If you are relocating a pet from Iceland to Germany, the process is manageable once you know the sequence. Allow around 5-7 weeks and follow the steps in order to stay on track. Pets with correct documentation skip quarantine entirely.
A …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Iceland to Germany
typically takes around 5-7 weeks.
There is no routine quarantine on arrival for compliant pets.
A rabies titre test is not required.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Iceland to Germany pet import process
Each step must be completed in a precise sequence. Start early. We manage every stage and deadline.
1
Implant the ISO microchip if not already done.
Responsible: Icelandic vet
Start of planning.
2
Administer or confirm the current rabies vaccination.
Responsible: Icelandic vet
At least 21 days before travel.
3
Book the flight. Confirm whether you are going through Icelandair Cargo or Lufthansa, since the booking channel differs between the two.
Responsible: You or your agent
4-6 weeks before travel.
4
Get the MAST-endorsed health certificate on the EU form.
Responsible: MAST-accredited vet, endorsed by MAST
Within 10 days of travel.
5
Fly Keflavik to Frankfurt, or connect onward to another German airport.
Responsible: Airline cargo handler
Day of travel.
Requirements
What your pet needs to enter Germany
Every item below must be in place before your pet can travel. We manage and verify each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted before the rabies vaccination. Source: BMEL, bmel.de.
Rabies vaccination
Current rabies vaccination required, with a 21-day wait from the date of first vaccination before travel, the standard EEA protocol. Source: BMEL, bmel.de.
Rabies titre test
Not required. Iceland is treated as an EEA territory under the EU pet travel framework, the same category as any EU member state, so no titre test applies on this leg. Source: BMEL / EU pet travel regulations.
Quarantine
None for a compliant pet. Germany applies penalty quarantine only where documentation is wrong or incomplete.
Import permit
No formal import permit. The endorsed MAST certificate is the entry document.
Health certificate
MAST-endorsed certificate on the EU form, valid 10 days from issue to German entry.
Export permit (Iceland)
No separate export permit for a private pet move. MAST's endorsement of the health certificate is the export step.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Rabies vaccination and vet check: ISK 15,000-30,000 (roughly EUR 100-200)
MAST certificate endorsement fee: around ISK 6,600 (roughly EUR 44)
IATA-compliant travel crate: EUR 60-250
Cargo fee, Keflavik to Frankfurt: EUR 400-900 depending on crate size and season
Agent fee, if used: EUR 150-400
Total typical range: EUR 700-1,800
Critical points to read before you book
Icelandair stopped taking pets as checked or excess baggage from 1 November 2024. If you assumed you could add your pet to a normal Icelandair booking, you cannot. It now has to go through Icelandair Cargo as manifested freight, or through Lufthansa instead.
There is no titre test and no quarantine on this leg, provided the microchip, vaccination and MAST-endorsed certificate are all in order. This is the easiest of the three EU or EEA-adjacent directions covered for Iceland on this site.
The MAST certificate is only valid for 10 days from endorsement to German entry. Time the vet appointment close to your travel date, not weeks ahead.
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.
ICELANDAIR
Icelandair
Flies Keflavik (KEF) to Frankfurt (FRA) direct, around 10 times a week. Since 1 November 2024, pets no longer travel as checked or excess baggage in the passenger hold. A pet now moves as manifested cargo booked through Icelandair Cargo, a different booking process from a standard passenger fare.
Cargo Only
LUFTHANSA
Lufthansa
Also operates KEF to FRA direct, roughly 8 times weekly, and receives pets into its own Frankfurt Animal Lounge facility. Worth comparing if Icelandair Cargo's schedule does not suit your travel date, since Lufthansa still books pets through the ordinary cargo or excess baggage channel on this route.
Cabin and Cargo
How Germany handles incoming pets
Germany has a clear set of import requirements that are manageable with some planning. Follow them in order and keep an eye on the dates that cannot move.
What experienced owners do
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.
Microchip before you vaccinate. The microchip must be in place before the rabies shot for the vaccination to count, and getting this order wrong is the most common and costly mistake.
Use an official, government-authorised vet for the health certificate, not just your usual clinic. Many destinations only accept certificates signed by an approved vet.
FAQ
Common questions about Iceland to Germany pet transport
No. Iceland participates in the EU pet travel framework as an EEA state, so a pet moving from Iceland to Germany needs only a microchip, a current rabies vaccination with the standard 21-day wait, and a MAST-endorsed health certificate on the EU form. No titre test applies.
No routine quarantine applies for a pet arriving with correct documentation. Germany only imposes penalty quarantine where paperwork is missing or wrong, whatever the pet’s country of origin.
Not as checked or excess baggage. Icelandair stopped accepting pets in the passenger hold from 1 November 2024. A pet now moves as manifested cargo through Icelandair Cargo, booked separately from your own ticket. Lufthansa, which also flies Keflavik to Frankfurt direct, still offers a comparable route through its own cargo channel.
10 days from the date MAST endorses it to the date your pet enters Germany. Book the vet appointment and MAST endorsement close to your actual travel date rather than weeks in advance, or the certificate will expire before you fly.
Airline guides
Icelandair
Lufthansa
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.