Singapore Pet Import Categories: A, B and C Explained
Singapore’s pet import system is more structured than most people expect. The requirement for your pet depends almost entirely on where they’re coming from.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) classifies pet origin countries into three groups. Your group determines whether your pet faces no quarantine, 30 days at home, or 30 days in a government facility.
Category A: no quarantine required
Category A countries are those the SFA considers lowest risk. These include:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- United Kingdom
- Republic of Ireland
- Japan
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Norway
- Sweden
- Finland
- Iceland
Pets from Category A countries don’t require quarantine on arrival in Singapore. They still need an import licence (from the SFA), a microchip, current vaccinations, and a health certificate. But they come home with you on the day they arrive.
Category B: 30-day home quarantine
Category B includes most developed countries with controlled rabies status. This includes:
- United States
- Canada
- Most EU countries (Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland)
- United Kingdom territories not in Category A
Pets from Category B countries serve 30 days of home quarantine in Singapore. This means your pet stays at your residence, must not leave the home premises, and a vet inspection confirms the quarantine is complete at the 30-day mark. There is a government fee for this process.
For people moving to Singapore from the USA or Europe, Category B is the typical experience. The 30-day home quarantine is inconvenient but manageable.
Category C: 30-day government quarantine
Category C includes higher-risk origin countries. The UAE falls here, as do most countries in South and Southeast Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and parts of South America.
Pets from Category C countries serve 30 days at a government quarantine facility. This is not your home. The facility is a veterinary-supervised government centre. You can visit during specified hours. The cost is roughly SGD 1,500-2,500 and is entirely at the owner’s expense.
If you’re relocating from Dubai to Singapore with your dog, plan for a 30-day facility stay from the day your dog lands.
What all categories require
Regardless of category, all pets entering Singapore need:
- A valid import licence from the SFA (apply before travel)
- An ISO microchip (11784/11785 standard)
- Current vaccinations (rabies for cats and dogs, distemper and parvovirus for dogs, feline herpesvirus and calicivirus for cats at minimum)
- An official veterinary health certificate from a government-approved vet in the origin country
- A rabies titre test for Category B and C countries
The titre test requirement adds time to the preparation. Blood must be drawn at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination. The test result needs to show the minimum antibody level before the SFA will approve import.
Breed restrictions
Singapore’s breed ban is one of the most extensive in the world. The following breeds cannot be imported under any circumstances:
Pit Bull Terriers and all related types (including American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier); Akita; Boerboel; Dogo Argentino; Fila Brasileiro; Japanese Tosa; Perro de Presa Canario; American Bulldog; Neapolitan Mastiff; Rottweiler (in HDB flats, restricted more broadly); and several others.
The list is enforced. There are no permits, no exemptions, and no case-by-case assessments for prohibited breeds. Confirm your breed is not on the list before making any plans.
Housing and dog numbers
HDB (Housing Development Board) flat owners in Singapore face the most restrictive rules. Only one dog is allowed, and only from the HDB’s approved breeds list (small breeds only, with specific weight limits). If you’re in an HDB flat, check the approved breed list on the HDB website before deciding which dog to bring.
Private property residents can keep more dogs and a wider range of breeds, subject to licensing and the national breed restrictions.
The import licence
Apply for the import licence through the SFA website before your pet travels. You’ll need your pet’s details, vaccination history, titre test results (for Category B and C), and origin country information. Processing typically takes a few business days for Category A applications. Category B and C applications may take longer.
Don’t book airline cargo before you have the licence approval. If the SFA rejects the application for any reason, you’d have a booking you can’t use.