Pet Health Certificate vs Pet Passport: What is the Difference?

One of the most common questions from first-time pet travellers is whether they need a pet passport or a health certificate. The answer depends on where you are and where you are going, and since Brexit the situation for UK owners has changed significantly.

What is an EU pet passport?

An EU pet passport is a standardised document issued by an authorised vet in any EU member state (or by accredited vets in Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein). It records:

  • The owner’s name and contact details
  • The animal’s species, breed, sex, date of birth, and colour
  • The microchip number and implant date
  • Rabies vaccination history (dates, product names, batch numbers)
  • Other vaccinations
  • Parasite treatment records

The passport does not expire, but the vaccinations recorded in it do. If your rabies vaccination lapses, the passport remains valid as a document but your pet is no longer in compliance with vaccination requirements.

The EU pet passport was designed to allow the free movement of pets across EU member state borders. It is a convenient, reusable document.

What is a health certificate?

A health certificate is a document completed by an official or accredited veterinarian for a specific journey. It certifies that the animal was examined on a specific date and found to be healthy and free of signs of infectious or contagious disease, and confirms all documentation (microchip, vaccination records).

Unlike the passport, a health certificate is single-use and time-limited. Most destination countries require the health certificate to be issued within 10 days of travel. Some require it within 5 or 7 days.

For many international destinations, the health certificate must also be endorsed by the national veterinary authority: USDA APHIS in the USA, APHA in the UK, CFIA in Canada, DAFF in Australia.

Brexit and UK pet owners

Before Brexit (before 1 January 2021), UK vets could issue EU pet passports and UK pets could travel freely across the EU with one. Since Brexit, the UK is a third country. UK-issued EU pet passports are no longer valid for EU entry. UK pets entering EU countries now need:

  • An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) in the EU-specified format
  • APHA endorsement
  • A new AHC for each trip into the EU (valid 10 days)

This is a significant practical change for UK owners with pets who travel frequently between the UK and continental Europe.

When do you need each one?

ScenarioDocument needed
EU resident travelling within EUEU pet passport
UK resident travelling to EU/EEAAHC endorsed by APHA
USA resident travelling to EUUS-format health certificate endorsed by USDA APHIS
Travelling to Japan, Australia, NZHealth certificate endorsed by national authority
Travelling to SingaporeHealth certificate + NParks import licence
Travelling to UAEHealth certificate + MOCCAE permit

Frequently Asked Questions

An EU pet passport is an ongoing document that records your pet’s microchip number, vaccinations, and other health information over its lifetime. It is used for travel within the EU and a small number of approved third countries. A health certificate (or Animal Health Certificate) is a single-use document completed by an official vet for one specific journey. It confirms your pet’s health status at a particular point in time. Health certificates expire (typically within 10 days for international entry). Passports do not expire but their recorded vaccinations do.

UK pets no longer have access to the EU pet passport since Brexit. UK-issued EU pet passports issued before 1 January 2021 are valid only for travel back into the UK, not for entering EU countries. For EU or international travel, UK pets need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) endorsed by APHA for each journey. The AHC is valid for 10 days of travel. If you are a UK resident travelling to the EU with a pet, you need a fresh AHC each time.

The EU pet passport is accepted across all 27 EU member states, as well as in non-EU countries that have adopted equivalent frameworks, such as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Outside this group, most other countries require a health certificate for pet entry. The EU pet passport is not accepted in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, UAE, or most non-European destinations.

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