NZ GB

Pet Transport from New Zealand to United Kingdom

Moderate_high complexity 4-8 weeks typical

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

New Zealand is one of the cleanest starting points for UK entry: it’s on the UK’s approved country list, so no titre test is required. The main thing to plan around is the rabies vaccination. New Zealand is rabies-free, which is wonderful for the country’s biosecurity, but it means most dogs and cats there have never been vaccinated against rabies. You will need to arrange the vaccination and then wait the mandatory 21 days before your pet can enter the UK.

Beyond that, the practical challenge of this route is distance. There are no direct flights between New Zealand and the UK. Your pet will travel via Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, or an Australian hub. The connection adds journey time, and you need to account for it when calculating the tapeworm treatment window for dogs.

For most healthy, microchipped pets the preparation takes four to eight weeks from the point of vaccination. Use a pet transport specialist who knows the current routing options and seasonal embargoes.

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. At least 21 full days must pass before entry to the UK. Most NZ-based pets will not have had this vaccination: allow time for it.

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. Timing from UK arrival, not NZ departure.

Responsible: Your veterinarian (must record in the AHC)

4
Obtain Animal Health Certificate (AHC)

Issued within 10 days of travel by an MPI-approved Official Veterinarian.

Responsible: MPI-approved Official Veterinarian in New Zealand

5
Book IATA-compliant flight and arrange pet cargo booking

2-4 weeks before travel. No direct flights: confirm routing and confirm pet space is available.

Responsible: You (or your pet transport agent)

6
Travel day: deliver pet to cargo desk with all documentation

3-4 hours before departure. Transit ports will require documentation checks.

Responsible: You + airline cargo desk

United Kingdom Import Requirements

What United Kingdom requires for pets entering the country.

Microchip

Required (ISO 11784/11785). Must be implanted BEFORE the rabies vaccination. If microchipped after the vaccination, that vaccination is invalid.

Rabies Vaccination

Required. Minimum age: 12 weeks. At least 21 full days must pass after the vaccination before entry to the UK. New Zealand is rabies-free, so most pets will not have had a rabies vaccination. Allow time to vaccinate and wait the 21-day period before travel.

Rabies Titre Test

Not required. New Zealand is on the UK's Part 2 approved country list. Titre testing is not needed for pets from listed countries.

Quarantine

No routine quarantine for pets that arrive with correct documentation. Penalty quarantine of up to 4 months at the owner's expense for non-compliant arrivals.

Import Permit

No separate import permit required. The health certificate and AHC serve as travel documentation.

Health Certificate

Required. Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an MPI-approved Official Veterinarian in New Zealand. Valid for 10 days from the date of issue.

Exporting from New Zealand

What you need from New Zealand before your pet can leave.

Export Permit

No export permit required for cats and dogs leaving New Zealand. An official health certificate issued by an MPI-approved Official Veterinarian (OV) serves as the export documentation.

Cost Factors

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

  • Airline cargo fees (no direct NZ-UK flights, so transit routing adds cost)
  • IATA-compliant travel crate (mandatory for all cargo pets)
  • Veterinary fees: microchipping, rabies vaccination, tapeworm treatment
  • Animal Health Certificate issued by MPI-approved Official Veterinarian
  • Transit country vet checks if required by routing
  • Pet transport agent fee (strongly recommended for long-haul routing)

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

New Zealand is rabies-free, which means most pets will need their first-ever rabies vaccination before this move. Allow at least 4-5 weeks before departure: time for the vaccination appointment, the 21-day wait, and AHC preparation.
Microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. If your pet is vaccinated before microchipping, that vaccination is invalid and must be repeated after the chip is placed.
There are no direct flights from New Zealand to the UK. Your pet will transit through Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, or Australia. Each connection adds time and complexity.
Tapeworm treatment must fall inside the 24-120 hour window before UK arrival, not NZ departure. Account for total journey time including any layovers.
Summer temperature embargoes (December to February for Australian hubs, June to September for Dubai/Gulf hubs) can affect routing options. Plan your travel season carefully.
UK breed bans apply on arrival. Dogs resembling Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, or Fila Brasileiro types may be seized regardless of documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The process takes 4-8 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 pets that arrive with correct documentation. Penalty quarantine of up to 4 months at the owner’s expense for non-compliant arrivals.

No separate import permit required. The health certificate and AHC serve as travel documentation.

Required. Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an MPI-approved Official Veterinarian in New Zealand. Valid for 10 days from the date of issue. Your New Zealand 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. New Zealand is on the UK’s Part 2 approved country list. Titre testing is not needed for pets from listed countries. 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: New Zealand
  • To: United Kingdom
  • Complexity: Moderate_high
  • Timeline: 4-8 weeks
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