How do you travel with your dog in Europe?

Three things to have, all put in place by your vet: a compliant microchip, a valid rabies vaccine and an EU passport. You identify first, vaccinate next. For a few countries, a tapeworm treatment is added.

Is the rabies vaccine compulsory to travel with your dog?

Yes, it's a legal requirement for crossing a border. It's a veterinary act: the protocol is decided with them, and the law imposes a waiting period after the first vaccination. Count on several weeks, sometimes more.

How far ahead of leaving do you need to get started?

Several weeks at the very least, and sometimes several months for a country outside the EU (rabies blood titration test with a waiting period). The rule: you get the paperwork ready and let the waiting periods pass before booking the trip, never the other way round.

Travelling in Europe with your dog: passport, rabies and rules

Rights, paperwork & daily lifePart of · Rights, paperwork & daily life

Travelling in Europe with your dog: passport, rabies and rules

Q: What is a dog passport, and who issues it?

It's the EU pet passport, issued by an authorised vet. It holds the microchip number, the rabies vaccine history and your identity, and it's mandatory for crossing a border within the European Union.

7 min read

To travel with your dog in the European Union, you need three things: a microchip that meets the standard, a rabies vaccination that is still valid, and a European pet passport issued by an authorised vet. Plan ahead: after a first rabies vaccination, you have to wait at least 21 days before you can travel within the EU (the vaccine only counts as valid from that point). If the boosters are up to date, there is no waiting period.

The paperwork

The order matters: a microchip fitted after the rabies vaccination makes the passport invalid. First you have your dog microchipped, then vaccinated, then you collect the passport, and finally you check the rules of the country you are heading to.

Four steps, in this exact order.

before the rabies vaccination

Have your dog microchipped

An ISO-standard microchip, fitted by the vet and registered with the French national database I-CAD. This is the very first thing to do.

to plan well before you leave

Have your dog vaccinated against rabies

By an authorised vet: it is a legal requirement for crossing a border. The protocol and the schedule for your dog are his call. In a puppy, this first injection is only possible from 12 weeks: he will not be able to cross a border before 15 weeks (12 weeks, plus the 21-day wait).

Ask for the European pet passport

Issued by the authorised vet. It carries the microchip number, the rabies vaccination history and your identity.

Check the rules of your destination

A tapeworm treatment is required for some countries, and a blood test checking that your dog is still protected against rabies is sometimes asked for outside the European Union: sort this out with your vet before you book the trip.

The rules by destination

Within the European Union (Spain, Italy, Germany and so on)

An ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and the European pet passport are enough.
Keep the passport up to date and take it with you.

Ireland, Malta, Finland, Norway, Northern Ireland

A tapeworm treatment (echinococcus) is compulsory.
It must be given by a vet between 1 and 5 days before entry.
It has to be recorded in the passport.

United Kingdom (since Brexit)

The country applies its own rules: microchip, rabies vaccination still valid, tapeworm treatment before entry.
Check the official UK source before you book.

Outside the European Union

The country applies its own entry rules: microchip, valid rabies vaccination, and often more.
A blood test checking that your dog is still protected against rabies is frequently required, with a fixed waiting period that can run to several months.
That waiting period also counts for your return to France if the country you visit is not recognised by the European Union: plan the outbound trip AND the way back.
Country-specific health certificates, or even quarantine, may be added on top.
Look up the country's official source and have your vet sign off on the file before you book the trip.

Heading south or abroad? Talk to your vet about preventing heartworm and leishmaniasis, two diseases spread by mosquitoes and by sandflies, small biting insects, before you go: it needs planning, it cannot be improvised the day before.

Before you leave, check that your contact details are up to date in the I-CAD database and add an engraved tag to the collar.

Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 on the non-commercial movement of pet animals (passport, identification, rabies vaccination), Commission européenne (2013)
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/772: treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis before entry into Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland, Commission européenne (2018)
French national database for the identification of domestic carnivores: compulsory identification and keeping contact details up to date, I-CAD
Dog identification and travelling abroad, service-public.gouv.fr
Order of 10 October 2008 on the conditions and procedures for the rabies vaccination of domestic animals (validity period according to the vaccine's marketing authorisation), Légifrance (2008)
ESCCAP — Vector-borne diseases, Guideline GL5 (2024)

Going further

guideCompulsory dog identification: microchip, tattoo and I-CADThe microchip is the very first piece of the European pet passport: check that it is up to date and registered with I-CAD.Read the guide guideDog vaccines and boosters: the key milestonesA valid rabies vaccination is a non-negotiable condition of the passport: this guide helps you keep track of the schedule and the boosters.Read the guide guideCategory dogs in France: the law, the permit, your dutiesIf your dog is categorised, some countries impose extra rules at the border: better to know them before you set off.Read the guide guidePublic liability: who pays if your dog causes damageAbroad as at home, you remain liable for the damage your dog causes: this guide explains what your insurance covers (and what it does not).Read the guide guideTeaching your dog to wear a muzzleTrain, plane, ferry: many carriers require a muzzle, so you may as well get him used to it ahead of time, little by little, before the big day.Read the guide guideAdopting a dog from abroad: what you need to knowThe journey works the other way too: this guide helps if you are bringing home a dog adopted abroad.Read the guide

Frequently asked questions

What is a dog passport, and who issues it?

It is the European pet passport, issued by an authorised vet, which carries the microchip number, the rabies vaccination history and your identity. It is compulsory for crossing a border within the European Union.

Do you need a dog passport for Spain?

Yes. Spain is in the European Union: the basic rules apply, meaning an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination that is still valid and the European pet passport. Spain asks for nothing more, no tapeworm treatment as in Ireland or Malta.

How do you travel around Europe with your dog?

Three things to have, all put in place by your vet: a microchip that meets the standard, a valid rabies vaccination and a European pet passport. First you have your dog identified, then vaccinated. For a few countries, a tapeworm treatment is added.

Is the rabies vaccination compulsory to travel with your dog?

Yes, it is a legal requirement for crossing a border. It is a medical act: the protocol is decided with your vet, and the law imposes a waiting period after the first vaccination. Reckon on at least three weeks.

How far ahead do you need to start?

Several weeks at the very least, and sometimes several months for a country outside the EU: a blood test checking that your dog is still protected against rabies, with a fixed waiting period. The rule: get the file ready and let the waiting periods run before you book the trip, never the other way round.

Do you need a worming treatment to travel?

To enter Ireland, Malta, Finland, Norway or Northern Ireland, yes: a tapeworm treatment (echinococcus), given by a vet 1 to 5 days before entry and recorded in the passport. Elsewhere in the EU, it is not required.

Can you travel to the United Kingdom with your dog?

Yes, but since Brexit the United Kingdom applies its own rules (microchip, rabies vaccination still valid, tapeworm treatment before entry). Check the official UK source and have your vet sign off on your file before you book.

Updated on July 11, 2026Sources

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