarian
    Note: Must be issued within 10 days of travel to the EU
  • • AHC is valid for:
    - Entry to EU: 10 days from date of issue
    - Travel within EU: 4 months from date of issue
    - Re-entry to UK: 4 months from date of EU entry

For EU Residents Returning with EU Pet Passport:

  • • Your dog must have a microchip that can be read by a universal scanner
  • • Valid rabies vaccination recorded in EU Pet Passport
  • • Valid EU Pet Passport (no additional health certificate needed)
    Note: Can be obtained from any EU-certified veterinarian

Rabies Vaccination Requirements

  • • Administered by an authorized vet
  • • Your dog must be at least 12 weeks old at time of vaccination
  • • You must wait at least 21 days after vaccination before traveling

Tapeworm Treatment

Required if you are traveling to: Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway, and Northern Ireland

  • • Must be administered by a licensed veterinarian
  • • Treatment timing: 24-120 hours (1-5 days) before entry
  • • Must be documented in your Animal Health Certificate

Timeline & Planning

  • 1. Ensure microchip is implanted
  • 2. Get rabies vaccination (after microchipping)
  • 3. Wait 21 days after vaccination
  • 4. Obtain Animal Health Certificate (within 10 days of travel)
  • 5. Get tapeworm treatment if required (1-5 days before entry)
  • 6. Enter EU within 10 days of AHC issue date

Additional Considerations

  • • Different rules apply when traveling with more than 5 dogs
  • • Check specific airline requirements for pet travel
  • • Keep copies of all documentation
  • • Consider pet travel insurance
  • • Check UK re-entry requirements for return journey
  • • Northern Ireland follows EU pet travel rules

Based on UK Government and EU Regulation guidelines post-Brexit

Last updated: 9/18/2026

View Official EU Guidance →