Pet Transport from Iceland to the Netherlands

A move from Iceland to Netherlands with a dog or cat is mostly about preparing the documents in the right order. Plan on roughly 5-7 weeks; the checklist is clear and the timing is …

5-7 wks

Preparation needed

None

Quarantine on arrival

Moderate

Route complexity

Managed

Full door to door

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Lead time needed

5-7 weeks

Quarantine

None

Route complexity

Moderate

Airlines

2 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from Iceland to Netherlands 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 July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The import process, in full

Start of planning.

Implant the ISO microchip if not already done.

Responsible: Icelandic vet

At least 21 days before travel.

Administer or confirm the current rabies vaccination.

Responsible: Icelandic vet

4-6 weeks before travel.

Book the flight, confirming with the chosen carrier that live animal cargo space is genuinely available on your date.

Responsible: You or your agent

Within 10 days of travel.

Get the MAST-endorsed health certificate on the EU form.

Responsible: MAST-accredited vet, endorsed by MAST

Day of travel.

Fly Keflavik to Amsterdam Schiphol, or connect onward within the Netherlands.

Responsible: Airline cargo handler

Checklist

What your pet needs

Every item below must be completed and verified before your pet can travel. Expand each category for the detail.

Microchip

ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted before the rabies vaccination. Source: NVWA, english.nvwa.nl, checked July 2026.

Rabies vaccination

Current rabies vaccination required, with a 21-day wait from the date of first vaccination before travel, the standard protocol for a low-risk origin. Source: NVWA, english.nvwa.nl.

Rabies titre test

Not required. The Netherlands treats Iceland as equivalent to an EU member state for pet travel purposes, under the same Annex II listing that covers Norway, Switzerland and the Faroe Islands, so no titre test applies on this leg. Source: NVWA guidance on travelling from listed low-risk countries, checked July 2026.

Quarantine

None for a compliant pet. The Netherlands only imposes quarantine where documentation is missing or wrong, whatever the pet's country of origin.

Import permit

No formal import permit. The MAST-endorsed certificate is the entry document.

Health certificate

MAST-endorsed certificate on the EU form, valid 10 days from issue to Dutch entry.

Export permit

No separate export permit for a private pet move. MAST's endorsement of the health certificate is the export step.

Health certificate

Official certificate on the EU-specified form, completed by a MAST-accredited vet and endorsed by MAST. Valid 10 days from the date MAST endorses it to the date of entry into the Netherlands. Source: MAST, mast.is, checked July 2026.

We handle the regulations for every animal, every country, every airline, so nothing on your Iceland to Netherlands move gets missed.

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Airlines

Carriers on this route

Not all airlines accept live animals on this route. Confirm the operating carrier's current policy for every flight segment.

Icelandair

Flies Keflavik (KEF) to Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) direct, one of Icelandair's busier European sectors alongside Transavia's own nonstop service on the same city pair. 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 process from a standard passenger fare.

Cargo Only

Transavia

Also flies Keflavik to Amsterdam direct, but this is not automatically a pet-carrying option. Confirm with Transavia directly whether live animal transport is available on the specific flight you want, since low-cost carriers on this route do not all handle pets the same way Icelandair Cargo does.

Cabin and Cargo

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 Amsterdam: EUR 350-800 depending on crate size and season

Agent fee, if used: EUR 150-400

Total typical range: EUR 650-1,700

Critical points

Icelandair stopped taking pets as checked or excess baggage from 1 November 2024. A pet moving on the KEF-AMS sector now has to go through Icelandair Cargo as manifested freight, not through a standard check-in desk booking.

Transavia also flies this route nonstop, but do not assume every carrier on a city pair handles live animals the same way. Confirm directly with Transavia, rather than assuming Icelandair Cargo's process applies.

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 one of the simplest directions covered for Iceland on this site.

The MAST certificate is only valid for 10 days from endorsement to Dutch entry. Book the vet appointment close to your travel date, not weeks ahead.

Netherlands entry requirements at a glance

The path into Netherlands is straightforward to follow once you know the steps. Give the time-sensitive items priority and check the details below.

Getting the details right

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.

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.

FAQ

Common questions

No. The Netherlands treats Iceland as equivalent to an EU member state under the same Annex II listing that covers Norway and Switzerland, so a pet moving from Iceland needs only a microchip, a current rabies vaccination with the standard 21-day wait, and a MAST-endorsed certificate. No titre test applies.

No routine quarantine applies to a pet with correct documentation. The Netherlands only imposes quarantine where paperwork is missing or incorrect, regardless of where the pet started its journey.

Possibly, but confirm it directly first. Transavia flies the same nonstop city pair, but its live animal cargo process is not the same established one Icelandair Cargo runs since Icelandair stopped accepting pets as checked baggage in November 2024. Do not assume a low-cost carrier handles pets the same way.

No fixed national breed ban applies. The Netherlands dropped its pit bull ban in 2008 for a behaviour-based system instead, where an individual dog can be assessed and restricted if it shows aggression, rather than a breed being blocked outright. Check the specific municipality you are moving to for any local rules.

10 days from the date MAST endorses it to the date your pet enters the Netherlands. Time the vet appointment close to your actual travel date, since the certificate expires if booked too far in advance.

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