Pet Transport from the United Kingdom to Iceland

Relocating a pet from United Kingdom to Iceland follows a clear path once you understand what Iceland asks for. Allow about 10-14 weeks; the requirements are detailed but predictable once mapped out. …

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10-14

Weeks lead time needed

Start this early minimum

14 days

Quarantine on arrival

High

Route complexity

Airlines on this route

Lead time needed

10-14 weeks

Quarantine

14 days

Route complexity

High

Airlines

2 carriers on this route

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In short: Preparing to move a pet from United Kingdom 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 July 2026

Prepared and reviewed by Pet Transport Global Editorial Team

Step by step

The United Kingdom to Iceland import process

Start of planning.

Microchip implanted, before any rabies vaccination is given.

Responsible: UK vet

45-60 days before import.

Primary rabies vaccination given, at least 45-60 days before the intended import date.

Responsible: UK vet

Runs alongside the rabies schedule.

Leptospirosis, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza boosters completed, last dose at least 14 days before import.

Responsible: UK vet

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: UK vet and laboratory

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

21-28 days before import.

First parasite treatment (21-28 days before import); A. vasorum test or preventive spot-on treatment.

Responsible: UK vet

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 APHA OV and sent to petimport@mast.is.

Responsible: UK vet and APHA OV

Day of arrival, followed by 14 days minimum.

Fly Heathrow 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. The vet re-verifies the microchip number at every subsequent test or treatment ahead of travel. 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, maintained according to the manufacturer's schedule. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.

Rabies titre test

Required regardless of the UK'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. Because the UK sits on MAST's Category 1 list, the same tier as France and most of the EU, there is no further fixed wait once the result clears, 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, UK origin included. Category 1 status shortens the pre-export paperwork timeline; it does not touch the quarantine. Stations admit pets only within a fixed three-day window roughly every three weeks, and Keflavik accepts arriving pets only between 06:00 and 17:00 on those dates, with no overnight stay permitted at the airport. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.

Import permit

Required from MAST before travel, ideally applied for at least 30 days ahead via the online portal (application 2.15) or, for applicants without an Icelandic ID number, the English-language form emailed to petimport@mast.is. Base fee around ISK 39,600 (roughly GBP 220), covering administration, the arrival inspection and the quarantine discharge check, three working hours in total. Late or incomplete paperwork is billed extra by the hour. Valid one year from issue. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.

Health certificate

MAST does not accept the UK's standard bilingual Export Health Certificate. Instead, the APHA-authorised OV must complete MAST's own Certificate of Health and Origin, Form D1 for dogs or C1 for cats, then send it to petimport@mast.is no later than 5 days before the import date. Source: MAST, Guidance Notes D1, updated 1 July 2025.

Leaving United Kingdom

Export requirements

Export permit

An export application (EXA) is submitted to APHA alongside the certificate request; there is no separate standalone export permit for a companion pet.

Veterinary inspection

Clinical examination by an APHA-authorised Official Veterinarian (OV), confirming the pet is fit to travel and meets Iceland's stated health conditions.

Government endorsement

Only an APHA-authorised OV can issue and sign the Export Health Certificate (EHC). Applications submitted more than 7 working days ahead are processed 7 working days before the certification date. Source: GOV.UK, 'Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad: Getting an animal health certificate,' 2026.

Health certificate

Bilingual Export Health Certificate confirming microchip, rabies vaccination and general health, valid for a limited window around the travel date, typically 10 days.

Costs

What this route typically costs

APHA OV consultation and MAST D1/C1 certificate completion: GBP 200-400

Rabies titre test at an EU-approved laboratory: GBP 150-300

Brucella canis, and where applicable Leishmania and A. vasorum tests: GBP 150-350

Two rounds of parasite treatment: GBP 40-100

MAST import permit: around GBP 220

Quarantine, 14 days: around GBP 1,270 for a dog, GBP 580-630 for a cat

IATA-compliant travel crate: GBP 60-250

Cargo fee, Heathrow to Keflavik: GBP 400-950 depending on crate size and season

Agent and handling fees: GBP 250-500

Total typical range: GBP 2,700-4,400 for a dog, notably lower for a cat

Critical points

The UK's place on MAST's Category 1 list only removes the extra 90-day wait after a clear titre test. It changes nothing about the quarantine: every dog and cat lands at Keflavik to a minimum 14 days in isolation, regardless of a British passport or a clean bill of health.

MAST will not accept the standard bilingual Export Health Certificate that clears a UK pet into most other countries. The vet needs to complete MAST's own Form D1 (dogs) or C1 (cats) and get it to petimport@mast.is no later than 5 days before the import date. Briefing the OV early avoids a rejected certificate and a missed flight.

Beyond rabies, Form D1 asks for negative Brucella canis and, for an intact dog, Leishmania results, plus an Angiostrongylus vasorum test or preventive treatment. These are easy to miss if the vet is working from a general export checklist rather than MAST's specific one.

Quarantine station admission runs on a fixed schedule, 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 station before booking the flight, not after.

A dog that has not lived in the UK, or another Category 1 country, since birth or for the six months before travel does not yet qualify for the Category 1 route and may need to be treated as a Category 2 case instead. Check with MAST if your pet has a mixed residency history.

Airlines

Approved carriers on this route

Airline	Notes	Type
Icelandair	Flies Heathrow (LHR) to Keflavik (KEF) nonstop around 14 times a week. 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.	Cargo Only
British Airways	Also operates Heathrow to Keflavik nonstop, one of the few Iceland routes on this site with two separate direct carriers. Export bookings typically go through PetAir UK, BA's cargo partner, with IAG Cargo handling the crate through to the MAST-approved ground handler at Keflavik.	Cargo Only

How Iceland handles incoming pets

Iceland asks for several pieces of paperwork, and they all need to line up. A checklist and a clear timeline are your best tools here.

What experienced owners do

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, UK-origin pets 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 bilingual Export Health Certificate used for most other destinations. It must be completed by an APHA-authorised Official Veterinarian 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 either a negative Angiostrongylus vasorum test or a preventive spot-on treatment 5 to 10 days before import, plus current core vaccination against leptospirosis, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and parainfluenza.

Yes. Both Icelandair and British Airways operate Heathrow to Keflavik nonstop. Neither carries pets as checked baggage: Icelandair moves them as cargo through Icelandair Cargo, and British Airways through PetAir UK and IAG Cargo.

Budget roughly GBP 2,700 to GBP 4,400 for a dog, covering the titre test, the additional blood tests MAST requires, the import permit, the 14-day quarantine fee at around GBP 1,270, 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
British Airways

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Pet Transport from the United Kingdom to Iceland

The United Kingdom to Iceland import process

Iceland entry requirements

Export requirements

What this route typically costs

Critical points

Approved carriers on this route

How Iceland handles incoming pets

What experienced owners do

Common questions about this route

Airline guides

Breed guides

Move your petto Iceland.

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