ES GB

Pet Transport from Spain to United Kingdom

Moderate complexity 3-6 weeks typical

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

Tens of thousands of British and Irish expats live in Spain, and many at some point need to bring their dog or cat home. Since Brexit, the process has changed significantly. The EU Pet Passport that your Spanish vet issued is no longer accepted at UK ports of entry. In its place, you need an Animal Health Certificate, which must be issued by an official veterinarian within 10 days of travel.

For a healthy, microchipped, vaccinated dog or cat, preparation typically takes three to six weeks. The main variables are how recently your pet was vaccinated against rabies (21 days must have passed) and, for dogs, the timing of the tapeworm treatment, which must happen within a specific window before UK arrival.

Direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, and Palma to UK airports make this one of the more accessible international pet transport routes, once the paperwork is sorted.

Step-by-Step Process

1
Get your pet microchipped (ISO 11784/11785)

Before any vaccinations. This is non-negotiable for UK entry.

Responsible: Your veterinarian

2
Rabies vaccination

After microchip. At least 21 full days must pass before entry to the UK.

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. This timing is strict.

Responsible: Your veterinarian (must record in the AHC)

4
Obtain Animal Health Certificate (AHC)

Issued within 10 days of travel. The OCA or official veterinary authority in your region must endorse it for UK travel.

Responsible: Official veterinarian (OV) in Spain

5
Book IATA-compliant flight and arrange cabin or cargo pet booking

2-4 weeks before travel. Confirm pet space availability directly with the airline.

Responsible: You (or your pet transport agent)

6
Travel day: arrive early, have all documents ready

Allow 3-4 hours before departure if travelling as cargo. Cabin pet check-in follows standard airline check-in with documentation review.

Responsible: You + airline

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. A vaccination given before the microchip is invalid and must be repeated.

Rabies Vaccination

Required. Minimum age: 12 weeks. At least 21 full days must pass after the primary vaccination before entry to the UK. Spain is a Part 2 listed country under UK pet travel rules, so titre testing is not required.

Rabies Titre Test

Not required. Spain is on the UK's approved country list (Part 2 listed). No titre test needed for pets with a valid post-microchip rabies vaccination.

Quarantine

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

Import Permit

No separate import permit required. The AHC acts as the travel document.

Health Certificate

Required. Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official veterinarian (OV) in Spain. Valid for 10 days from issue date. EU Pet Passports are NOT valid for UK entry since January 2021. An AHC must be obtained even if you have an existing EU pet passport.

Exporting from Spain

What you need from Spain before your pet can leave.

Export Permit

No formal export permit required. An Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued and endorsed by an official veterinarian in Spain serves as the travel document for UK entry.

Cost Factors

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

  • Airline cabin or cargo fees (varies by carrier, pet weight, and crate size)
  • IATA-compliant travel crate (if travelling as cargo or under-seat in cabin)
  • Veterinary fees: microchipping, rabies vaccination, tapeworm treatment
  • Animal Health Certificate issued by official veterinarian in Spain
  • AHC endorsement fee from regional veterinary authority (OCA)
  • Pet transport agent fee (if using a relocation service)

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

The EU Pet Passport is not accepted for UK entry. Even if your pet has a perfectly valid EU passport with all vaccinations up to date, you must get a new Animal Health Certificate. This is one of the most common mistakes made by pet owners moving from Spain to the UK.
The AHC is valid for 10 days from the date it is issued. Organise your vet appointment close to your travel date.
Tapeworm treatment must fall inside the 24-120 hour window before UK arrival, not departure. Account for flight time when calculating.
Microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. If your pet was vaccinated first and microchipped later, that vaccination does not count.
Budget airlines operating Spain-UK routes (Ryanair, easyJet) do not accept pets. You will need to use a full-service carrier or a dedicated pet cargo service.
UK breed bans apply at the border. Dogs resembling banned types (Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro) can be seized regardless of documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The process takes 3-6 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 applies for non-compliant arrivals.

No separate import permit required. The AHC acts as the travel document.

Required. Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official veterinarian (OV) in Spain. Valid for 10 days from issue date. EU Pet Passports are NOT valid for UK entry since January 2021. An AHC must be obtained even if you have an existing EU pet passport. Your Spain 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. Spain is on the UK’s approved country list (Part 2 listed). No titre test needed for pets with a valid post-microchip rabies vaccination. 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: Spain
  • To: United Kingdom
  • Complexity: Moderate
  • Timeline: 3-6 weeks
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