Taking Your Pet to Europe After Brexit: The New Rules

What changed: the Animal Health Certificate replacing the pet passport

If you're planning to take your pet to Europe after Brexit, the paperwork has changed again. From 22 April 2026, UK-issued EU pet passports are no longer valid for travel from Great Britain. Instead, every dog, cat or ferret needs an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) — a fresh document issued for each individual trip, rather than a book that lasts your pet's lifetime. If your pet's passport was issued in an EU country before you moved to the UK, that one may still work, but for almost everyone else, the AHC is now the only route into the EU.

It sounds like a hassle, and in some ways it is, but it's a manageable one once you know the steps. This guide walks UK owners through exactly what's needed, in time for summer holidays, Christmas trips abroad, or a relocation.

Do I need an Animal Health Certificate to take my pet to Europe?

Yes — if you're travelling from Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales) to any EU country or Northern Ireland with a dog, cat or ferret, you need an AHC. The certificate confirms:

• Your pet's microchip number matches their vaccination records
• A valid rabies vaccination, given at least 21 days before you travel
• A clinical check by the vet confirming your pet is fit to travel

Without a readable, registered microchip, vets can't issue the certificate at all — so it's worth checking your pet's chip details are current before you book anything. [PawLink](/#features) tags double as a quick way to confirm your pet's identity details are accurate and up to date, since everything lives in one place rather than scattered across old paperwork.

How to get an Animal Health Certificate: step by step

1. Book early. The AHC can only be issued by a DEFRA-authorised Official Veterinarian (OV) — not every vet holds this qualification, so call ahead and ask.
2. Time it right. The certificate must be signed no more than 10 days before you travel, so book your appointment close to your departure date, not weeks in advance.
3. Bring proof of rabies vaccination, ideally your pet's full vaccination history.
4. Attend the clinical check. The OV examines your pet and completes the paperwork on the spot.
5. Keep it with you for the whole trip — the AHC is valid for onward travel within the EU and your return journey, for up to four months from the date of issue.

What it costs and how long it takes

Expect to pay somewhere between £65 and £250, depending on whether you use your regular practice, a dedicated pet travel clinic, or a mobile OV who comes to you. Larger practices and last-minute bookings tend to sit at the higher end. It's worth asking for a quote when you book, since prices vary more than you'd expect for what is, in the end, a standard piece of paperwork.

Build in a buffer: appointments with OVs get booked up fast around school holidays, so get in the diary as soon as your 10-day window opens, or book the slot in advance and confirm closer to the date.

Coming home: tapeworm treatment and re-entry rules

Getting to Europe is only half the journey. To bring your dog back into the UK, they need a tapeworm treatment from a vet in the EU, given between 24 hours and 5 days before you re-enter the country, with the exact date and time recorded on the AHC. Miss that window — too early or too late — and your dog may be refused entry or face a delay at the border. This rule applies to dogs only, not cats or ferrets.

Make sure your pet can always be identified, wherever you are

Travel is exactly the kind of situation where up-to-date ID matters most: unfamiliar surroundings, open doors at campsites or holiday lets, and a microchip database that's only useful if someone scans it. A [PawLink](/#pricing) NFC tag means anyone who finds your pet — whether that's a ferry worker, a campsite owner, or a passer-by in an unfamiliar town — can tap the tag with their phone and reach you immediately, no app or microchip scanner required. Switching on Lost Mode before you set off is a simple extra layer of reassurance for the trip.

For more UK-specific advice on keeping pets safe at home and away, visit the [PawLink Safety Hub](/safety-hub). And always check the latest requirements on GOV.UK before you travel, since rules around pet travel have changed more than once in recent years and can change again.