This is about as straightforward as moving an animal between countries ever gets, and the honest advice is to stop researching and book the vet.
Germany and Spain are both EU member states. No rabies antibody test. No quarantine. No …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Germany to Spain
typically takes around 20-26 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Marcus Webb, Senior Pet Relocation Consultant
Step by step
The Germany to Spain pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Microchip your pet (ISO 11784/11785 standard)
Responsible: Your veterinarian
First step - must be done before any vaccinations.
2
Rabies vaccination
Responsible: Your veterinarian
After microchip. 21-day wait before next steps.
3
Book IATA-compliant flight and cargo/cabin space
Responsible: You (or your pet transport agent)
2-4 weeks before travel. Confirm pet space with airline directly.
4
Obtain official veterinary health certificate
Responsible: Official veterinarian
Within 10 days of travel (check destination-specific requirement)
5
Travel day: arrive early, present all documentation at cargo desk
Responsible: You + airline check-in/cargo desk
3-4 hours before departure for cargo pets; 2 hours for cabin
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Spain
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
Required (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted before or on same day as first rabies vaccination
Rabies vaccination
Required. Minimum age: 12 weeks. 21-day wait after vaccination before travel. EU-harmonised rules. Vaccination must be recorded in EU pet passport or Animal Health Certificate.
Rabies titre test
Not required. The European Commission states the rabies antibody titration test is not needed between EU member states. Germany and Spain are both members, so no test and no associated waiting period apply.
Quarantine
No routine quarantine for pets entering with correct EU-standard documentation.
Import permit
EU pet passport or Animal Health Certificate serves as the travel document
Health certificate
Required. EU Pet Passport (for EU-resident pets) or Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for third-country pets. Issued by: Official veterinarian. Valid for 10 days from issue. AHC valid 10 days from issue for entry. Then valid 4 months for onward EU travel.
Export permit (Germany)
No formal export permit for pets. Health certificate and EU pet passport serve as documentation.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Airline cargo or cabin fees (varies by carrier, route, pet weight, and crate size)
IATA-compliant travel crate (purchase or hire)
Veterinary fees: vaccinations, microchipping, health certificate
Pet transport agent fee (recommended for complex routes)
Critical points to read before you book
Always verify current regulations with the destination country's official veterinary authority before travel.
Airlines
Carriers approved for this route
Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. We know which carriers to use and how to book.
LUFTHANSA
Lufthansa
Small pets (up to 8kg with carrier) allowed in cabin. Cargo: larger pets via Lufthansa Cargo in pressurised, temperature-controlled hold. Brachycephalic breeds restricted from cargo year-round
Cabin and Cargo
AIR FRANCE
Air France
Small pets allowed in cabin (up to 8kg including carrier). Cargo transport available for larger pets. Brachycephalic breeds subject to restrictions/seasonal embargoes
Cabin and Cargo
EMIRATES
Emirates
Cargo: Emirates SkyCargo handles all pet transport as manifested cargo. Brachycephalic breeds accepted with additional requirements and seasonal restrictions. Temperature embargoes during extreme heat (summer months in Gulf region)
Cargo Only
BRITISH
British Airways
Cargo: Pets transported via British Airways World Cargo in temperature-controlled hold. Book through approved cargo agent. No cabin pets on any route.
Cargo Only
SINGAPORE
Singapore Airlines
Cargo: Pets travel in temperature-controlled hold. Brachycephalic breeds subject to restrictions. Temperature embargoes apply on certain routes/seasons
Cargo Only
CATHAY PACIFIC
Cathay Pacific
Cargo: Pets travel as manifested cargo in temperature-controlled hold. Brachycephalic breeds restricted during summer months. Hong Kong AFCD import regulations must be met
Cargo Only
KLM
KLM
Small pets allowed in cabin (up to 8kg including carrier). Cargo: pets transported via KLM Cargo. Temperature restrictions apply. Brachycephalic breeds restricted from cargo
Cabin and Cargo
The only rule with a deadline
Your dog or cat must be at least 12 weeks old to receive its primary rabies vaccination, and you must then wait at least 21 days before travelling.
That is the whole timeline. If your pet already holds a current rabies vaccination recorded in an EU pet passport, and cover has never lapsed, even the 21 days does not apply again. You can travel now.
The sequence still matters. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination does not count and has to be repeated with a fresh 21-day wait behind it. This is the one mistake worth checking your paperwork for.
Why so many guides make this sound harder
Most pet transport content is written to one shape, and that shape assumes a titre test, a quarantine period and a six-month lead time. Applied to a move between two EU states, it describes a journey that does not exist.
Spain requires no rabies antibody test from another member state. It operates no quarantine for a compliant EU pet. It is not among Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland, the five that require tapeworm treatment, so no worming tablet is needed either.
The practical questions on this route are logistical, not regulatory: whether the animal flies in the cabin or the hold, whether driving is kinder than flying for a large dog, and how it will handle a Spanish summer on arrival.
Cabin, hold or car
A short intra-European sector is one of the few international routes where cabin travel is genuinely available for smaller animals, and the weight limit including the carrier is the deciding factor rather than the destination’s rules.
For a larger dog the choice is the hold or the road. Germany to Spain is drivable, and for an anxious or elderly animal that avoids the airport handling process entirely. It also sidesteps the summer heat embargoes that airlines apply to hold carriage, which on Mediterranean routes can close the option exactly when families want to move.
If you do fly in July or August, check the carrier’s temperature policy before booking anything else. It is the one thing on this route that can stop a compliant animal travelling.
FAQ
Common questions about Germany to Spain pet transport
No. The European Commission states the test is not required between EU member states, and both Germany and Spain are members. It applies to arrivals from most non-EU countries. Nothing on this route triggers it.
Twenty-one days after the primary rabies vaccination, which the animal must be at least 12 weeks old to receive. If your pet already has current cover recorded in an EU pet passport and has never lapsed, you can travel now.
No. A compliant pet arriving from another EU member state faces no quarantine. Documentation is checked and the animal travels on with you.
Not for Spain. The Echinococcus multilocularis treatment applies to dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Northern Ireland only. Spain is not on that list, so no tapeworm tablet is required.
Airline guides
Lufthansa
Air France
Emirates
British Airways
Singapore Airlines
Cathay Pacific
KLM
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.
Requirements on this page were checked against the authorities below. Rules change, so confirm
current conditions with the relevant authority before you travel.
IATA· International Air Transport Association, Live Animals Regulations
MAPA Spain· Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentacion, Spain