EU Pet Travel After Brexit: Why Your Pet Passport No Longer Works

Before Brexit, a UK pet passport was accepted for travel to all EU member states. The pet passport system was an EU creation, and the UK was a participant. That ended on 1 January 2021.

What Changed on 1 January 2021

UK-issued pet passports are no longer valid for travel to:

All 27 EU member states
Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein (EEA countries)

This catches people out years after it happened. The physical passport document still exists in UK vets’ filing cabinets. It still has pages filled out correctly. And it is now worthless for EU entry.

What Replaced the Pet Passport

For travel from the UK to the EU, your pet now needs an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). Key points:

Issued by a APHA-authorised vet (not every vet - check before booking)
Valid for 10 days from the date of issue for entry into the EU
Valid for 4 months for onward travel within the EU once inside
Cannot be reused - each trip requires a new certificate
Cannot be issued in advance and stored

The AHC follows the official EU-UK trade agreement format. It confirms microchip, vaccination status, and fit-to-travel status.

Microchip and Rabies Requirements

These have not changed:

ISO 15-digit microchip required
Up-to-date rabies vaccination required
The vaccination must have been given after microchipping

For countries like France, Germany, Spain, and all other EU member states, no titre test is required for UK pets. The AHC and current vaccination record are sufficient.

Tapeworm Treatment

Dogs travelling to Finland, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Malta, and Norway require a tapeworm treatment certificate - Praziquantel administered by a vet within 24-120 hours before arrival.

Northern Ireland Is Different

Northern Ireland has a different status post-Brexit. Travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland for pets follows specific rules that have changed multiple times since 2021. Check current DAERA (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs) guidance before travelling.

If You Have an Old UK Pet Passport

It may still record your pet’s microchip number and vaccination history. That information is useful - your vet can transcribe it to the AHC. But the passport document itself cannot substitute for the AHC.

Returning to the UK

When returning to the UK from the EU, your pet needs to meet UK entry requirements:

Microchip
Valid rabies vaccination
AHC issued in the EU by an EU-listed vet
Tapeworm treatment (dogs) 24-120 hours before return

The UK issued its own AHC format post-Brexit. EU-issued AHCs for UK entry follow the agreed bilateral format.

Sources: UK APHA, European Commission pet movement regulations. Data current as of {TODAY}.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. UK pet passports issued before Brexit are no longer valid for entry into any EU member state. You need a new Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by a APHA-authorised vet within 10 days of travel. This applies to all EU countries including France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Portugal.

No. The UK is on the EU’s approved third country list for pet imports, and no titre test is required for dogs or cats. A current rabies vaccination and a valid Animal Health Certificate are the standard requirements.