Moving your dog or cat from United Kingdom to Spain
Short answer: start at least 22 days before your flight. Rules last checked against official sources on 2026-10-30.
This page and the planner are generated automatically from official government sources. Planning tool only — not veterinary, legal or professional advice; no human expert reviews your plan. Always confirm with your vet, the official authority and your airline.
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United Kingdom → Spain pet import requirements
| Requirement | Status | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microchip | required | Microchip before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination; ISO 11784/11785 recommended. | official |
| Rabies vaccine | required | Vet needs proof the pet is 12+ weeks old; travel at least 21 full days after the primary vaccination (longer if the vaccine needs it). | official |
| Rabies titer test (RNATT) | not required | Not required: United Kingdom is on the EU list of countries exempt from the rabies titer test (Reg. (EU) 2026/636 Annex II). | official |
| Health certificate / endorsement | required | GB animal health certificate (AHC) signed by an Official Veterinarian; valid 10 days from issue for entry to the EU; a new AHC is needed for each trip. Sign the owner declaration. | official |
| Quarantine | conditional | None if compliant; non-compliant pets may be refused entry or isolated/quarantined at the owner's expense. | official |
| Approved routes / airports | required | Enter Spain through an authorised travellers' point of entry (PEV) and declare the pet to the Guardia Civil / customs for document and microchip checks. The certificate must be at least in Spanish (EU bilingual model). | official |
| Breed restrictions | conditional | No import ban, but 'potentially dangerous' breeds (Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu, Akita Inu and crosses) need a municipal licence and €120,000 liability insurance after arrival. | official |
| Other | required | Dogs, cats and ferrets under 15 weeks cannot enter Spain. | official |
Order of steps
- Microchip your pet — at least 22 days before the flight. Before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination.
- Rabies vaccination (pet 12+ weeks old) — at least 22 days before the flight. Travel at least 21 full days after the primary vaccination (day 1 = day after). Tell your vet you'll need an AHC.
- Official Veterinarian issues the animal health certificate — between 10 and 1 days before the flight. Valid for entry to the EU for 10 days after issue (day 1 = issue date). Sign the owner declaration.
- Arrive at an authorised point of entry and declare your pet — at least 0 days before the flight. Present documents to the Guardia Civil / customs control point.
Items marked “verify” could not be fully confirmed; check the official source and your vet.