Bringing a dog or cat into Northern Ireland (UK)

The short version

• Rabies blood test for some origins
• Import permit for some pets
• Tapeworm treatment for some pets
• Designated entry point for some trips

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

Northern Ireland (UK) sorts countries into groups. These are the groups exactly as the authority publishes them (EU: countries and territories listed under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131 Art. 17(1), checked 2026-10-12).

• Annex II as amended by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1228 (adds Montenegro and Serbia).
• Under the Windsor Framework, 'United Kingdom' in Annex II excludes Northern Ireland; NI applies EU pet rules.
• Ascension Island is listed by the EU as 'AC'; we use the ISO 3166-2 code SH-AC.
• Norway is an EEA member: the EU's own pages list it with the EU countries (tapeworm rule; 'EEA Member' in the young-animals table), not as a non-EU country. Grouped as eu_member so it is never asked for a titer.

Every requirement

For every pet

1. Identification

   Microchip

   Your pet must be microchipped (or, for travel under the EU rules, tattooed before 3 July 2011 with a legible number). Under the EU rules the chip is implanted or read before the rabies vaccination. If the chip isn't ISO standard, bring your own reader.

   Details and the official words

   “Prior to the rabies vaccination, the pet animal (dog, cat, or ferret) must be marked by the implantation of a microchip.”

   “You must bring your own microchip reader when you travel if your pet’s microchip does not meet ISO standards.”

   “Your pet must be microchipped. They do not need rabies vaccinations or tapeworm treatment if you have a PTD.”

Depends on your pet or your route

1. Permit

   Northern Ireland pet travel document (PTD)

   Applies when: you travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct and it is the outbound trip

   Coming directly from Great Britain, your pet needs a free Northern Ireland pet travel document instead of a rabies vaccination, tapeworm treatment or health certificate. Apply online to the Animal and Plant Health Agency if you live in England, Scotland or Wales, are the owner and over 16; you need one per pet, no vet visit, and it lasts as long as you own the pet. The microchip is checked against the PTD at the port or airport (by ferry, you scan it yourself before leaving Great Britain).

   Details and the official words

   We show this step on a trip that starts in Great Britain. If you live in Northern Ireland, you don't need it.

   “You’ll need a Northern Ireland pet travel document (PTD) to take your dog, cat or ferret from Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales) to Northern Ireland.”

   “It’s free to apply and will last for as long as you own the pet.”

   “live in England, Scotland or Wales”

   “are the pet owner and over 16 years old”

   “You’ll need a separate PTD for each pet.”

   “You do not need to visit a vet to apply.”

   “You must scan your pet’s microchip at the port before leaving Great Britain using a scanner provided.”

2. Vaccination

   Rabies vaccination

   Applies when: it is not true that you travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct

   An authorised vet vaccinates your pet against rabies when it is at least 12 weeks old, after the microchip. Wait at least 21 days after the first vaccination before travelling (30 if the vaccine's datasheet says so); a booster given before the previous vaccination expires needs no wait.

   Details and the official words

   “the pet must be at least 12 weeks old at the date the vaccine is administered,”

   “This must be at least 21 days after the primary vaccination is given.”

   “(This wait does not apply to an annual or 3 yearly booster vaccination, provided the booster is administered before the original vaccination expires),”

3. Blood test

   Rabies antibody blood test, then a 3-month wait

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Not listed — rabies antibody titration test needed

   From a country that isn't listed (Category 3), a blood sample is taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and must show the vaccination worked. Your pet then waits 3 calendar months before travelling (not needed if it was vaccinated, tested and given a pet passport in the EU or Northern Ireland before it left).

   Details and the official words

   “a blood test taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination and the blood test must show the vaccination was successful. (the date of the vaccination counts as day zero not day 1)”

   “to wait 3 calendar months after the blood test shows the vaccination was successful before travelling.”

4. Paperwork

   EU pet passport

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: EU country or Norway (travel within the EU, with the EU pet passport)

   From an EU country (or Norway), your pet travels with its EU pet passport, showing the microchip, the rabies vaccination and, for a dog, the tapeworm treatment.

   Details and the official words

   “a valid EU issued pet passport or a :-”

   “documenting the alpha-numeric code displayed by the microchip or the tattoo, the details of the vaccination against rabies, and where applicable, the details of the treatment against tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis”

5. Paperwork

   Animal health certificate

   Applies when: it is not true that the country you travel from is in the group: EU country or Norway (travel within the EU, with the EU pet passport) and it is not true that you travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct

   An official vet in the country you travel from issues an animal health certificate. It is valid for 10 days from issue for entering Northern Ireland, then for 6 months of onward travel within the EU (after the endorsement on arrival).

   Details and the official words

   “Animal Health Certificate (valid for 10 days from date of issue for entry into an EU Member State (including NI) and for 6 months onward travel within the EU)”

6. Treatment

   Tapeworm treatment (dogs)

   Applies when: your pet is a dog and it is not true that you travel from United Kingdom, Ireland, Finland, Malta or Norway and your route is direct

   A vet treats your dog against tapeworm between 120 and 24 hours before it enters Northern Ireland, and records it. Not needed coming directly from Ireland, Finland, Malta or Norway, or from Great Britain with a pet travel document.

   Details and the official words

   The window is in hours: check the treatment time against your arrival time.

   “Tapeworm treatment must be administered not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before scheduled entry into the territory.”

   “However please note when travelling between NI and the ROI tapeworm treatment is not required.”

   “Dogs moving directly between any EU country listed in Annex XIX to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/620, (Finland, Ireland, Malta, and the United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) or Norway are exempted from the treatment against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis”

7. Route

   Enter through a travellers' point of entry

   Applies when: the country you travel from is in the group: Annex II of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636 — no titer test or Not listed — rabies antibody titration test needed and it is not true that you travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct

   From a Part 2 listed or unlisted country, enter Northern Ireland through a travellers' point of entry: Belfast or Larne port, or Belfast International, Belfast City or City of Derry airport. Contact it before you arrive.

   Details and the official words

   “to enter EU (including NI) through a Travellers Point of Entry”

   “Belfast International Airport, Belfast City Airport and City of Derry Airport can be contacted at daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk .”

8. Paperwork

   Someone else travels with your pet

   Applies when: someone else brings the pet (you are not travelling with it)

   If someone else takes your pet, they need your written authorisation, attached to the passport or health certificate, and you must travel within 5 days of your pet.

   Details and the official words

   “A written authorisation from the owner is required; the authorisation must be attached to the AHC or Passport and the pet owner must travel within 5 days of the pet movement.”

   “written approval from you, like a letter, email or text message”

   “to sign a declaration at the ferry port or airport – this must include the date and place where they sign it”

Only in some cases

1. Notice · only in some cases

   Flying in: tell DAERA in advance

   Only if you arrive by air: email DAERA (daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk) before you travel: at least 10 working days ahead from Great Britain, at least 10 days ahead from elsewhere.

   Details and the official words

   “You must tell the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) at least 10 working days before you travel.”

   “If you will be arriving into Northern Ireland via air, you must contact daeratradeimports@daera-ni.gov.uk at least 10 days in advance of your intended date of travel to pre-notify your arrival.”

When this route doesn’t work

• Not covered by us yet · The pet is being sold, adopted or rehomed, or you bring 6 or more pets

  Pet travel rules cover up to 5 pets with their owner, not being sold or rehomed. More than 5 are allowed only for a show, competition or sporting event (or training for one), with written evidence of registration and DAERA's events declaration. Otherwise commercial rules apply, which we don't cover.

Good to know

• The pet travel document is only for trips from Great Britain to Northern Ireland: you sign a declaration that you won't travel on to the EU. If you plan to continue to Ireland or another EU country, your pet needs the full rules for pets from Great Britain instead (rabies vaccination, animal health certificate, tapeworm treatment for dogs).When: You travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct and it is the outbound trip
• If you live in Northern Ireland, you don't need a pet travel document to travel with your pet between Great Britain and Northern Ireland: a microchip is enough. When your trip starts in Northern Ireland, we plan the way back from Great Britain like this (our assumption that you live there); the way there follows the outbound plan.When: You travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct
• The Northern Ireland pet travel scheme can't be used for a trip from Great Britain via an EU country (including Ireland), so the plan shows the rules for pets from Great Britain as a listed non-EU country. If your stop isn't in an EU country, ask DAERA whether the scheme applies.When: You travel from United Kingdom and your route passes through another country
• An EU pet passport can only be issued to owners whose main residence is in the EU, and you may be asked for proof of residency.When: The country you travel from is in the group: EU country or Norway (travel within the EU, with the EU pet passport)
• The wait after a first rabies vaccination is at least 21 days, but if the vaccine's datasheet says immunity only starts on day 30, you wait 30 days. Your vet records the date the vaccination is valid from.When: It is not true that you travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct
• Arriving on an animal health certificate and travelling on to Ireland or another EU country? Report to the travellers' point of entry when you arrive so DAERA officials endorse the certificate. Without the endorsement it isn't valid for onward travel.When: It is not true that the country you travel from is in the group: EU country or Norway (travel within the EU, with the EU pet passport) and it is not true that you travel from United Kingdom and your route is direct