Pet passport UK: how do you take a dog or cat abroad from Great Britain?

Can you still get a pet passport in the UK?

Not for entering the EU. GOV.UK says that if you live in England, Scotland or Wales you cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU, even one issued in the EU; your pet needs an animal health certificate (AHC) instead, or it may be refused entry. People living in Northern Ireland can still use an EU pet passport.

Change is planned but not in force. After the UK-EU summit on 19 May 2025, the GOV.UK explainer said owners would be able to get a multi-use pet passport valid for travel to the EU instead of a certificate for each trip, and a joint statement in December 2025 aimed to finish negotiations by the next summit. On 21 October 2026 the GOV.UK pet travel guide still required a new AHC for every trip. We will update this page when GOV.UK changes.

What does a dog or cat need to travel to the EU?

Plan backwards from your travel date: a first rabies vaccination needs at least 21 full days before travel, and the AHC must be issued no more than 10 days before you enter the EU. Your vet also gives you a declaration to sign that you will not sell or rehome the pet abroad. You can take up to 5 pets in a private vehicle unless you are going to a show or competition (GOV.UK). If your pet's rabies vaccination runs out during the trip, the certificate cannot be used for onward travel or the return.

How much does an animal health certificate cost?

Only an official vet (OV) can sign an AHC, so check your practice offers it. Most large groups do not publish a price; these practices do:

Rabies vaccination was listed at £60 at Hill Park Vets and £70 with a consultation at the RVC general practice, London. Brittany Ferries pet fares start at £36 each way to France. So a first trip to France for one dog that is already microchipped comes to roughly £342 to £457 before tapeworm treatment and your own fare: one rabies jab, one AHC and the pet fare both ways. Later trips need a new AHC each time but no new rabies jab while boosters stay on time.

Which countries need tapeworm treatment?

Dogs going to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway must be treated for tapeworm by a vet between 24 hours and 5 days before arrival, with a product containing praziquantel or an equivalent (GOV.UK). The exception is Northern Ireland with a Northern Ireland pet travel document. Coming back, dogs need the same treatment 24 hours to 5 days before entering Great Britain, unless they come straight from one of those five places.

Returning to Great Britain

To come back into Great Britain your pet needs its microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and one of these documents (GOV.UK): a GB-issued AHC used within 6 months of entering the EU, a pet passport issued in the EU or Northern Ireland, a GB pet passport issued before 1 January 2021, or a Great Britain pet health certificate. You must use an approved route; the approved list (updated 9 October 2026) includes LeShuttle, DFDS, P&O Ferries and Brittany Ferries. Pets that do not meet the rules can be quarantined for up to 4 months at your cost, or refused entry if you travelled by sea (GOV.UK).

Travelling to Northern Ireland

Since 23 April 2025, people living in England, Scotland or Wales can take a dog, cat or ferret to Northern Ireland with a free Northern Ireland pet travel document instead of an AHC. It lasts as long as you own the pet, you need one per pet, and the pet must be microchipped; no rabies jab or tapeworm treatment is needed (GOV.UK). You sign a declaration that you will not travel on to the EU; for onward travel to the EU or Ireland the full AHC rules apply (DAERA). People living in Northern Ireland need no document for trips to Great Britain, only a microchip.

Travelling outside the EU

For countries outside the EU you need an export health certificate and, in England, Scotland or Wales, an export application form; check the destination country's rules too (GOV.UK). Coming back from a country that is not in the EU and not on GOV.UK's list, your pet needs a rabies blood test at least 30 days after vaccination, then a 3-month wait from the date of the sample before travelling (GOV.UK). The APHA pet travel helpline is 03000 200 301, Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm (GOV.UK).

Staying in the UK instead? Our dog-friendly holidays guide compares providers' dog fees, and our kennels and cattery cost guide covers leaving your pet at home. For the journey, see our dog car travel comparison; for a dog that might slip away somewhere new, our GPS tracker comparison. Check whether your pet insurance covers treatment abroad before you go: see what pet insurance covers. If your pet is unwell before you travel, contact your vet; our dog health hub covers the basics.