Travelling to the European Union or Northern Ireland with your pet?

What your pet needs to apply for an animal health certificate

• Your dog or cat must be microchipped.
• Your dog or cat needs to be vaccinated against rabies (NB: your pet must be at least 12 weeks old before it can be vaccinated)
• You will need to wait 21 days after any primary vaccinations before you have your AHC signed and before you travel so bear this in mind when you are planning your travel and AHC appointment

How do I get an animal health certificate?

An animal health certificate (AHC) can only be issued by an Official Veterinarian (OV). The OVs at BSAH are Duncan D'Arcy-Howard, Beth Walding and Chrissy Kleespies MRCVS. An appointment for this can be arranged by contacting the BSAH by telephone.

In the first instance, our receptionists will send you a form to complete with details about your planned trip. 

Once our team have received and checked your completed form you will receive notification that you may go ahead and book your appointment. Our team will advise you on the correct window for the appointment to take place, bearing in mind the date of travel that you have provided us with. When you call to make this appointment please let the reception team know that your appointment is for an AHC so that they can allocate the appointment with one of our Official Vets, and ensure that sufficient time is allocated for the appointment.

When you attend for the animal health certificate appointment, you will need to take your pet, along with their proof of rabies vaccination, to the issuing vet. Please be aware that this appointment is for the issuing of the health certificate documentation only - a separate appointment will be required if your pet is ill or needs any other sort of veterinary care.

Which countries do I need an animal health certificate for?

You need an animal health certificate for your dog or cat  if they’ll be travelling from the UK to an EU country. If your pet is travelling to a non-EU country then different rules apply and an animal health certificate is not the correct documentation. 

Who can apply for an animal health certificate?

The owner, as named on the animal health certificate must be aged over 16. Pets must be accompanied either by their owner or by a person authorised in writing by the owner.

How much does a animal health certificate cost?

An Animal Health Certificate costs £200 for one or two animals travelling on the same certificate. (This includes the time taken to review, prepare and finalise all documents. It does not include the cost of microchipping or rabies vaccination which must have been done at least 3 weeks previously). A microchip costs £25 and will only need to be implanted once. A Rabies vaccination costs £55 – this is valid for three years.

When should I book my animal health certificate?

A animal health certificate is only valid for 10 days after signing so you will need to book the appointment for a date that is less than 10 days before you wish to travel. The certificate cannot be signed unless at least 21 days have passed since the rabies vaccination has been given.

How long is the animal health certificate valid for?

Once you have entered the EU with your animal health certificate you can use it for travel between EU countries (and return to the UK) for up to four months from the date your animal enters the EU.

How old does my pet have to be to get their animal health certificate?

The EU Regulation requires pets to be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated. Whilst some EU countries will allow young, unvaccinated pets to travel (subject to certain conditions) the UK does not permit this. This means no pet can enter the UK unless they are 15 weeks old (12 weeks and 21-day wait).

How many pets can one person apply for animal health certificates for?

The owner or authorised person can only be accompanied by a maximum of five pets. You cannot take more than 5 pets to an EU country or NI unless 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.

Where do I need to go to for my animal health certificate application appointment?

You can come to the RVC Beaumont Sainsbury vet practice in Camden. All animal health certificate appointments must be booked in advance by calling us on 020 7387 8134.

What about travel outside of the EU?

Animal health certificates and the information page apply only to travel from the UK into the EU. If you wish to take your pet outside of the EU, an animal health certificate is not the correct documentation. Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital is not able to assist with exports of pets outside of the EU unless you are working with the dedicated pet export company, Pet Air and have subscribed to their Gold service. Details of this company can be found at www.petairuk.com. The official vets at the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital are happy to work alongside Pet Air Gold to provide the necessary local veterinary input. If you have not signed up for the Gold service with Pet Air please do not contact the hospital about your proposed trip outside of the EU as we will be unable to help you further.

Where can I get pet travel advice from?

You can contact the friendly team at the Beaumont Sainsbury Animal Hospital where we will be happy to help with any questions you may have about travelling with your pet. Specific requirements for individual countries can be found by contacting the Animal Plant and Health Agency on 0370 241 1710.

You can read more about Animal health certificates and pet travel