Relocating a pet from Ireland to Iceland follows a clear path once you understand what Iceland asks for. Set aside roughly 10-14 weeks for this route and keep a close eye on the sequencing. A 14 day …
In short:
Preparing to move a pet from Ireland to Iceland
typically takes around 10-14 weeks.
Expect 14 days of quarantine on arrival.
A rabies titre test is required, which adds a fixed waiting period, so start early.
Regulations checked
Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team
Step by step
The Ireland to Iceland import process
01
Start of planning.
Microchip implanted, before any rabies vaccination is given.
Responsible: Irish vet
02
45-60 days before import.
Primary rabies vaccination given, at least 45-60 days before the intended import date.
Responsible: Irish vet
03
Runs alongside the rabies schedule.
Core vaccination boosters completed: leptospirosis, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza.
Responsible: Irish vet
04
Roughly 5-6 weeks before target travel, allowing for lab turnaround.
Blood drawn for the rabies titre test (earliest 30 days after vaccination), plus Brucella canis and, for intact dogs, Leishmania tests, sent to an EU-approved laboratory.
Responsible: Irish vet and laboratory
05
At least 30 days before travel; book the station as early as possible given limited admission dates.
Apply to MAST for the import permit and book quarantine station space at Reykjanesbae or Mosel.
Responsible: Owner or agent
06
21-28 days before import.
First parasite treatment (21-28 days before import); Angiostrongylus vasorum test or preventive spot-on treatment.
Responsible: Irish vet
07
5-10 days before import, certificate submitted no later than 5 days before.
Second parasite treatment and health exam, then MAST's Form D1/C1 completed by the Irish vet and sent to petimport@mast.is.
Responsible: Irish vet
08
Day of arrival, followed by 14 days minimum.
Fly Dublin to Keflavik. Import inspection at the pet reception centre, then transfer to the quarantine station for the mandatory 14-day stay.
Responsible: Cargo handler and MAST officials
Requirements
Iceland entry requirements
Every item below must be in place before your pet can enter. We verify and track each one.
Microchip
ISO 11784/11785 microchip required, implanted before the rabies vaccination. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.
Rabies vaccination
Primary rabies vaccination required at least 45 to 60 days before the import date. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.
Rabies titre test
Required regardless of Ireland's rabies-free status. Blood drawn no earlier than 30 days after vaccination, tested at an EU-approved laboratory, result at least 0.5 IU/ml. Ireland sits on MAST's Category 1 list, the same tier as the UK and most of the EU, so once the result clears there is no further fixed wait, unlike Category 2 countries, which face an additional 90-day wait from the blood draw date. Source: MAST, mast.is, 2026.
Quarantine
Mandatory minimum 14 days at one of two approved isolation stations, Einangrunarstoedin i Reykjanesbae or Einangrunarstoedin Mosel, for every dog and cat entering Iceland, Ireland origin included. Category 1 status shortens the pre-export paperwork; it does nothing to the quarantine. Stations admit pets only within a fixed window roughly every three weeks, and Keflavik accepts arriving pets only between 06:00 and 17:00 on those dates. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.
Import permit
Required from MAST before travel, applied for at least 30 days ahead via the online portal (application 2.15) or, for applicants without an Icelandic ID number, by email to petimport@mast.is. Base fee around ISK 39,600 (roughly EUR 270), covering administration, the arrival inspection and the quarantine discharge check. Valid one year from issue. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.
Health certificate
MAST's own Certificate of Health and Origin, Form D1 for dogs or C1 for cats, completed by the Irish vet and sent to petimport@mast.is no later than 5 days before the import date.
Leaving Ireland
Export requirements
Export permit
No standalone export permit for a companion pet. The document MAST actually checks on arrival is its own Form D1 (dogs) or C1 (cats), not a general Irish export certificate.
Veterinary inspection
Clinical examination and certification by an Ireland-based veterinarian, confirming the pet meets MAST's stated conditions for a Category 1 country of origin.
Health certificate
MAST will not accept Ireland's standard Animal Health Certificate for this route. The vet must instead complete MAST's own Certificate of Health and Origin, Form D1 for dogs or C1 for cats, and send it to petimport@mast.is no later than 5 days before the import date. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.
Costs
What this route typically costs
Vet consultation and MAST D1/C1 certificate completion: EUR 250-450
Rabies titre test at an EU-approved laboratory: EUR 170-330
Brucella canis, and where applicable Leishmania and Angiostrongylus vasorum tests: EUR 170-380
Two rounds of parasite treatment: EUR 45-110
MAST import permit: around EUR 270
Quarantine, 14 days: around EUR 1,400 for a dog, EUR 640-690 for a cat
IATA-compliant travel crate: EUR 70-280
Cargo fee, Dublin to Keflavik: EUR 450-1,000 depending on crate size and season
Agent and handling fees: EUR 280-550
Total typical range: EUR 3,000-4,800 for a dog, notably lower for a cat
Critical points
Ireland's rabies-free status only removes the extra 90-day wait that Category 2 countries face after a titre test. Every dog and cat entering Iceland, Irish origin included, still spends a minimum of 14 days at Reykjanesbae or Mosel.
MAST will not accept an ordinary Irish Animal Health Certificate. The vet needs to complete MAST's own Form D1 (dogs) or C1 (cats), including negative Brucella canis and, for intact dogs, Leishmania results, and get it to petimport@mast.is no later than 5 days before the import date.
Icelandair is the only nonstop carrier on this route and stopped taking pets as checked baggage on 1 November 2024. Every booking runs through Icelandair Cargo, with its own space allocation and lead times.
Quarantine station admission runs on a fixed calendar, roughly a three-day window every three weeks, and Keflavik accepts arriving pets only between 06:00 and 17:00 on those dates. Book the quarantine slot before the flight, not after.
Airlines
Approved carriers on this route
Airline
Notes
Type
Icelandair
Flies Dublin (DUB) to Keflavik (KEF) nonstop roughly seven times a week, around 2 hours 35 minutes, the only airline on this city pair. Since 1 November 2024, Icelandair no longer accepts pets as checked or excess baggage on any route. This one moves as manifested cargo through Icelandair Cargo, booked separately from a passenger fare.
Cargo Only
Iceland import rules, explained
Iceland has a detailed set of import rules, and each one needs to be satisfied before travel. None of it is unusual, but the order and timing are what catch people out.
Practical tips for this move
Keep every original document together and take copies. Border officials want originals, and a missing signature or date can hold up clearance.
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.
FAQ
Common questions about this route
Yes. Category 1 status only removes the extra 90-day wait that Category 2 countries face after a titre test. The mandatory 14-day quarantine at an approved isolation station applies to every pet entering Iceland, Irish origin included, with no exemption for rabies-free countries or complete paperwork.
MAST’s own Certificate of Health and Origin, Form D1 for dogs or Form C1 for cats. This is not the standard Animal Health Certificate used for most other destinations. It must be completed by an Ireland-based vet and sent to MAST at petimport@mast.is no later than 5 days before the import date.
Form D1 also requires a negative Brucella canis blood test, and for intact dogs a negative Leishmania spp. test, both within 30 days of import. Dogs also need a negative Angiostrongylus vasorum test or a preventive spot-on treatment, plus current core vaccination against leptospirosis, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza.
Yes, one. Icelandair flies Dublin to Keflavik nonstop roughly seven times a week. It doesn’t carry pets as checked baggage, so the booking goes through Icelandair Cargo.
Budget roughly EUR 3,000 to EUR 4,800 for a dog, covering the titre test, the additional blood tests MAST requires, the import permit, the 14-day quarantine at around EUR 1,400, the crate and the cargo flight. A cat typically costs less, largely because the quarantine fee is lower and fewer of the additional tests apply.
Airline guides
Icelandair
Breed guides
Check breed-specific airline rules and country bans.