AU

Importing Your Pet to Australia

Strict to import
Regulations checked

Australia has the strictest pet import process of any country in this guide. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) regulates it, and import permits are applied for through its BICON system. Unless your pet comes from New Zealand, Norfolk Island or the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, it goes into government quarantine at Mickleham in Melbourne, the only post entry quarantine facility for cats and dogs. Group 2 and Group 3 pets must arrive directly into Melbourne International airport, with no domestic transfers, wherever in Australia you’re going.

DAFF sorts the world into three groups: Group 1 (New Zealand, Norfolk Island, the Cocos Islands), Group 2 (approved rabies-free countries such as Singapore, Japan, Mauritius, Fiji and Hawaii) and Group 3 (approved countries where rabies is present but well controlled, which is where the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, most of the EU, South Africa and the UAE sit). Pets cannot be imported directly from any other country: the pet must first spend at least 180 days in an approved country and meet all the conditions for importing from there. For Group 3 pets the timeline is driven by the rabies neutralising antibody titre test (RNATT): microchip, rabies vaccination, then the blood draw, and there is no export to Australia until at least 180 days after the laboratory receives that sample. DAFF allows no exceptions.

DAFF tells Group 3 owners to allow at least 6 months for health checks, tests and paperwork.

Import Requirements

Every requirement below is taken from an official government page, and each one links to the page it comes from. The rules were last checked on 2 October 2026. They can change, so check the linked page again before you book.

Who is in charge

  • Cat and dog imports are regulated by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF); import permits are applied for through its Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON).
    Import permits for cats and dogs coming to Australia, checked 2 October 2026

Where your pet travels from

GroupWhat appliesOrigins
Group 1New Zealand, Norfolk Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands. New Zealand: no import permit and no quarantine if standard health certificate conditions are met. Norfolk Island: no permit and no quarantine if standard health certificate conditions are met. Cocos (Keeling) Islands: cats need an import permit but no quarantine; dogs from Cocos: no published pathway (the guides page says dog imports from Cocos are not accepted; the newer Cocos guide says contact DAFF). SourceNew Zealand, Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands
Group 2Approved rabies-free countries and territories (Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Iceland, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Tuvalu and Wallis & Futuna currently have no health certificate, so no export from them for now); import permit required (valid 12 months). No rabies vaccination or RNATT; official identity verification then 180 days' residence in a Group 1 or 2 country; minimum 10 days' quarantine at Mickleham for dogs and cats; dogs need Leishmania, Brucella (if entire) and Leptospira Canicola measures, and CIV vaccination from Singapore and Hawaii. SourceAmerican Samoa, Bahrain, Barbados, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, Kiribati, Mauritius, Micronesia (Federated States of), Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga (Kingdom of), Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna
Group 3Approved countries where rabies is present but well controlled (Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Seychelles, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & Grenadines and British Virgin Islands currently have no health certificate, so no export from them for now); import permit required. Rabies vaccination, RNATT, 180-day wait from the date the RNATT sample arrives at the laboratory, then minimum 30 days' quarantine at Mickleham, reduced to minimum 10 days if an official government veterinarian verified identity before the RNATT blood draw. SourceAntigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia (Republic of), Cyprus (Republic of), Czechia (Czech Republic), Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland (Republic of), Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Jersey, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa (Republic of), South Korea (Republic of), Spain (including Canary and Balearic Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America (excluding Guam and Hawaii), Uruguay, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (United States of America)
Non-approvedAny country not listed in Groups 1 to 3. Pets cannot be imported directly; the pet must spend at least 180 days in an approved country and meet that country's conditions. The former non-approved via Group 2/3 pathway is no longer available. Sourceall other countries
  • Dogs from Cocos (Keeling) Islands: the Cocos guide (page last updated 11 June 2026, the newer page) covers cats only and tells dog owners to contact DAFF at imports@aff.gov.au before planning. Treat a dog from Cocos as having no published direct pathway until DAFF confirms one in writing. Applies to dogs from Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
    How to bring your cat to Australia from Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Group 1 territory), checked 1 October 2026
    Official sources differThe step-by-step guides page (https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/cats-dogs/how-to-import/step-by-step-guides, page last updated 9 June 2026) says: 'We do NOT accept dog imports from Cocos (Keeling) Islands. You will need to import via one of the countries on this list.' Both are DAFF pages; the newer Cocos guide was preferred under the conflict rule, but the two are compatible in practice: no dog pathway is published, and DAFF must be contacted.
  • Cats and dogs can only be imported from an approved country (Groups 1 to 3); from any other country, all import steps must be completed in an approved country. Applies to dogs and cats from countries not in Groups 1 to 3.
    Step-by-step guides to bring your cat or dog to Australia, checked 1 October 2026
  • For a pet in a non-approved country, the pet must spend at least 180 days in an approved country and meet all conditions for importing from that country. Applies to dogs and cats from countries not in Groups 1 to 3.
    Step-by-step guides to bring your cat or dog to Australia, checked 1 October 2026
  • The former non-approved via Group 2/3 country pathway is no longer available; applicants must meet the conditions for the intended approved country of export. Applies to dogs and cats from non-approved countries.
    Cats and dogs frequently asked questions, checked 1 October 2026
  • A country-specific health certificate negotiated with DAFF is needed; where none exists, the cat or dog cannot be exported to Australia from that approved country. Applies to dogs and cats from approved countries.
    Step-by-step guides to bring your cat or dog to Australia, checked 1 October 2026
  • Approved countries with no health certificate currently in place (so no export to Australia from them for now): Group 2: Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Iceland, Kiribati, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Tuvalu, Wallis & Futuna. Group 3: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Jamaica, Seychelles, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Virgin Islands British. Applies to dogs and cats from the listed approved countries.
    Step-by-step guides to bring your cat or dog to Australia, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 1: New Zealand (and Norfolk Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands as Group 1 regions) is classified as Group 1 and approved for dog and cat imports. Applies to dogs and cats from New Zealand, Norfolk Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands (cats only for Cocos).
    Step-by-step guides to bring your cat or dog to Australia, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2: approved, rabies-free countries listed on the Group 2 guides (the cat and dog lists are identical). Applies to dogs and cats from Group 2 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3: approved countries where rabies is present but well controlled, listed on the Group 3 guides (the cat and dog lists are identical). Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026

Import permit

Microchip

  • Microchips starting with 999 are not accepted because they are not unique (Group 3 cat guide; the Group 3 dog guide states the same rule but misprints 'Microchip' as 'Microsoft'). Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries (quoted from the Group 3 cat guide; the Group 3 dog guide states the same rule).
    How to bring your cat to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 2 October 2026
  • AVID 9-digit microchips are not accepted; owners may send a microchip scanner with the animal. Applies to dogs and cats from all approved countries.
    Cats and dogs frequently asked questions, checked 1 October 2026
  • The dog or cat must be implanted with an ISO compliant microchip (generally 10 or 15 digits); microchips are the only approved identification method. Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries (the Group 2 guides state an equivalent ISO microchip rule in different words).
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026

Rabies vaccination

Rabies titre test

  • Group 3: the RNATT blood sample must be taken by a government approved veterinarian who scans the microchip, in an approved country, between 12 months and 180 days before export and after rabies vaccination (normally 3 to 4 weeks after a first vaccination; regularly vaccinated animals may be sampled sooner). The laboratory must use FAVN or RFFIT; a result of 0.5 IU/ml or more is acceptable. Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3: wait 3 to 4 weeks between rabies vaccination and the RNATT blood sample; if the animal has regular rabies vaccinations the sample may be collected sooner (check with the vet). Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • The laboratory must use FAVN or RFFIT and be approved by the competent authority of the exporting country; it may be in another approved country. Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • RNATT is valid 12 months (365 days) from the blood sample date, not for life; retest before expiry, with the new sample reaching the lab within 12 months of the original to avoid restarting the 180-day wait. Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries.
    Rabies vaccination and tests for cats and dogs coming to Australia, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3: no export to Australia until at least 180 days after the RNATT sample arrives at the laboratory; no exceptions. Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3: the official identity check is optional (it reduces post entry quarantine from a minimum of 30 days to a minimum of 10 days); if it is done, it must be completed before the RNATT and cannot be done at the same visit. Applies to dogs and cats from Group 3 countries.
    Rabies vaccination and tests for cats and dogs coming to Australia, checked 1 October 2026

Health certificate

  • An official government veterinarian must complete, sign and stamp every page of the veterinary health certificate, after the final health check and the second internal parasite treatment, within 5 days before export. Applies to dogs from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 1 New Zealand: either a pre-printed AUPET9 certificate issued by a private vet at an MPI listed practice, or an official assurance certificate AUPETOA9 issued by an MPI official veterinarian; the original must travel with the pet. Applies to dogs and cats from New Zealand.
    How to bring your cat or dog to Australia from New Zealand (Group 1 country), checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3 cats: an official government veterinarian must complete, sign and stamp all pages of the health certificate within 5 days before export, after the final check and second internal parasite treatment; each page needs the wet ink stamp. Applies to cats from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your cat to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2 dogs: the health certificate and laboratory reports must be endorsed by an official government veterinarian within 5 days before export; the official vet also supplies a seal for the crate and records its number. Applies to dogs from Group 2 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2 cats: the official government veterinarian endorses every page within 5 days before export, supplies a crate seal and records the seal number on the certificate. Applies to cats from Group 2 countries.
    How to bring your cat to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026

Other vaccines and tests

  • Group 3 dogs: test for Leishmania infantum (IFAT or ELISA) within 45 days of export. Applies to dogs from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3 dogs that are not desexed: test for Brucella canis within 45 days of export. Applies to entire (not desexed) dogs from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3 dogs: either vaccinated against or tested negative for Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola. Applies to dogs from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Dogs that have ever been in mainland Africa must be treated with imidocarb dipropionate by a government approved veterinarian within 28 days of export. Applies to dogs from Group 3 countries that have ever visited mainland Africa.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2 cats: feline enteritis, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus vaccinations are recommended but not required, and the Group 2 cat guide lists no blood tests. The Group 3 cat guide (updated 20 February 2026) likewise says these vaccinations are not mandatory and lists no blood test other than the RNATT. Applies to cats from Group 2 countries.
    How to bring your cat to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2 dogs: Leishmania infantum test (IFAT or ELISA, not rapid tests) within 45 days of export. Applies to dogs from Group 2 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2 dogs that are not desexed: Brucella canis test (RSAT, TAT or IFAT) within 45 days of export. Applies to entire dogs from Group 2 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2 dogs: Leptospira Canicola vaccination (primary course completed at least 14 days before export, or annual booster between 12 months and 14 days before) or a negative MAT within 45 days; a positive MAT makes the dog ineligible. Applies to dogs from Group 2 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Leptospirosis vaccine given in Australia does not cover serovar Canicola and is not compliant for import (relevant to Australian pets returning). Applies to dogs returning to Australia.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 2 dogs from Singapore and Hawaii must be fully vaccinated against canine influenza virus (CIV). Applies to dogs from Singapore and Hawaii.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 2 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3 dogs from the USA and South Korea must be fully vaccinated against canine influenza (primary course completed at least 14 days before export; boosters between 12 months and 14 days before export). Applies to dogs from the USA and South Korea.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 3 dogs from Canada: either full CIV vaccination, or 10 days’ isolation from other dogs plus a negative CIV PCR on a swab within 7 days of export and an examination within 48 hours of export. Applies to dogs from Canada.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026
  • Group 1 New Zealand: dogs that have lived outside NZ (other than since birth or import from Australia) need a negative Leishmania infantum IFAT or ELISA, sampled after at least 21 days in NZ; dogs that have lived in mainland Africa need imidocarb treatment. Applies to dogs from New Zealand that have lived elsewhere.
    How to bring your cat or dog to Australia from New Zealand (Group 1 country), checked 1 October 2026
  • Not required: Ehrlichia canis serological testing was removed for all dogs imported to Australia from 1 November 2022 (industry advice 203-2022, 21 October 2022). Applies to dogs from all approved countries.
    203-2022: Changes to Ehrlichia canis testing requirements for live dog imports, checked 1 October 2026
  • Not required: Babesia gibsoni. The Group 3 dog guide lists every laboratory report to bring to the final examination (RNATT, Leishmania, Brucella if entire, Leptospira if not vaccinated, CIV if required); no Babesia gibsoni test appears. Babesia applies only as imidocarb treatment for dogs that have been in mainland Africa. Applies to dogs from Group 3 countries.
    How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 1 October 2026

Parasite treatment

Quarantine

Arrival points and notice

Minimum age

How many pets

  • No official page states a rule on this. We confirm it with you for each move.

Banned and restricted breeds

  • Banned pure breed dogs (Department of Home Affairs legislation): dogo Argentino, fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, American pit bull terrier or pit bull terrier, Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.
    Cats and dogs frequently asked questions, checked 1 October 2026
  • Domestic/non-domestic dog hybrids (for example dog-wolf crosses) are prohibited, including but not limited to the Czechoslovakian wolfdog, Saarloos wolfdog, Lupo Italiano and Kunming wolfdog.
    Cats and dogs frequently asked questions, checked 1 October 2026
  • Non-domestic cat hybrids are banned (Savannah, Safari, Chausie and Bengal, and crossbred offspring); this is an environmental protection ban administered by DCCEEW.
    How to bring your cat to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 2 October 2026
  • Bengal cats are no longer permitted to enter Australia as of 1 March 2026 (changed in 2026; the previous version of this file said only that Bengal exemptions stopped from 1 March 2025). Same wording on the Group 1 New Zealand and Cocos guides.
    How to bring your cat to Australia from a Group 3 country, checked 2 October 2026
  • Mixed breed dogs, including mixes involving the banned pure breeds, are not restricted. Applies to dogs.
    Cats and dogs frequently asked questions, checked 1 October 2026

How your pet may travel

Official fees

  • Import permit fees are paid in full at application and are non-refundable; no permit is issued until payment clears. Fees are charged per animal in a consignment: AUD 626 for the first cat or dog (AUD 135 lodgement plus AUD 491 assessment) and AUD 299 for each additional animal in the same consignment (AUD 135 plus AUD 164). Assessment fees are minimums; extra fees may apply for incomplete applications, errors or variations. Fees are reviewed annually. Applies to dogs and cats needing a permit.
    Import permits for cats and dogs coming to Australia, checked 2 October 2026
  • Post entry quarantine fees per animal (DAFF fees page as read on 1 October 2026): reservation AUD 282, importation charge AUD 1,132 (both non-refundable unless exceptional circumstances apply), inspection AUD 84 and document assessment AUD 84 per 30 minutes, accommodation AUD 56 per day (AUD 560 for 10 days, AUD 1,680 for 30 days), out of hours collection AUD 176 weekdays or AUD 186 weekends and public holidays, other supervision or non-compliance costs AUD 42 per 15 minutes, release appointment (airline terminal service fee per air waybill, paid by the department on the importer's behalf) minimum AUD 170. Fees are calculated on a cost recovery basis and reviewed annually. Applies to dogs and cats entering post entry quarantine.
    Fees and charges (post entry quarantine), checked 2 October 2026
  • The quarantine account must be paid in full before release; extra charges apply for additional treatment, veterinary care or extended stays. Applies to dogs and cats entering post entry quarantine.
    Fees and charges (post entry quarantine), checked 2 October 2026
  • DAFF estimates the total government cost to import one cat or dog at AUD 3,114 with the minimum 10 days of quarantine, or AUD 4,234 with the minimum 30 days (FAQ updated 1 July 2026). Applies to dogs and cats from Groups 2 and 3.
    Cats and dogs frequently asked questions, checked 2 October 2026

Other conditions

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The 180-day rule and why you can't shortcut it

For pets coming from Group 3 countries (the UK, USA, Canada, most of the EU, South Africa), the timeline is controlled by one number: 180 days. The detail almost every guide gets wrong is where that number starts counting. It is not the vaccination date, and it is not the day the blood was drawn. DAFF says there is no export to Australia until at least 180 days after the RNATT sample arrives at the laboratory. Any time the sample spends in the post is added to your wait.

To reach that blood draw, the animal needs an ISO compliant microchip implanted first (chips starting with 999 are not accepted), then a rabies vaccination given at 84 days of age or older. The blood is taken by a government approved vet, normally 3 to 4 weeks after a first vaccination, and the laboratory must use FAVN or RFFIT with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml. The result is valid for 12 months from the blood sample date, and a Group 3 dog’s import permit runs to the same expiry, so the animal has to travel inside that window. DAFF says most permits are issued in 20 to 40 business days, but some take up to 123 business days.

One step is worth doing even though nothing forces you to: have an official government veterinarian verify the animal’s identity before the blood is drawn, at a separate visit. That is what reduces the Mickleham stay from a minimum of 30 days to a minimum of 10.

Mickleham: the one quarantine facility

Group 2 and Group 3 cats and dogs arrive in Melbourne and go to the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility. There is no home quarantine option. If you’re moving to Perth, Sydney, or Brisbane, your pet still arrives in Melbourne, completes quarantine, and is then released to you or transported onward.

You can only book Mickleham once your import permit has been issued, and holding a permit does not guarantee a place on the date you want. Don’t finalise your own travel date before you have a confirmed quarantine booking. DAFF estimates the total government cost to import one cat or dog at AUD 3,114 with the minimum 10 days of quarantine, or AUD 4,234 with the minimum 30 days, and the quarantine account must be paid in full before your pet is released.

Blood tests beyond rabies

DAFF requires more than the rabies titre for dogs. Group 3 dogs need a Leishmania infantum test within 45 days of export and, if they are not desexed, a Brucella canis test in the same window. They must also be either vaccinated against or tested negative for Leptospira Canicola. Dogs from the USA and South Korea must be fully vaccinated against canine influenza, and dogs from Canada need either that vaccination or isolation plus a negative PCR test. Ehrlichia canis testing was removed for all dogs from 1 November 2022. Group 3 cats need no blood test other than the RNATT.

Frequently Asked Questions

For pets from Group 2 and Group 3 countries, yes. They must complete government quarantine at the Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility in Victoria. For a pet from a Group 3 country it is at least 30 days, reduced to at least 10 if an official government veterinarian verified its identity before the rabies blood test; pets from Group 2 countries stay at least 10 days. Cats and dogs from New Zealand and Norfolk Island that meet the standard conditions have no quarantine. The quarantine account is the owner’s responsibility and must be paid in full before your pet is released.

For pets from Group 3 countries, which includes the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, most of the EU and South Africa, DAFF says to allow at least 6 months. The timeline is driven by the 180-day wait, and that wait starts when the laboratory receives the rabies titre blood sample, not when the blood was drawn. Group 2 pets, coming from approved rabies-free countries such as Singapore or Japan, follow a different path: they must have lived in a Group 1 or 2 country for at least 180 days since an official identity check, then spend at least 10 days at Mickleham. The United Kingdom is in Group 3, not Group 2.

Yes. The UAE is a Group 3 country on DAFF’s approved list, so your pet follows the Group 3 rules: rabies vaccination, the titre test, the 180-day wait and at least 10 or 30 days at Mickleham. It must arrive directly into Melbourne International airport. DAFF has confirmed that import requirements for cats and dogs from Middle Eastern countries are unchanged.

DAFF warns that from December to February temperatures at Mickleham can exceed 40C, a significant heatstroke risk for brachycephalic dogs and for animals that are old, overweight, unwell or have long or thick coats. Get veterinary clearance specific to your dog before booking.

BICON (Biosecurity Import Conditions) is DAFF’s online system for import permits and conditions. Group 2 and Group 3 pets need an import permit, which you apply for through BICON (AUD 626 for the first cat or dog in a consignment and AUD 299 for each additional one, paid at application and non-refundable). DAFF says most permits are issued in 20 to 40 business days, and some take up to 123 business days.

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Sources

Requirements on this page were checked against the authorities below. Rules change, so confirm current conditions with the relevant authority before you travel.