🇫🇷 Bringing Your Dog to France: The Basic Requirements
If you're coming from another EU country
- Your dog needs a microchip.
Your dog must be identified with a compatible microchip. If they have an old tattoo that was made before July 3, 2011, it can also be accepted if it is still clearly legible. - Your dog needs a valid rabies vaccination.
The rabies vaccination must be given after the dog is microchipped. For a first rabies vaccination, your dog generally needs to be at least 12 weeks old, and you must wait 21 days before the vaccination is considered valid for travel. - You'll need an EU pet passport.
Your veterinarian records your dog's identification and rabies vaccination in the European pet passport. - Usually, that's basically it.
For a normal trip from another EU country to France, there is no Japan-style 180-day waiting period or rabies antibody test.
🌍 If you're coming from outside the EU
This is where things get more complicated.
- Your dog needs a microchip.
The dog must be identified before the rabies vaccination for the vaccination to count for travel purposes. - Your dog needs a valid rabies vaccination.
The vaccine must be administered after identification, and the required waiting period must pass before the dog can enter France. - Some countries require a rabies antibody (titer) test.
This depends on the country you're traveling from. Dogs coming from certain non-EU countries with a higher rabies risk need a blood test showing sufficient rabies antibodies and an additional waiting period before entering the EU. - You'll need the appropriate health certificate.
Dogs arriving from outside the EU generally need an official animal health certificate completed by a veterinarian and endorsed by the competent government authority in the country of departure. - You may need to enter through a designated Travelers' Point of Entry.
This allows authorities to check your dog's documents and compliance with EU entry requirements.
🐕 A few important things to know
- You can normally travel with up to five pets under the non-commercial pet travel rules. If you're traveling with more than five, different rules can apply.
- The rules are different for puppies. France/EU rules generally require dogs to be old enough to have a valid rabies vaccination, although there are specific exceptions that can apply depending on the circumstances. Don't assume a young puppy can enter simply because it has been vaccinated.
- Airline rules are separate from French entry requirements. Even if France allows your dog to enter, your airline may have its own carrier dimensions, weight limits, fees, and restrictions. You need to satisfy both sets of rules.
