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Pet Transport from France to United Kingdom

Moderate complexity 3-6 weeks typical

Planning to move your pet from France to United Kingdom? Get Your Quote

France and the UK share a border, but since Brexit they no longer share the same pet travel rules. The EU Pet Passport your vet issued in France is not accepted at UK entry points. What you need now is an Animal Health Certificate, issued by an official veterinarian, within 10 days of travel.

For most dogs and cats the preparation takes three to six weeks. If your pet is not yet vaccinated against rabies, allow at least 21 days after the vaccination before travel. If your dog needs a tapeworm treatment, that has to be done inside a strict 24-120 hour window before the UK arrival time, so timing matters.

The route itself is short. Direct flights from Paris Charles de Gaulle, Lyon, and Nice to London Heathrow, London Gatwick, or Manchester are straightforward once the paperwork is right.

Step-by-Step Process

1
Get your pet microchipped (ISO 11784/11785)

Before any vaccinations. Must be done first or on the same day.

Responsible: Your veterinarian

2
Rabies vaccination

After microchip. 21 full days must pass before entry into the UK.

Responsible: Your veterinarian

3
Tapeworm treatment (dogs only)

Administered by a vet between 24 and 120 hours before your dog's scheduled arrival time in the UK. Must be recorded in the AHC.

Responsible: Your veterinarian (must be an OV for the AHC record)

4
Obtain Animal Health Certificate (AHC)

Issued within 10 days of your travel date. Not valid if issued earlier.

Responsible: Official veterinarian (OV) in France

5
Book IATA-compliant flight and arrange pet cabin or cargo booking

2-4 weeks before travel. Confirm pet space is available: airlines limit numbers per flight.

Responsible: You (or your pet transport agent)

6
Travel day: arrive early, present all documentation at check-in

Allow extra time for document checks, especially cargo drop-off which is typically 3-4 hours before departure.

Responsible: You + airline

United Kingdom Import Requirements

What United Kingdom requires for pets entering the country.

Microchip

Required (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted BEFORE rabies vaccination. Vaccine is invalid if microchipped after.

Rabies Vaccination

Required. Minimum age: 12 weeks. 21-day wait after primary vaccination before travel. France is a Part 2 listed country under UK pet travel rules, so vaccination requirements apply but titre test is not required.

Rabies Titre Test

Not required. France is on the UK's approved country list (Part 2). Pets from listed countries do not need a titre test.

Quarantine

No routine quarantine for compliant pets. Penalty quarantine of up to 4 months at the owner's expense if documentation is incomplete or incorrect on arrival.

Import Permit

No separate import permit required. The AHC serves as the travel document.

Health Certificate

Required. Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official veterinarian (OV) in France. Must be issued within 10 days of travel. EU Pet Passports issued in EU countries are NOT accepted for entry to the UK since January 2021. You need an AHC, not a pet passport.

Exporting from France

What you need from France before your pet can leave.

Export Permit

No formal export permit for pets. An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) endorsed by an official veterinarian serves as the export documentation for UK-bound pets.

Cost Factors

Costs vary depending on pet size, transport method, and whether you use a transport agent.

  • Airline cabin or cargo fees (varies by carrier, pet weight, and crate size)
  • IATA-compliant travel crate (purchase or hire)
  • Veterinary fees: microchipping, rabies vaccination, tapeworm treatment
  • Animal Health Certificate fee (charged by the official veterinarian)
  • AHC endorsement fee if applicable
  • Pet transport agent fee (if using a relocation service)

Breed Restrictions

United Kingdom restricts or bans the following breeds from entry:

  • Pit Bull Terrier (banned)
  • Japanese Tosa (banned)
  • Dogo Argentino (banned)
  • Fila Brasileiro (banned)
If your pet is a restricted breed or a mix involving a restricted breed, contact us before making travel arrangements.

Important Warnings

The EU Pet Passport is NOT accepted for entry to the UK. You must have an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) regardless of how long you have had the EU passport. This catches many France-based pet owners by surprise.
The AHC is only valid for 10 days from the date of issue. Do not book your vet appointment too early.
Tapeworm treatment for dogs must be administered within the 24-120 hour window before UK arrival. Too early or too late and it does not count.
Microchip must be in place BEFORE the rabies vaccination. If it was microchipped after the vaccination was given, the vaccination is invalid and must be repeated.
The UK enforces breed bans under the Dangerous Dogs Act. Dogs resembling Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, or Fila Brasileiro types may be seized on arrival regardless of documentation.
Arriving without the correct documentation results in penalty quarantine of up to 4 months at your own expense.

Frequently Asked Questions

The process takes 3-6 weeks from start to finish. The rabies titre test requires a 3-6 month waiting period after the blood draw before your pet can travel, so start early.

No routine quarantine for pets entering United Kingdom with the correct documentation. No routine quarantine for compliant pets. Penalty quarantine of up to 4 months at the owner’s expense if documentation is incomplete or incorrect on arrival.

No separate import permit required. The AHC serves as the travel document.

Required. Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official veterinarian (OV) in France. Must be issued within 10 days of travel. EU Pet Passports issued in EU countries are NOT accepted for entry to the UK since January 2021. You need an AHC, not a pet passport. Your France vet must be approved to issue official veterinary certificates. The certificate must be issued within the timeframe required by United Kingdom: usually 10 days before travel. Present the original at check-in.

Yes. Not required. France is on the UK’s approved country list (Part 2). Pets from listed countries do not need a titre test. The microchip must be implanted before the first rabies vaccination for the vaccination to be valid. Start this process as early as possible.
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Route summary
  • From: France
  • To: United Kingdom
  • Complexity: Moderate
  • Timeline: 3-6 weeks
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