Bringing a dog or cat into Hong Kong SAR China

The short version

• Rabies blood test for some origins
• Import permit needed
• Quarantine possible
• Advance notice to authority

How early to start

The least time the officially fixed waiting periods allow, by where your dog is coming from. Vet, lab and paperwork appointment times come on top.

Where your pet is coming from matters

Hong Kong SAR China sorts countries into groups. These are the groups exactly as the authority publishes them (Hong Kong: country/place groups for dog and cat imports, checked 2026-10-08).

• Grouping revised 1 Dec 2024 (old Group III → IIIB; new IIIA). Mainland China moved to IIIA on 3 Jun 2025.
• 'USA (Continental)' → US. Hawaii (US-HI) is Group I and Guam is Group II, both listed separately.
• AFCD's 'Virgin Islands' is ambiguous (US or British) — not mapped, so it falls into IIIB (stricter) until confirmed.

Every requirement

For every pet

1. 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.”

2. 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.”

3. 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”

4. 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

   “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.”

5. 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.”

Depends on your pet or your route

1. Age rule

   Minimum age

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Group I — normally no quarantine or Group II — rabies vaccination; may be exempt from quarantine

   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.”

2. Residence rule

   Residence certificate

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Group I — normally no quarantine or Group II — rabies vaccination; may be exempt from quarantine

   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”

3. Vaccination

   Rabies vaccination (primary course)

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Group II — rabies vaccination; may be exempt from quarantine or Group IIIA — rabies vaccination + blood test; at least 30 days' quarantine

   Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies with an inactivated or recombinant vaccine; a first (primary) vaccination must be given at 90 days old or older.

   Details and the official words

   “In case of primary vaccination, it must be given at 90 days old or above.”

4. Vaccination

   Rabies vaccination within the last year

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Group II — rabies vaccination; may be exempt from quarantine or Group IIIA — rabies vaccination + blood test; at least 30 days' quarantine

   Hong Kong needs a rabies vaccination given between 1 year and 30 days before export. If your pet's last shot will be more than a year old on export day, give a booster at least 30 days before departure.

   Details and the official words

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

   “Your dog/cat must be vaccinated against rabies using either an inactivated or recombinant anti-rabies vaccine not less than 30 days and not more than 1 year prior to export.”

   “The animal was vaccinated against rabies not less than 30 days and not more than 1 year prior to export.”

5. Blood test

   Rabies blood test (RNATT)

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Group IIIA — rabies vaccination + blood test; at least 30 days' quarantine

   A blood sample taken 90 days to 1 year before export (and at least 30 days after a primary rabies vaccination), tested with FAVN or RFFIT at an AFCD-approved lab, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml. The quarantine booking needs this result.

   Details and the official words

   If the test is more than a year old at export, it must be repeated — but no new 3-month wait if rabies vaccinations were kept up to date.

   “Your dog/cat must undergo a RNATT on a blood sample collected not less than 90 days and not more than 1 year prior to export.”

   “In the case of primary anti-rabies vaccination, at least 30 days must elapse between the date of vaccination and the date of blood sampling.”

6. Quarantine

   Book quarantine

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Group IIIA — rabies vaccination + blood test; at least 30 days' quarantine or Group IIIB — at least 120 days' quarantine

   Pets from Group IIIA stay at least 30 days, and from Group IIIB at least 120 days, in quarantine (AFCD's Animal Management Centre or the SPCA licensed centre), at your cost. Submit the booking form (PC100) with your documents to join the waiting list.

   Details and the official words

   “The estimated average waiting time for AFCD quarantine facility is approximately 3 months for dogs and 6 months for cats at present.”

   “Dogs and cats imported from Group IIIA countries / places are subject to a minimum of 30 days quarantine period”

   “Dogs and cats imported from Group IIIB countries / places are subject to a minimum of 120-day quarantine period”

7. Transport

   Airline certificate (captain's affidavit)

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Group I — normally no quarantine or Group II — rabies vaccination; may be exempt from quarantine

   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.”

8. On arrival

   Hong Kong dog licence and rabies shot on arrival

   Applies when: your pet is a dog and (your pet is 5 months old or older on arrival, or you don’t know your pet’s birth date)

   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.”

When this route doesn’t work

• Not covered by us yet · The pet is being sold, adopted or rehomed

  Animals imported for trading need an Animal Trader Licence and different handling. We don't cover commercial imports to Hong Kong yet.

Restricted breeds

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.

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.
• Your route has a stopover. If it's in a lower-group country, AFCD's prior approval is needed — and your pet must stay in the airport's cargo transshipment area.When: The country you travel from is in the group: Group I — normally no quarantine or Group II — rabies vaccination; may be exempt from quarantine and your route passes through another country