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Dog or cat from Japan to Kenya: official requirements

Possible. With nothing done yet, start at least about 6 months ahead. The main steps: microchip (or other permanent identification), rabies vaccination: first one at 3 months or older, at least 6 months before shipment and rabies vaccination within the last year and 4 more.

Rules checked up to 13 October 2026From 9 official pages

Make my dated plan Reverse: Kenya → Japan

In short

Limited official guidance. The authority for entering Kenya publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. Kenya's Directorate of Veterinary Services doesn't publish its import conditions on its own website. We follow the permit conditions published by the Embassy of Kenya in Spain (the same document is on the High Commission in Pretoria's site) and KenTrade's permit procedure. Other official texts say something different: the certificate Kenya agreed with the United States (2026) asks for no blood test and is valid for 30 days, while the Embassy of Kenya in Angola and the UK's certificate ask for a vet's certificate within 5 days of departure. The texts also disagree on how long the permit is valid (30 or 90 days), and none lists the rabies-free countries. The plan follows the strictest reading: confirm with the Directorate (infodvs@kilimo.go.ke) before you travel.

At a glance

The rules on this route are the same for dogs and cats.

How early to start

about 6 months

if your pet has no microchip or rabies vaccination yet

Set by: Rabies vaccination: first one at 3 months or older, at least 6 months before shipment (primary vaccination at least 6 months before shipment)

about 3 months

if it is already microchipped and vaccinated

Set by: Rabies blood test, 3 to 24 months before shipment (not less than 3 months and not more than 24 months before shipment)

The least time the official waiting periods allow. Vet, lab and paperwork appointments come on top.

On this route

  • Rabies blood test needed
  • Import permit needed
  • Tell the authority in advance

Part of this route is still under review, so we don’t say what it doesn’t need.

Prefer a feed reader? Japan rule changes · Kenya rule changes

Japan → Kenya

What your pet needs

In the order you do them. Each step says whether Japan (leaving) or Kenya (entering) asks for it.

Bringing a dog or cat into Kenya: we summarised this from a short or older official page and it is still under review, so it may be incomplete.

  1. Get ready

    1. IdentificationEntering Kenya

      Microchip (or other permanent identification)

      Your pet must be identified by a permanent mark such as a microchip, and its number must be on the veterinary certificate. Not needed for a pet from a rabies-free country (see the warning).

      Details and the official words

      “Were identified by a permanent mark (such as a microchip) and their identification number shall be stated in the certificate or had any other adequate identification; and”

    2. VaccinationEntering Kenya

      Rabies vaccination: first one at 3 months or older, at least 6 months before shipment

      Your pet's first (primary) rabies vaccination must be given when it is at least 3 months old, and at least 6 months (and at most 1 year) before shipment; a booster must be given at most 1 year before shipment. Use an inactivated vaccine or a recombinant vaccine. Not needed for a pet from a rabies-free country (see the warning).

      The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

      Details and the official words

      The 6-month wait is in the permit conditions only. The Embassy of Kenya in Angola instead asks, for a pet vaccinated less than 6 months before departure, for a government vet's certificate that there has been no rabies within 50 km in the last 6 months, and the US certificate has no wait. The plan follows the permit conditions.

      “Not less than 6 months and not more than one year prior to shipment in the case of a primary vaccination, which should have been carried out when the animals were at least 3 months old;”

      “With an inactivated virus vaccine or with a recombinant vaccine expressing the rabies virus glycoprotein; and”

    3. VaccinationEntering Kenya

      Rabies vaccination within the last year

      The latest rabies vaccination (the first one, or the last booster) must be at most 1 year before shipment. If it will be older on the day your pet leaves, give a booster before then.

      Details and the official words

      Add the date of your pet's most recent rabies shot to check this.

      “Not more than one year prior to shipment in the case of a booster vaccination;”

    4. Blood testEntering Kenya

      Rabies blood test, 3 to 24 months before shipment

      Your pet needs a rabies antibody test (as set out in the World Organisation for Animal Health manual) with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken between 24 months and 3 months before shipment. Not needed for a pet from a rabies-free country (see the warning).

      The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

      Details and the official words

      The blood test is in the permit conditions only: the Embassy of Kenya in Angola's list, the UK's certificate and the US certificate don't mention it. The plan keeps it; ask the Directorate of Veterinary Services whether your pet needs it.

      “Were subjected not less than 3 months and not more than 24 months prior to shipment to an antibody test as prescribed in the OIE Terrestrial Manual with a positive result equivalent to at least 0.5 IU/ml;”

  2. In the days before you travel

    1. PermitEntering Kenya

      Import permit (VS01) from the Directorate of Veterinary Services

      Apply online on KenTrade's Trade Facilitation Platform (TFP) for the import permit for dogs and cats (VS01), with a copy of your pet's vaccination certificate from its country of origin, and pay the processing fee (up to KES 500 per animal). The permit covers one consignment and travels with your pet. The permit conditions and the Embassy of Kenya in Angola say it is valid for at most 30 days; KenTrade's page says 90 days. The plan uses 30 days.

      The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

      Details and the official words

      Processing fee: KES 0 to 500 per animal (KenTrade's estimate), paid by M-PESA or at a bank.

      The application also asks for a Unique Consignment Reference (UCR) number.

      “This import permit shall be valid for a maximum of thirty (30) days and shall only be for one consignment.”

      “The permit is valid for thirty (30) days from the date of the issue and is only valid for one consignment.”

      “This import permit shall accompany the animal during importation.”

      “The import permit is processed through the Trade Facilitation Platform (TFP), and is issued per consignment. The permit is valid for a period of ninety (90) days.”

      “Vaccination certificate (copy)”

      “KES 0 - KES 500 per animal”

    2. PaperworkJapan and Kenya

      International veterinary certificate, dated at most 48 hours before departure

      Your pet travels with an international veterinary certificate, dated no more than 48 hours before it boards, stating that it showed no sign of rabies (on the day of shipment and in the 48 hours before) and is clinically free of other contagious and infectious diseases and of internal and external parasites. It also states the microchip number and the rabies vaccination and blood test.

      The official wording is ambiguous. Confirm this point with the authority.

      Details and the official words

      48 hours is the permit conditions' limit. The Embassy of Kenya in Angola and the UK's certificate say 5 days before departure, and the US certificate is valid for 30 days. The plan uses the shortest.

      Export inspection and AQS export quarantine certificate: Bring your pet and all the original certificates to the AQS at the reserved time (an agent needs a power of attorney from you). The inspection and the English export quarantine certificate usually take 30 to 60 minutes. The inspection is done within 10 days before departure unless the destination sets a different period.

      If the destination's rules set a different period for the inspection, follow that; our 10-day window is Japan's general one.

      “No canine or feline animal shall be imported into Kenya from any country unless accompanied by an international veterinary certificate attesting that the animal:”

      “Showed no clinical sign of rabies on the day of shipment;”

      “Showed no clinical sign of rabies within 48 hours of shipment;”

      “Is clinically free of symptoms of any other contagious and infectious disease and internal and external parasites, the certificate being dated not more than 48 hours before embarkation;”

      “which must be accompanied by a veterinary health certificate from the country of origin to ascertain that the animals are healthy and disease free.”

      “Export inspection is conducted within 10 days before departure, unless conditioned by the destination country.”

    3. NoticeLeaving Japan

      Apply for export inspection (NACCS)

      Once your travel is confirmed, apply to the Animal Quarantine Service through NACCS (or by email to the AQS where you want the inspection), at least 14 days before you leave. Attach the certificates from your vet clinic, fill in your preferred date and time in the remarks, and wait for AQS to reply: you cannot reserve a time before you have applied.

      Details and the official words

      “Apply for export inspection by NACCS at least 14 days before export.”

  3. Travel day and arrival

    1. TransportEntering Kenya

      Fly as manifest cargo, not in the cabin or as checked baggage

      Your pet must travel to Kenya as manifest cargo in the aircraft's freight compartment, not in the passenger cabin or as excess baggage. Book this with your airline.

      Details and the official words

      “Animals entering Kenya should travel as Manifest Cargo and use the Freight Compartment of the aircraft. They should not travel as baggage-cargo or in passenger cabins.”

    2. TransportEntering Kenya

      Certificate from the captain that your pet stayed on board and apart

      Your pet needs a certificate from the captain of the aircraft (or ship, or the driver) stating that it didn't leave the craft between boarding and arrival in Kenya and was kept apart from other dogs and cats throughout the journey. Ask your airline's cargo office to provide it.

      Details and the official words

      “The animal shall be accompanied by a certificate from the captain of the ship or aircraft or driver of a vessel in which the animal traveled to Kenya certifying that the animal has not left the vessel between the place of embarkation and the place of entry into Kenya, and has been isolated from all other canine and feline animals throughout the journey.”

Good to know

  • A pet that has lived since birth, or for the 6 months before shipment, in a rabies-free country (as defined by the World Organisation for Animal Health) doesn't need the microchip, rabies vaccination and blood test steps below. Kenya doesn't publish a list of these countries, so the plan keeps the steps: ask the Directorate of Veterinary Services if your country counts.
  • A pet that isn't vaccinated against rabies, or doesn't meet the microchip, vaccination and blood test conditions, may be placed in a quarantine station in Kenya for up to 6 months, at the owner's cost.
  • Kenya's official texts don't agree. The permit conditions (followed here) ask for a blood test, a first vaccination at least 6 months before shipment and a certificate dated at most 48 hours before boarding. The Embassy of Kenya in Angola asks instead for a vet's certificate signed at most 5 days before departure and, for a pet vaccinated less than 6 months before departure, a government vet's certificate that there has been no rabies within 50 km of its home in the last 6 months; the UK's certificate for Kenya also uses 5 days. Follow what your permit says, and ask the Directorate of Veterinary Services if in doubt.
  • Arriving by land (or anywhere other than Nairobi by air or Mombasa by sea)? Report your pet to the nearest veterinary office within 3 days of arrival.
  • Your pet must meet both the destination country's entry conditions and Japan's exit conditions. Check the destination's conditions with its animal quarantine authority or its embassy in Japan.
  • Might your pet come back to Japan? Check Japan's re-entry conditions before you leave: depending on the measures taken, the import quarantine can be under 12 hours or up to 180 days. Blood sampling and the rabies antibody test must be done at a vet clinic and a MAFF-designated laboratory.
  • Check that your pet's microchip can be read before the day of export inspection.

Money

What it costs

Government fees exactly as the official pages state them, and what vets and labs in Japan publish for the steps above. The two are never added together.

Government fees on this route

  • Export inspection and AQS export certificateLeaving JapanFree

    Vaccinations and vet checks the destination asks for are your own cost.

    “Inspection by animal quarantine officers is free of charge, but the exporter has responsibility for bearing the cost of vaccinations, health checks at the vet clinic and others, required to fulfil the entry requirements of the destination countries.”

    Dogs & Cats departure Q&A · as of 2026-10-13

What vets and labs charge Not official figures

Prices that businesses publish on their own pages, quoted as we read them; yours can differ. Ranges are the lowest to highest of these examples, never our estimate. How we collect prices

Airline fees aren’t included: check your airline’s pet page.

Round trip

Coming back to Japan

Do before your pet leaves Japan (dogs)

  • ISO microchip
  • Rabies vaccination #1
  • Rabies vaccination #2
  • Rabies antibody test at a designated lab

Their timing rules put them before the outbound trip, for a three-month stay.

The trip back asks for 9 steps: ISO microchip, advance notification to Animal Quarantine Service, pre-export clinical inspection and government certificate from the exporting country and more.

Do before your pet leaves Japan (cats)

  • ISO microchip
  • Rabies vaccination #1
  • Rabies vaccination #2
  • Rabies antibody test at a designated lab

Their timing rules put them before the outbound trip, for a three-month stay.

The trip back asks for 9 steps: ISO microchip, advance notification to Animal Quarantine Service, pre-export clinical inspection and government certificate from the exporting country and more.

Every step from Kenya to Japan

Nearby routes

Other routes

Where this comes from

Official sources

Last checked against the official pages: 2026-10-13.

Entering KenyaLeaving JapanReport a mistakeGet rule-change alerts

Questions owners ask

Does my dog or cat need a rabies blood test to go from Japan to Kenya?

Yes: Your pet needs a rabies antibody test (as set out in the World Organisation for Animal Health manual) with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken between 24 months and 3 months before shipment.

Do I need an import permit to bring my dog or cat into Kenya?

Yes: Apply online on KenTrade's Trade Facilitation Platform (TFP) for the import permit for dogs and cats (VS01), with a copy of your pet's vaccination certificate from its country of origin, and pay the processing fee (up to KES 500 per animal).

Will my dog or cat be quarantined in Kenya?

We couldn't find this in our summary of the rules, but that summary is short and still under review. Ask the official authority before you rely on it.

How early should I start preparing my pet for Japan to Kenya?

With nothing done yet, start at least about 6 months ahead. The main steps: microchip (or other permanent identification), rabies vaccination: first one at 3 months or older, at least 6 months before shipment and rabies vaccination within the last year and 4 more.

Every rule here is quoted from the official page and checked word for word; not legal advice. How we verify · Report a mistake

Read next

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