Inside the European Union the rules for travelling with a dog, a cat or a ferret are the same in every country, because they come from a single text: Regulation (EU) 576/2013. Three things, in an order that matters, plus a fourth that applies to four destinations only.
The mistake that wrecks trips is not forgetting a document: it is the order. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. If a vet vaccinates an animal that is not yet identified, that vaccination is not valid for travel and must be repeated — with another 21-day wait from scratch.
What you need, in order
At least 28 days before
Microchip
The animal must be identified with a microchip compliant with ISO 11784 and readable by an ISO 11785 reader. It must be implanted before the rabies vaccination: if the order is reversed the vaccination is not valid for travel and must be repeated, with its 21-day wait.
Regulation (EU) 576/2013 — non-commercial movement of pet animals
At least 21 days before
Rabies vaccination
Mandatory for dogs, cats and ferrets. The animal must be at least 12 weeks old on the day of vaccination, and 21 full days must pass after the primary course is completed before travelling. The 21 days do not apply to a booster given while the previous vaccination was still valid.
Regulation (EU) 576/2013 — non-commercial movement of pet animals
At least 14 days before
EU pet passport
Issued by a vet authorised by the local health authority. It records identification, microchip, rabies vaccination and owner details. Request it a few days ahead: it is not a same-day document everywhere.
At least 3 days before
Confirm the pet spot with the airline
Cabin pet slots are capped per flight, often between two and six. No document replaces this confirmation: without an assigned slot the animal does not board, even with everything else in order. Some airlines require 48 or 72 hours' notice, others only take the request by phone.
On the day
On the day
Arrive with more margin than usual: checking in an animal is almost always done at the desk, not online, and involves a document check. Carry the passport, health record, water, a spare absorbent pad and the airline's written confirmation.
The dates, worked out for your flight
Enter your departure date and your pet's weight: the planner turns this list into real deadlines, and tells you which airlines can carry it.
Open the plannerThe four destinations with one extra rule
Ireland, Malta, Finland, Norway require, for dogs only, a tapeworm treatment administered by a vet and recorded in the passport between 24 and 120 hours before entering the country. It is a window with two edges: earlier than 120 hours does not count, and later than 24 does not either.
One detail that is easy to miss: the window is measured against entry into the country, not departure. With a connection, the moment that counts is the first arrival at the destination.
- Flying with a dog to Ireland
- Flying with a dog to Malta
- Flying with a dog to Finland
- Flying with a dog to Norway
The countries covered
The regulation applies to the EU countries plus the European Economic Area countries and a few assimilated territories that the text lists explicitly:
Switzerland is not on this list but applies equivalent rules under a bilateral agreement: microchip, rabies vaccination and passport work the same way.
What this list does not cover
Everything outside the area above. The United States, Canada, the UAE, Australia, Japan and the United Kingdom after Brexit have their own rules, which may include serological tests with months of waiting, import permits, certificates translated by an official vet and in some cases quarantine.
Those rules change at short notice and also depend on the health status of the departure country. We do not publish them here because we cannot verify them against a single source, and a wrong figure on this subject does not produce an inconvenience: it produces an animal refused at the border. The source to use is the embassy or veterinary authority of the destination country.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the EU pet passport valid in every country on the list? Yes, and it is issued by a vet authorised by the local health authority.
- How many animals can I take? Up to five per person as a non-commercial movement. Above five, commercial transport rules apply.
- How old must a puppy be to fly? The rabies vaccination can be given from 12 weeks, and another 21 days are needed: before roughly 15 weeks a puppy cannot travel compliantly.
- Does the annual booster restart the 21 days? No, if it is given while the previous vaccination is still valid. If it has expired, yes.
Sources
- Regulation (EU) 576/2013 — non-commercial movement of pet animals
- Delegated Regulation (EU) 1152/2011 — preventive measures against Echinococcus multilocularis
- Italian Ministry of Health — Travelling with pets
- European Commission — Travelling with pets
Legal texts verified on 29 July 2026.