--- title: "Pet Passport UK: What You Need to Travel in 2026 | Vet Price Comparison Site" description: "Can you still get a pet passport in the UK? Learn which documents are valid, when you need an Animal Health Certificate, the rules for dogs and cats, and how to compare AHC prices." lang: en json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "name": "The Vet Price Comparison Site", "alternateName": "VetPrices", "url": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "The Vet Price Comparison Site", "alternateName": "VetPrices", "url": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk", "logo": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/web-app-manifest-512x512.png" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Pet Passports in the UK: What You Need to Travel With Your Pet", "description": "Can you still get a pet passport in the UK? Learn which documents are valid, when you need an Animal Health Certificate, the rules for dogs and cats, and how to compare AHC prices.", "image": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/assets/pet-passport-uk-BAlDXG08.webp", "datePublished": "22 September 2026", "dateModified": "22 September 2026", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "The Vet Price Comparison Site editorial team" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Vet Price Comparison Site", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/web-app-manifest-512x512.png" } }, "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/blog/pet-passport-uk" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/blog" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pet Passports in the UK: What You Need to Travel With Your Pet", "item": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/blog/pet-passport-uk" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can UK vets issue pet passports?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Vets in Great Britain do not issue EU pet passports. For a non-commercial trip from England, Scotland or Wales to the EU, most GB residents need an Animal Health Certificate signed by an Official Veterinarian. Different rules apply to direct travel to Northern Ireland." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Is a dog passport the same as a pet passport?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Dog passport and cat passport are everyday names people use for pet travel documents; they are not separate official products. The document you need depends on where you live, where the document was issued and where you are travelling." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much is a pet passport in the UK?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For most GB residents travelling to the EU, the relevant cost is an Animal Health Certificate rather than a new pet passport. In data checked on 21 September 2026, verified AHC providers advertised prices from £69, with a median of £140 for one pet. Vaccinations, consultations and urgent appointments may cost extra." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does a pet passport last?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A valid pet passport can continue to be used while its recorded rabies vaccination remains in date and the document meets the rules for your journey. An Animal Health Certificate is different: it is valid for EU entry for 10 days after issue and for onward EU travel and return to Great Britain for six months, but a new AHC is required for each separate outbound trip from Great Britain." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a new Animal Health Certificate for every trip?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. A GB resident travelling from Great Britain to the EU normally needs a new Animal Health Certificate for each separate trip, even when the pet's rabies vaccination is still valid." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can one Animal Health Certificate cover several pets?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "One Animal Health Certificate can normally cover up to five dogs, cats or ferrets travelling on a non-commercial journey. Different rules can apply to more than five animals and to journeys involving sale or transfer of ownership." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://vetpricecomparisonsite.co.uk/blog" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Pet Passports in the UK: What You Need to Travel With Your Pet" } ] } ] --- [Compare Vet Prices](/find-a-vet)[Compare Health Plans](/compare-pet-plans)[Pricing Map](/county-pricing)[About Us](/#who-we-are) [![The Vet Price Comparison Site](/assets/logo-v3-BBKbOnyg.webp)](/) [Blog](/blog)[For Vets](/for-vets)[Claim Your Listing](/practice/claim) [Compare Vet Prices](/find-a-vet)[Compare Health Plans](/compare-pet-plans)[Pricing Map](/county-pricing)[About Us](/#who-we-are)[Blog](/blog)[For Vets](/for-vets)[Claim Your Listing](/practice/claim)[Claim Your Listing](/practice/claim) 1. [Home](/) 3. [Blog](/blog) 5. Pet Passports in the UK: What You Need to Travel With Your Pet [Back to Blog](/blog) Pet Travel 22 September 2026 9 min read # Pet Passports in the UK: What You Need to Travel With Your Pet By The Vet Price Comparison Site editorial team · Last reviewed 22 September 2026 ![Pet Passports in the UK: What You Need to Travel With Your Pet](/assets/pet-passport-uk-BAlDXG08.webp) **A pet passport is an official record that identifies a dog, cat or ferret and records the health information needed for international travel.** It normally includes the animal's microchip details and rabies vaccination. But if your main home is in England, Scotland or Wales, “pet passport” is no longer the name of the document you usually need for a holiday in the EU. For most residents of Great Britain travelling to the EU, the current document is an [Animal Health Certificate (AHC)](/animal-health-certificate). The distinction matters: turning up with the wrong paperwork can delay your journey or mean your pet cannot travel. The short answer for GB residents Travelling from Great Britain to the EU with a dog, cat or ferret? Arrange an AHC with an Official Veterinarian, unless official guidance for your circumstances says otherwise. Going directly to Northern Ireland is different: most GB residents use the free Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document. Rules can change, so check GOV.UK and your destination before booking. ## Pet passport vs Animal Health Certificate Question Pet passport Animal Health Certificate **What is it?** A reusable record of identity, rabies vaccination and other travel treatments. A certificate prepared for a particular journey from Great Britain. **Who normally uses it?** Eligible travellers whose document was issued by an authorised country and remains valid for that journey. Most people whose main residence is in Great Britain and who are taking a pet to the EU. **Can a GB vet issue one now?** A vet in Great Britain cannot issue an EU pet passport. Yes, if the vet is authorised as an Official Veterinarian. **Repeat trips?** A valid passport can be reusable while its entries, including rabies cover, remain valid. No. You need a new AHC for each separate outbound trip from Great Britain. **Travel window** Depends on the passport and valid health entries. EU entry within 10 days of issue; then up to six months for onward EU travel and return to Great Britain. **Typical cost for a GB traveller** There is no current GB-issued EU passport price to compare. Our verified provider data starts at £69; other fees may apply. “Dog passport”, “cat passport” and “animal passport” are common search terms, not different official documents. Dogs do have one extra consideration: tapeworm treatment is required for certain destinations and for the return to Great Britain from most countries. ## Can I still use a pet passport from Great Britain? A pet passport issued in Great Britain is not valid for entering the EU. A GB passport issued before 1 January 2021 may still be accepted for the return journey into Great Britain, provided the document and its health entries meet the entry rules, but it does not replace the document needed for the outbound leg. There is another important change for 2026. From 22 April, EU pet passports may only be issued to people whose main home is in the EU. The UK Government advises GB residents not to rely on an EU-issued passport for entry to the EU, including passports obtained through a holiday home or seasonal visit. To avoid problems at the border, GB residents should obtain an AHC for the outward journey. An EU or Northern Ireland passport may still be relevant in other circumstances, including some return journeys into Great Britain. This is why advice that simply says “EU pet passports are valid” is incomplete: the owner's residence, issuing country and direction of travel all matter. ## What you need to take a pet from Great Britain to the EU Start with the date of travel and work backwards. Do not leave the first conversation with your vet until the final ten days. 1. **Check the destination and route.** Each country can impose additional entry conditions, and you must use an approved route when returning to Great Britain. 2. **Check the microchip.** Your pet must be microchipped before, or at the same appointment as, the rabies vaccination. If the chip was fitted later, the vaccination does not count for travel. 3. **Check rabies cover.** A pet must be at least 12 weeks old for vaccination. After a first vaccination or restarted course, the wait is at least 21 full days and can be longer for some vaccines. There is no new wait after an uninterrupted booster. 4. **Find an Official Veterinarian.** Not every vet can sign an AHC. Ask early whether the practice has an OV and what records it needs. 5. **Book the AHC in the correct window.** The certificate must be issued no more than 10 days before entry into the EU. Day one is the date it is issued. 6. **Arrange tapeworm treatment where required.** Dogs entering Finland, Ireland, Malta or Norway need treatment recorded by a vet 24 to 120 hours before arrival. Dogs returning to Great Britain need the same treatment from most countries. Cats and ferrets do not. Take the pet and its vaccination record to the AHC appointment. The Official Veterinarian needs to check the animal's identity and evidence of valid rabies vaccination before signing. ## How much is a pet passport in the UK? For most GB residents, the useful question is now “How much does an Animal Health Certificate cost?” rather than the price of a pet passport. There is no standard fee: providers set their own prices, and the amount can depend on whether a consultation, home visit or urgent turnaround is included. In our provider data checked against published price pages on 21 September 2026, verified AHC prices for one pet began at **£69** and the median was **£140**. Vet practices publishing AHCs on their general price lists had a higher median of about **£230**. These are advertised figures, not quotes for every case. Before choosing the cheapest figure, check what it covers. A rabies vaccination, routine consultation, courier charge, additional pet or urgent appointment may be billed separately. Use our [Animal Health Certificate price comparison](/animal-health-certificate) to search by postcode and switch between nearby vet practices and pet-travel specialists. ## Northern Ireland is different For a direct journey from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, GB residents normally use the free Northern Ireland Pet Travel Document. It is linked to the pet's microchip, does not require a vet visit and lasts for the animal's lifetime. That document is for eligible direct journeys to Northern Ireland. If you are travelling onwards to Ireland or another EU country, different EU travel rules apply and an AHC may be needed. Northern Ireland residents and journeys that begin elsewhere follow different guidance, so check DAERA before travelling. ## Five common journeys, in plain English ### England to France with a dog A GB resident normally needs a microchip, valid rabies vaccination and a new AHC for the trip. France does not require the outbound tapeworm treatment, but the dog normally needs treatment from a vet 24 to 120 hours before returning to Great Britain. ### Returning to Great Britain from the EU The AHC used for the outward journey can cover the return for up to six months after issue, provided the pet's rabies vaccination remains valid. A valid EU or Northern Ireland passport, or an eligible GB passport issued before 1 January 2021, may also be accepted for entry to Great Britain. Check the document and tapeworm requirements before setting off. ### Travelling with a cat The microchip, rabies and travel-document rules apply to cats as well as dogs. The tapeworm rule does not. “Cat passport” is simply an informal way of describing the relevant pet travel paperwork. ### You already hold a passport issued outside Great Britain Do not assume that the cover colour or issuing country settles the question. Since April 2026, residence also matters for outbound EU travel. Check the current government guidance for the journey; GB residents are advised to obtain an AHC. ### More than five pets, or a sale or transfer The ordinary pet travel rules cover non-commercial movement of up to five pets. Exceptions can apply for competitions, shows or sporting events. A journey involving sale, rehoming or transfer of ownership may be treated as commercial movement and needs separate advice. ## Pet passport questions ### Can UK vets issue pet passports? Vets in Great Britain do not issue EU pet passports. For a non-commercial trip from England, Scotland or Wales to the EU, most GB residents need an Animal Health Certificate signed by an Official Veterinarian. Different rules apply to direct travel to Northern Ireland. ### Is a dog passport the same as a pet passport? Yes. Dog passport and cat passport are everyday names people use for pet travel documents; they are not separate official products. The document you need depends on where you live, where the document was issued and where you are travelling. ### How much is a pet passport in the UK? For most GB residents travelling to the EU, the relevant cost is an AHC rather than a new pet passport. Verified AHC providers in our data advertised prices from £69, with a median of £140 for one pet on 21 September 2026. Vaccinations, consultations and urgent appointments may cost extra. ### How long does a pet passport last? A valid passport can continue to be used while its recorded rabies vaccination remains in date and it meets the rules for your journey. An AHC is different: it allows EU entry within 10 days of issue and covers onward EU travel and return to Great Britain for six months, but cannot be reused for another outbound trip from Great Britain. ### Do I need a new AHC for every trip? Yes. A GB resident travelling from Great Britain to the EU normally needs a new AHC for each separate trip, even when the pet's rabies vaccination is still valid. ### Can one AHC cover several pets? One certificate can normally cover up to five dogs, cats or ferrets travelling on a non-commercial journey. Different rules can apply to more than five animals and to journeys involving sale or transfer of ownership. > **Checked 22 September 2026.** Pet travel rules can change and destinations may add their own requirements. Check the current GOV.UK guidance and the rules for the country you are entering before you pay or travel. ## Sources & further reading - [GOV.UK — Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad](https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad) - [GOV.UK — Getting an animal health certificate](https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad/getting-an-animal-health-certificate) - [GOV.UK — Pet passports and documents for EU travel](https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad/pet-passport) - [GOV.UK — Tapeworm treatment for dogs](https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad/tapeworm-treatment-for-dogs) - [GOV.UK — Bringing a pet into Great Britain](https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain) - [DAERA — Great Britain to Northern Ireland pet travel guidance](https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/great-britain-northern-ireland-pet-travel-guidance) [Browse all articles](/blog) [![The Vet Price Comparison Site](/assets/logo-v3-BBKbOnyg.webp)](/) The UK's leading vet price comparison site. 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