Can I still use the EU pet passport to bring my dog into the UK?

No, not as a document for entry. Since Brexit the United Kingdom no longer accepts an EU pet passport issued in a member state as an entry document: you need an Animal Health Certificate issued by an authorised vet for that trip. You still need the passport, though, because you use it to return to Europe with the animal, so carry it alongside the certificate.

How long is the Animal Health Certificate valid?

It is tied to a single trip, not a multi year document. It has to be issued in a narrow window before departure, covers entry into the UK, and stays valid for a limited time for onward travel within the country and for the return to Europe within a set number of months. A later trip needs a fresh certificate: check the exact durations in the official guidance, as they can be updated.

Does the tapeworm treatment apply to cats too?

No, the Echinococcus tapeworm treatment is required for dogs only. Cats entering the UK still need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a health certificate, but not the tapeworm treatment. For dogs, that treatment is compulsory and must be given by a vet within a precise time window before arrival.

What happens if I get the vaccination or treatment timing wrong?

The animal is refused and you risk having to postpone or cancel the trip. If the rabies shot was given before the microchip, or without respecting the waiting period, it is not valid for entry. If the dog's tapeworm treatment falls outside the time window, it has to be redone. That is why it pays to work backwards from the departure date and book every step with the vet in good time.

Travelling with pets40 minLevel: IntermediateUpdated on August 20, 2026

Entering the United Kingdom with a dog or cat after Brexit

What you need to bring a dog or cat into the UK from Europe: microchip, rabies vaccine, an Animal Health Certificate and tapeworm treatment for dogs.

Audience: Pet owners
Species: Dog, Cat
Scope: United Kingdom, European Union, Italy, Valid everywhere

What you need before you start

Un microchip conforme allo standard ISO già impiantato e leggibile
Il libretto delle vaccinazioni con la data della vaccinazione antirabbica in corso di validità
Il contatto di un veterinario abilitato a rilasciare il certificato per l'esportazione
L'itinerario con vettore e valico di ingresso, perché nel Regno Unito si entra solo da rotte autorizzate

Bringing a dog or cat into the United Kingdom from the European Union no longer works the way it did before Brexit. The EU pet passport, still valid for moving around within the Union, is no longer enough to cross the British border: in its place you need a new document, the Animal Health Certificate, a health certificate issued by an authorised vet with a short validity and timing rules that leave no room for improvisation. Anyone who turns up at boarding without the right paperwork, or with the rabies shot given too late, does not travel, and it cannot be fixed at the gate. This guide sets out the real requirements, the order to tackle them in, and the mistakes that wreck a trip you have already paid for, so you reach the border with a complete file and no surprises.

Why the EU passport is no longer enough

Since leaving the Union, the United Kingdom no longer recognises an EU pet passport issued in a member state as a document for entry. The passport still records the microchip and vaccinations, and you still need it to return to Europe, but to enter British territory you need a certificate tied to the specific trip. That changes the logic of preparation: it is no longer a document that lasts for years, it is a certificate valid for one journey with an expiry date.

The rules described here apply to entry from the European Union with a non commercial pet, that is one travelling with you and not for sale. The number of animals one person can bring without going through the commercial procedure is limited, and exceeding it changes the required paperwork entirely.

The three basic requirements, in the right order

Before the certificate itself, the animal must meet three health conditions. They are linked by a fixed order: getting the sequence wrong is the mistake that costs the trip, because some steps do not count if done out of order.

An ISO standard microchip, implanted and working. It must be in place before the rabies vaccination, otherwise the vaccination does not count for entry.
A valid rabies vaccination, given after the microchip was implanted and when the animal is at least twelve weeks old.
A waiting period after the first rabies vaccination before you can travel, which at the time of writing is a full twenty one days from the day of vaccination.

The Animal Health Certificate step by step

Check the microchip and rabies status well ahead
Confirm the chip is readable and that the rabies date is consistent with the implant and the waiting period. Do this weeks before, not on certificate day, because if something does not add up you need time to fix it.
Book a vet authorised to issue the certificate
Not every practice issues export paperwork. Look for an official or certifying vet and say up front that you need the UK document, so they prepare the correct forms.
Fix the appointment within the validity window
The certificate must be issued in a narrow window before departure, at the time of writing within ten days of entering the UK. Issuing it too early makes it unusable, so the appointment date has to be dovetailed with the travel date.
Bring every document to the appointment
EU passport, proof of rabies vaccination, microchip details and itinerary. The vet fills in a long, detailed certificate in which every entry must match the documents: a single mistyped chip number is enough to invalidate it.
Schedule the tapeworm treatment for dogs
For dogs only, a treatment against Echinococcus tapeworm must be given by a vet in a precise window before entry, with the date and time recorded. Cats are exempt.
Check the certificate before you leave the practice
Reread names, microchip number, dates and stamps while you are still in front of the vet. Fixing an error afterwards, close to departure, is almost always impossible.

The tapeworm treatment for dogs

The United Kingdom is among the territories that require a specific treatment against the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm before dogs enter. It is not just any wormer: it must contain praziquantel or an equivalent active ingredient, be given by a vet, and be recorded with date and time in the travel document.

Elements of the tapeworm treatment for dogs. The time windows are those typical at the time of writing and must be confirmed against the official guidance.
Element	Requirement	Note
Species affected	Dogs only	Cats and other pets do not need this treatment
Administration window	Between 24 and 120 hours before entry	No earlier than 5 days and no later than 1 day before arrival
Who administers it	A vet	Do it yourself is not accepted, an official record is required
Recording	Date, time and active ingredient	The time matters: outside the window the treatment is not valid

Authorised routes and what happens at the border

You cannot enter the UK with an animal through just any crossing: only routes and carriers authorised for pet travel are allowed, whether ferry, tunnel or flight. Before you book, confirm that the specific company accepts the animal on that route and on what terms, because the carrier's rules stack on top of the entry rules.

Choose in advance a route and carrier that officially accept pets, and keep the booking confirmation showing the animal on board.
At the check, the paperwork is verified and the microchip read: the details must match the certificate, so keep it accessible and not at the bottom of a case.
Allow for a document check that can lengthen the wait, especially during busy periods.
Carry both the original certificate and a photo copy, because if there is any doubt it is quicker to show everything at once.

A valid certificate does not guarantee entry on its own: without an authorised route and a carrier that accepts the animal, the document goes unused.
Entry practice for pets travelling to the United Kingdom

Frequently asked questions

Can I still use the EU pet passport to bring my dog into the UK?: No, not as a document for entry. Since Brexit the United Kingdom no longer accepts an EU pet passport issued in a member state as an entry document: you need an Animal Health Certificate issued by an authorised vet for that trip. You still need the passport, though, because you use it to return to Europe with the animal, so carry it alongside the certificate.
How long is the Animal Health Certificate valid?: It is tied to a single trip, not a multi year document. It has to be issued in a narrow window before departure, covers entry into the UK, and stays valid for a limited time for onward travel within the country and for the return to Europe within a set number of months. A later trip needs a fresh certificate: check the exact durations in the official guidance, as they can be updated.
Does the tapeworm treatment apply to cats too?: No, the Echinococcus tapeworm treatment is required for dogs only. Cats entering the UK still need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a health certificate, but not the tapeworm treatment. For dogs, that treatment is compulsory and must be given by a vet within a precise time window before arrival.
What happens if I get the vaccination or treatment timing wrong?: The animal is refused and you risk having to postpone or cancel the trip. If the rabies shot was given before the microchip, or without respecting the waiting period, it is not valid for entry. If the dog's tapeworm treatment falls outside the time window, it has to be redone. That is why it pays to work backwards from the departure date and book every step with the vet in good time.

What to do next

Work backwards from the entry date: make sure the microchip comes before the rabies vaccine, respect the waiting period, book an authorised vet and have the Animal Health Certificate issued in its window with every detail matching. For dogs, add the tapeworm treatment within its time window, choose an authorised route, and carry the certificate, the EU passport and copies within easy reach at the border.