Shipping a dog or cat from China to Macau rewards owners who start planning early. Expect around 16-20 weeks of lead time to line up the documents and the fixed waiting periods. No routine quarantine …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from China to Macau
typically takes around 16-20 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
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 China to Macau import process
01
Before the rabies vaccination, first step in the sequence.
Implant the ISO microchip.
Responsible: Vet in China.
02
After the microchip. At least 30 days before the blood draw.
Administer or confirm the rabies vaccination.
Responsible: Licensed vet in China.
03
30 days or more after vaccination.
Draw blood for the rabies antibody titre test.
Responsible: Vet plus an approved laboratory.
04
Fixed. This step sets the overall timeline.
Wait out the roughly three-month period from the blood draw date.
Responsible: Owner.
05
Once the wait period is nearing its end. The PS-1092 is valid only 30 days from issue.
Apply for the GACC export permit and IAM Import Licence for Live Animals (PS-1092) in parallel.
Responsible: Owner or pet transport agent.
06
2-4 weeks before travel; certificate close to departure.
Book the direct Air Macau, China Southern or China Eastern flight and obtain the final health certificate.
Responsible: GACC-authorised vet in China; owner or agent.
Requirements
Macau entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
Required. ISO 11784/11785 compliant, implanted before the rabies vaccination is given.
Rabies vaccination
Required. Given after the microchip, current and clearly dated on the health record.
Rabies titre test
Required. Mainland China is classified as rabies-endemic, so it does not qualify for IAM's exemption for countries or territories with no rabies incidents in the past two years, the same exemption this site's Hong Kong-to-Macau route benefits from. Blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, minimum result 0.5 IU/mL, then roughly a 3-month wait from the blood draw date before entry. Source: Instituto para os Assuntos Municipais (IAM) pre-entry inspection requirements, as summarised via PetTravel.com and gov.mo, 2026.
Quarantine
No mandatory quarantine for pets that meet the pre-entry requirements and pass an on-arrival inspection by an IAM veterinary surgeon. IAM dropped the previous 30-day mandatory quarantine for compliant dogs and cats in a policy update that took effect around June 2026.
Import permit
Import Licence for Live Animals (PS-1092), applied for through the Macao SAR Government Portal. IAM typically issues the licence within 3 working days, valid for 30 days once granted.
Health certificate
Official veterinary Health Certificate of Animal (form referenced as PS-1086 on the Macao SAR Government Portal), issued shortly before travel and covering microchip, vaccination and titre test results.
Leaving China
Export requirements
Export permit
Export permit from GACC required, particularly for purebred or registered breeds, before the pet leaves mainland China.
Health certificate
Official export health certificate issued by a GACC-authorised veterinarian, in the format Macau's IAM requires, confirming microchip, vaccination and clinical health status. Source: General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), english.customs.gov.cn.
Costs
What this route typically costs
GACC-authorised export health certificate and permit: CNY 500-1,500.
Rabies titre test and laboratory fee: CNY 800-1,800.
IAM Import Licence (PS-1092) application fee: modest, typically under CNY 500 equivalent.
Direct flight fare or cargo fee, mainland city to Macau: CNY 1,200-3,500 depending on distance, routing and crate size.
IATA-compliant travel crate: CNY 500-1,600.
Total typical range: CNY 3,000-8,400 over roughly 3-4 months, dominated by the titre wait rather than the short flight itself.
Critical points
Mainland China's rabies-endemic classification means it does not get the same treatment Hong Kong gets on this corridor. The full titre test and roughly 3-month wait apply, regardless of the short flight between the two territories.
The 3-month wait runs from the blood draw date, not the vaccination date. Miscounting this is a common source of delay.
The PS-1092 import licence is only valid for 30 days once issued. Apply against a confirmed flight date, not a provisional one.
A limited land-crossing allowance exists via Hengqin Port for residents of Macau's New Neighbourhood development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, letting them bring one dog or one cat across with a quarantine certificate and rabies vaccination proof. This does not currently extend to the general public; the flight and full IAM process above remain the assumed default outside that specific scheme.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Air Macau
Flies direct into Macau from a long list of mainland cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu, with no Hong Kong transfer needed, unlike almost every other route this site covers into or out of Macau.
Cabin and Cargo
China Southern Airlines
Also connects several mainland cities directly to Macau, a workable alternative depending on your departure city and schedule.
Cabin and Cargo
China Eastern Airlines
Covers the Shanghai side of this corridor specifically, direct into Macau.
Cabin and Cargo
What Macau requires
Bringing a pet into Macau involves a fair amount of documentation. Keep everything organised and check each item against the current requirements before you book.
Avoiding the common mistakes
Work backwards from your travel date and add a buffer. Fixed waiting periods mean a single slipped appointment can push the whole move back by weeks.
Check the airline’s crate size and labelling rules early. An undersized or wrongly labelled crate is a frequent reason pets are refused at check-in.
Ask about temperature embargoes for your travel window. Summer and winter cargo restrictions can rule out certain routes and dates entirely.
Book the titre test laboratory well ahead. Approved labs have limited slots and the sample takes time to process, so this is not something to leave to the final weeks.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Yes. Mainland China is classified as rabies-endemic, so it doesn’t qualify for IAM’s exemption the way Hong Kong does. A titre test, blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination with a result of 0.5 IU/mL or higher, followed by a roughly three-month wait, is required.
Yes, and it’s the most convenient routing this site documents for Macau. Air Macau, China Southern and China Eastern all fly direct from major mainland cities into Macau, with no Hong Kong transfer needed.
Not for a pet that meets the pre-entry requirements. IAM dropped its mandatory 30-day quarantine for compliant dogs and cats in a policy change that took effect around June 2026.
Only if you’re a resident of the Macau New Neighbourhood development in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, where a limited allowance permits one dog or one cat across Hengqin Port. This doesn’t currently apply to the general public.
Airline guides
Air Macau
China Southern Airlines
China Eastern Airlines
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.