Moving a dog or cat from Canada to Iceland is very doable with the right preparation. There is a fair amount of paperwork here, so plan on around 16-20 weeks. Your pet will spend 14 days in quarantine …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Canada to Iceland
typically takes around 16-20 weeks.
Expect 14 days of quarantine on arrival.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Canada to Iceland import process
01
Start of planning.
Implant the ISO microchip, then start the rabies vaccination course.
Responsible: Your vet in Canada
02
Runs alongside the rabies vaccination schedule.
Complete leptospirosis, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza cover alongside rabies.
Responsible: Your vet in Canada
03
Roughly 4-5 months before target travel, allowing for the 90-day wait and lab turnaround.
Draw blood for the titre test at least 30 days after vaccination, send to an approved laboratory. The 90-day wait begins on this date.
Responsible: Your vet and the laboratory
04
Can run in parallel with the 90-day wait; allow at least 4 weeks before travel.
Apply to MAST for the import permit.
Responsible: You or your agent
05
As early as possible.
Book isolation station space at Reykjanesbae or Mosel. Intake dates are limited, so lock this in early.
Responsible: You or your agent, direct with the station
06
Close to departure, per the certificate's validity window.
Complete MAST's Category 2 certificate with your CFIA-accredited vet.
Responsible: CFIA-accredited vet
07
Day of travel, after the 90-day wait has run its course.
Fly Toronto Pearson to Keflavik direct.
Responsible: Icelandair Cargo
08
Immediately after arrival.
14 days minimum in isolation before release.
Responsible: Quarantine station staff
Requirements
Iceland entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted before the rabies vaccination. Source: MAST, mast.is.
Rabies vaccination
Primary rabies vaccination after the microchip. MAST also requires two leptospirosis doses 3 to 4 weeks apart, plus current distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza cover for dogs, on top of the rabies course. Source: MAST guidance notes, 2026.
Rabies titre test
Required. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, minimum result 0.5 IU/ml. Canada is classified on MAST's Category 2 list, since rabies is present in Canadian wildlife (notably raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats) even though it is well controlled. A 90-day waiting period applies from the date of the blood draw, not the date the lab result comes back, before travel is permitted. Source: MAST, mast.is, 2026.
Quarantine
Mandatory 14 days minimum at one of two approved isolation stations, Einangrunarstoedin i Reykjanesbae or Einangrunarstoedin Mosel, for every dog and cat entering Iceland. Source: MAST, mast.is, 2026.
Import permit
Required from MAST before travel, with the application form, a photo, the health certificate and lab results. Base fee is roughly ISK 40,000 (about EUR 270). Quarantine station space is booked separately and has limited intake dates. Source: MAST, mast.is, 2026.
Health certificate
MAST's Category 2 certificate (Form D2 or C2), completed by a CFIA-accredited vet in Canada.
Leaving Canada
Export requirements
Export permit
No formal export permit for a private pet move out of Canada.
Health certificate
MAST's Category 2 certificate (referred to in MAST's own documentation as Form D2 for dogs, Form C2 for cats), completed by a CFIA-accredited veterinarian. Source: MAST, mast.is, 2026.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Rabies titre test at an approved laboratory: CAD 130-260
Leptospirosis and core vaccination course: CAD 100-220
MAST import permit base fee: around ISK 40,000 (roughly EUR 270)
Quarantine, 14 days: around ISK 220,000 for a dog (roughly EUR 1,450), ISK 100,000-110,000 for a cat (roughly EUR 670-730)
IATA-compliant travel crate: CAD 100-350
Cargo fee, Toronto to Keflavik direct: EUR 600-1,400 depending on crate size and season
Agent and handling fees: EUR 300-600
Total typical range: EUR 2,400-3,900 for a dog, lower for a cat
Critical points
The 90-day wait runs from the blood draw date, not the date the lab result arrives and not the date of vaccination. Owners who count from the wrong date routinely miss their planned travel window by weeks.
The mandatory 14-day quarantine applies regardless of the direct flight and regardless of how straightforward the Canadian export paperwork is. Budget it in from the start, not as an afterthought once the flight is booked.
Despite the nonstop Toronto to Keflavik flight, the pet still travels as manifested cargo, not checked baggage, since Icelandair stopped accepting pets in the passenger hold on 1 November 2024.
MAST's Category 2 certificate (Form D2 or C2) is a different document from Canada's standard export paperwork used for most other destinations. Confirm your vet is CFIA-accredited and familiar with MAST's specific format before the appointment.
MAST's banned breed list applies on arrival regardless of Canadian export rules. A Pit Bull Terrier type or American Bulldog cannot enter Iceland even with complete Canadian paperwork.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Icelandair
Flies Toronto Pearson (YYZ) to Keflavik (KEF) direct, close to daily depending on season, around 5 hours 45 minutes. One of the few Iceland routes on this site with a genuine nonstop option, avoiding the hub transits France, Germany and Singapore all require. Since 1 November 2024, Icelandair no longer accepts pets as checked or excess baggage on any route, so this moves as manifested cargo through Icelandair Cargo.
Cargo Only
Air Canada
Operates the YYZ-KEF sector as a joint service alongside Icelandair on some schedules. Confirm directly which carrier's cargo terms and lead times apply if your booking is on Air Canada metal rather than Icelandair's own aircraft.
Cargo Only
Iceland entry requirements at a glance
The requirements for Iceland are thorough rather than difficult. Work through them methodically and confirm anything you are unsure about with the official source.
Getting the details right
If this is your first international move, consider an IPATA-registered pet transport agent. They handle the documents, airline booking and crate sizing, and can troubleshoot problems.
Get your pet used to the travel crate weeks in advance. A calm, crate-familiar animal travels far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at the airport.
Confirm live animal acceptance on every flight segment before booking. Not all aircraft or connections take pets, and cargo terms can differ leg to leg.
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Because MAST’s classification is about the origin country’s own rabies risk, not Iceland’s. Canada carries rabies in wildlife such as raccoons, skunks, foxes and bats, which places it on MAST’s Category 2 list. That triggers a 90-day wait from the titre test blood draw date, a step Category 1 countries such as Australia or most of the EU do not face.
No. The 14-day quarantine at an approved isolation station applies to every animal entering Iceland, regardless of flight routing or how compliant the paperwork is. The direct flight only removes the need for a connecting hub; it changes nothing about the mandatory isolation period on arrival.
From the date the blood sample is drawn for the titre test, not from the date the lab result comes back and not from the date of vaccination. This is the most commonly miscounted date on this route, so confirm it in writing with your vet.
Yes. Icelandair operates Toronto Pearson to Keflavik nonstop, close to daily depending on season, roughly 5 hours 45 minutes in the air. Since 1 November 2024, the pet travels as manifested cargo through Icelandair Cargo rather than as checked baggage, so book through the cargo desk rather than a standard passenger fare.
It is MAST’s own form for Category 2 origins, D2 for dogs or C2 for cats, distinct from the certificate used for Category 1 countries. A CFIA-accredited veterinarian in Canada completes it. Confirm your vet’s accreditation and familiarity with MAST’s specific requirements before the appointment.
Airline guides
Icelandair
Air Canada
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.