Pet travel route
Taking a dog or cat from Australia → Hong Kong SAR China
What the official rules ask for on this route, for a family pet travelling with its owner. Enter your travel date and your pet’s details to turn it into a dated checklist.
How early to start
2 weeks
if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet (the least time the official waiting periods allow)
2 weeks
if it is already microchipped and vaccinated
Counted only from the officially fixed waiting periods. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times are on top, so start earlier.
Which rules apply to you
Australia is in the group “Group I — normally no quarantine” in Hong Kong’s published list.See every group
Headlines for Hong Kong SAR China
- Rabies blood test for some origins
- Import permit needed
- Quarantine possible
- Advance notice to authority
What your dog needs
Dogs
Permit
AFCD Special Permit
Apply to AFCD in advance (in person, by post or via the Trade Single Window). It's issued 5 working days after a complete application, costs HK$432 for one animal (+HK$102 per extra animal on the same permit), and is valid for 6 months for one trip.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats should not be brought into Hong Kong (either import or transshipment/transit) unless a Special Permit to do so is obtained in advance from this Department.”
“it takes 5 working days from the date of receipt of application and permit fee to the date of issue”
“Valid for 6 months and for one consignment only.”
Identification
Microchip (ISO or AVID)
Your pet needs a microchip readable by an AVID or ISO scanner. From Group IIIA it must be implanted before the rabies vaccination and blood sample.
Details and the official words
“Your dog/cat must be implanted with a microchip which can be read with an AVID or ISO scanner prior to rabies vaccination and blood sampling.”
Age rule
Minimum age
Pets from Group I must be at least 60 days old; from Group II at least 5 months old. Females more than 4 weeks pregnant can't be imported.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats less than 60 days old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
“Dogs and cats less than 5 months old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
Residence rule
Residence certificate
Your pet must have lived in the country it's coming from for the 180 days before export, or since birth (or since being imported directly from Hong Kong).
Details and the official words
“during the preceding 180 days prior to export or since birth”
“has not reported any cases of rabies in any species (excluding bats) for at least 180 days prior to export to Hong Kong”
Vaccination
Core vaccinations (within the last year)
Dogs: distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and parvovirus. Cats: panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex (cat flu). Given between 1 year and 14 days before export.
Details and the official words
“not less than 14 days and not more than 1 year prior to export”
Paperwork
Animal health certificate
Issued no more than 14 days before export (from Group IIIA: no more than 7 days), signed by a government vet — or by a registered vet and endorsed by a government vet. It must show the microchip number.
Details and the official words
DAFF pre-export appointment: export permit and health certificate: At your pre-export appointment with DAFF's certifying veterinary officer (a pet transport company can go for you; some countries need DAFF to see your pet, in which case you bring it), DAFF checks all your documents and issues the export permit and health certificate. You pay at or before the appointment. Your pet must then leave Australia within 72 hours of the permit being issued.
“Dated not more than 14 days before the export”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 7 days prior to export.”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 14 days prior to export.”
“This appointment must be before your appointment with our certifying veterinary officer.”
“Your animal must be exported from Australia within 72 hours after the permit is issued. This is a condition of the export permit.”
“Your export permit and health certificate will be issued when we are satisfied the:”
Transport
Airline certificate (captain's affidavit)
The airline completes form PC101 confirming your pet travelled the whole way in its crate without contact with other animals (and stayed in the cargo area during any transit).
Details and the official words
“The animal has travelled the entire journey without leaving its crate and did not come into contact with any other animals.”
Notice
Notify AFCD before arrival
Tell the AFCD Duty Officer (Import & Export Section) at least 24 hours before your pet's expected arrival time.
Details and the official words
“You should notify the Duty Officer of the Import & Export Section at least 24 hours before your dog/cat’s anticipated arrival time in Hong Kong.”
On arrival
Hong Kong dog licence and rabies shot on arrival
Dogs 5 months or older get a Hong Kong dog licence and a rabies vaccination on arrival, at your cost.
Details and the official words
“all dogs over 5 months of age in Hong Kong are required by law to obtain a dog licence and vaccination against rabies.”
Notice
Submit a Notice of Intention (NOI) to Export
Complete the NOI to Export Live Animals (other than Livestock) form with your supporting documents and email it to DAFF's regional office in your state or territory, at least 10 working days before departure (or before any pre-export isolation starts). Use the same form to book your pre-export appointment, and book the final vet exam at the same time. If the destination needs an import permit, send it with the NOI.
Details and the official words
If your destination requires pre-export isolation, the 10 working days run to the start of isolation, not to departure. Check the importing country's requirements for the isolation dates.
NOI approval doesn't guarantee DAFF will issue the export permit and health certificate.
“Email the NOI and documents to the regional office in the state or territory of departure. Do this at least 10 working days before the departure date or start of isolation.”
Vet exam
Final health and welfare exam with your registered vet
Your registered vet examines your pet and you both sign the pre-export veterinary health and welfare declaration. It must be within 72 hours of departure (or the period the importing country sets), and before your DAFF appointment.
Details and the official words
If the importing country sets a shorter or longer period, that period applies instead; check its requirements.
“This must be within 72 hours of departure, or a period set by the importing country.”
Good to know
- Pets must arrive in Hong Kong as manifested cargo — not in the cabin or as excess baggage — by the fastest, most direct route.
- AFCD: don't make final travel arrangements until your Special Permit has been granted.
- Banned in Hong Kong: Pit Bull Terrier (American Staffordshire Terrier), Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and their crosses (Staffordshire Bull Terriers need a statutory declaration). Bengal cats need proof of 5th generation or later.
- DAFF says each country has its own health requirements, which can be complex and can change without notice. Get the importing country's requirements in writing (and an import permit if it needs one) and give them to your registered vet.
- Planning to bring your pet back to Australia? Contact DAFF's imports team before you export. Within 6 months of export, extra pre-export requirements may apply, and some animals can't be imported or returned under any circumstances.
- Your pet's crate must meet IATA standards, and your registered vet must inspect it before it is used. Some countries (including Fiji and Singapore) require the crate to be sealed; DAFF provides the seal.
- DAFF charges a fee to assess the Notice of Intention, a time-based fee to prepare the health certificate and a fee for the export permit. We don't show these amounts yet; see DAFF's charging guidelines.
What your cat needs
Cats
Permit
AFCD Special Permit
Apply to AFCD in advance (in person, by post or via the Trade Single Window). It's issued 5 working days after a complete application, costs HK$432 for one animal (+HK$102 per extra animal on the same permit), and is valid for 6 months for one trip.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats should not be brought into Hong Kong (either import or transshipment/transit) unless a Special Permit to do so is obtained in advance from this Department.”
“it takes 5 working days from the date of receipt of application and permit fee to the date of issue”
“Valid for 6 months and for one consignment only.”
Identification
Microchip (ISO or AVID)
Your pet needs a microchip readable by an AVID or ISO scanner. From Group IIIA it must be implanted before the rabies vaccination and blood sample.
Details and the official words
“Your dog/cat must be implanted with a microchip which can be read with an AVID or ISO scanner prior to rabies vaccination and blood sampling.”
Age rule
Minimum age
Pets from Group I must be at least 60 days old; from Group II at least 5 months old. Females more than 4 weeks pregnant can't be imported.
Details and the official words
“Dogs and cats less than 60 days old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
“Dogs and cats less than 5 months old or more than 4 weeks pregnant must NOT be imported.”
Residence rule
Residence certificate
Your pet must have lived in the country it's coming from for the 180 days before export, or since birth (or since being imported directly from Hong Kong).
Details and the official words
“during the preceding 180 days prior to export or since birth”
“has not reported any cases of rabies in any species (excluding bats) for at least 180 days prior to export to Hong Kong”
Vaccination
Core vaccinations (within the last year)
Dogs: distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and parvovirus. Cats: panleucopaenia and feline respiratory disease complex (cat flu). Given between 1 year and 14 days before export.
Details and the official words
“not less than 14 days and not more than 1 year prior to export”
Paperwork
Animal health certificate
Issued no more than 14 days before export (from Group IIIA: no more than 7 days), signed by a government vet — or by a registered vet and endorsed by a government vet. It must show the microchip number.
Details and the official words
DAFF pre-export appointment: export permit and health certificate: At your pre-export appointment with DAFF's certifying veterinary officer (a pet transport company can go for you; some countries need DAFF to see your pet, in which case you bring it), DAFF checks all your documents and issues the export permit and health certificate. You pay at or before the appointment. Your pet must then leave Australia within 72 hours of the permit being issued.
“Dated not more than 14 days before the export”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 7 days prior to export.”
“The animal health certificate must be issued not more than 14 days prior to export.”
“This appointment must be before your appointment with our certifying veterinary officer.”
“Your animal must be exported from Australia within 72 hours after the permit is issued. This is a condition of the export permit.”
“Your export permit and health certificate will be issued when we are satisfied the:”
Transport
Airline certificate (captain's affidavit)
The airline completes form PC101 confirming your pet travelled the whole way in its crate without contact with other animals (and stayed in the cargo area during any transit).
Details and the official words
“The animal has travelled the entire journey without leaving its crate and did not come into contact with any other animals.”
Notice
Notify AFCD before arrival
Tell the AFCD Duty Officer (Import & Export Section) at least 24 hours before your pet's expected arrival time.
Details and the official words
“You should notify the Duty Officer of the Import & Export Section at least 24 hours before your dog/cat’s anticipated arrival time in Hong Kong.”
Notice
Submit a Notice of Intention (NOI) to Export
Complete the NOI to Export Live Animals (other than Livestock) form with your supporting documents and email it to DAFF's regional office in your state or territory, at least 10 working days before departure (or before any pre-export isolation starts). Use the same form to book your pre-export appointment, and book the final vet exam at the same time. If the destination needs an import permit, send it with the NOI.
Details and the official words
If your destination requires pre-export isolation, the 10 working days run to the start of isolation, not to departure. Check the importing country's requirements for the isolation dates.
NOI approval doesn't guarantee DAFF will issue the export permit and health certificate.
“Email the NOI and documents to the regional office in the state or territory of departure. Do this at least 10 working days before the departure date or start of isolation.”
Vet exam
Final health and welfare exam with your registered vet
Your registered vet examines your pet and you both sign the pre-export veterinary health and welfare declaration. It must be within 72 hours of departure (or the period the importing country sets), and before your DAFF appointment.
Details and the official words
If the importing country sets a shorter or longer period, that period applies instead; check its requirements.
“This must be within 72 hours of departure, or a period set by the importing country.”
Good to know
- Pets must arrive in Hong Kong as manifested cargo — not in the cabin or as excess baggage — by the fastest, most direct route.
- AFCD: don't make final travel arrangements until your Special Permit has been granted.
- Banned in Hong Kong: Pit Bull Terrier (American Staffordshire Terrier), Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and their crosses (Staffordshire Bull Terriers need a statutory declaration). Bengal cats need proof of 5th generation or later.
- DAFF says each country has its own health requirements, which can be complex and can change without notice. Get the importing country's requirements in writing (and an import permit if it needs one) and give them to your registered vet.
- Planning to bring your pet back to Australia? Contact DAFF's imports team before you export. Within 6 months of export, extra pre-export requirements may apply, and some animals can't be imported or returned under any circumstances.
- Your pet's crate must meet IATA standards, and your registered vet must inspect it before it is used. Some countries (including Fiji and Singapore) require the crate to be sealed; DAFF provides the seal.
- DAFF charges a fee to assess the Notice of Intention, a time-based fee to prepare the health certificate and a fee for the export permit. We don't show these amounts yet; see DAFF's charging guidelines.
Government fees we know of
- AFCD Special Permit432 HKD (+102 per extra pet)
Vet, lab and courier costs are not included. The final amount can depend on how many tests or pets are on the certificate.
Common questions
Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from Australia to Hong Kong SAR China?
No. The official rules we have verified for this route don't ask for a rabies blood test.
Do I need an import permit to bring my dog into Hong Kong SAR China?
Yes: Apply to AFCD in advance (in person, by post or via the Trade Single Window).
Will my dog be quarantined in Hong Kong SAR China?
Not on the routes we have verified: the official rules list no quarantine for a pet that meets the requirements.
Does my dog need a microchip?
Yes: Your pet needs a microchip readable by an AVID or ISO scanner.