Exit guide
Taking a dog or cat out of Germany
The steps the authorities in Germany require before your pet leaves, mostly the health certificate and who has to sign or endorse it. The destination adds its own requirements on top: pick it below, or make a dated plan.
Limited official guidance. District Office Munich publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. Germany has no single national procedure: the certificate comes from the veterinary office (Veterinäramt) of your district or city, and deadlines and fees differ between offices. This file shows two official examples (the district of Munich and the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick). Ask your own office.
The steps
Official stamp
Official health certificate (amtstierärztliche Gesundheitsbescheinigung) from your district's veterinary office
Applies when: you do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
Send your veterinary office the completed application with the required documents (in Berlin's Treptow-Köpenick three to four weeks before the trip; in the district of Munich the application and a copy of the EU pet passport must arrive at least 3 working days before departure). Then you book an appointment: the pet must be brought in person, so the official vet can examine it and read its microchip. Bring the destination's own health-certificate form.
Details and the official words
Deadlines and fees differ between offices (see the notice above): ask yours. The destination decides how recent the certificate must be.
“Geforderte Bescheinigungen können von uns ausgestellt bzw. bestätigt werden.”
“Ihr vollständig ausgefüllter Antrag und die Kopie des EU-Heimtierausweises mindestens 3 Werktage vor Abfahrt bei uns im Veterinäramt vorliegen muss”
“Das Tier muss zum Termin mitgebracht werden, da es im Veterinäramt von einem Amtstierarzt untersucht werden muss und seine Identität durch das Ablesen des Mikrochip festgestellt werden muss.”
“übersenden Sie uns einfach das ausgefüllte und unterschriebene Antragsformular einschließlich der erforderlichen Unterlagen, drei bis vier Wochen vor der geplanten Reise.”
Good to know
- When you travel to a non-EU country, the rules of that country apply. As the owner you must find out the current rules yourself and in good time, for example from the embassy or consulate. The Berlin office says it cannot give information on other countries' entry rules.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
- If the country you travel to, or your return to the EU, needs a rabies titer value, talk to your own vet about it.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
- Fees depend on the office. In the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick the fee follows the time spent, from 41 to 615 euros, and covers the final check of all documents, preparing the health documents and the official vet's consultation.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
- Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
Where are you taking your pet?
Routes from Germany where we cover both sides.