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Bringing a cat from the United Kingdom to France

Yes — taking a cat from Great Britain to France is straightforward. Your cat needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination with the 21-day wait after the first dose, and an animal health certificate (AHC) issued by an official vet within 10 days before entering the EU. Great Britain is an EU-listed third country, so there is no rabies blood test, and France places no breed restrictions on cats at all.
21 days
Wait after first vaccination
Counted in full days after the rabies jab
10 days
AHC validity for EU entry
From the day the official vet issues it
No test
Rabies titer
GB is an EU-listed country — exempt
No bans
Cat breeds
France restricts some dogs, never cats

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements — Cat · the United Kingdom → France
StepWhat to doWhen
MicrochipYour cat must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination — vaccinate first and the vaccination does not count. ISO 11784/11785 chips are read across the EU; carry your own reader if the chip is not ISO. Before anything else
Rabies vaccinationVaccinate against rabies once your cat is at least 12 weeks old, with an approved inactivated or recombinant vaccine. After a first vaccination, wait at least 21 full days before travelling; on-time boosters with no break in cover need no new wait. At least 21 days before travel
Animal health certificate (AHC)Book an official vet (OV) to issue an AHC for this trip. GB-issued pet passports no longer work for GB residents entering the EU. One certificate can cover up to 5 pets travelling together, and your vet will give you a non-commercial declaration to sign. After entry, the same AHC remains valid for 6 months of onward travel inside the EU and for re-entry to Great Britain while the vaccination stays valid. Within 10 days before you enter France
Arrive at a travellers' point of entryEnter France through a designated travellers' point of entry, where customs may scan the chip and check the AHC against your cat's microchip number and vaccination record. Arrival

Your preparation timeline

  1. 13+ weeks out — Microchip (if needed), then rabies vaccination; start the 21-day clock
  2. 2Final 10 days — Official vet issues the animal health certificate
  3. 3Travel day — Ferry, Eurotunnel or flight; keep the AHC with the person travelling with the cat
  4. 4Arrival — Chip and document check at the travellers' point of entry
The mistake that causes trouble on this route: Using an old pet passport. Since Brexit, a pet passport — even one issued by a vet in France on a previous holiday — no longer gets a GB-resident's cat into the EU. GOV.UK says the pet may be refused entry. Every trip from Great Britain starts with a fresh AHC.

Costs you can plan for

Neither the UK nor France charges a government fee for this trip. The cost is your official vet's charge for issuing the AHC — vets set their own prices and GOV.UK does not publish an official figure, so we do not quote one. Add the carrier's pet charge for the ferry, tunnel or flight.

✈️ Government rules are only half the trip. Airlines set their own pet carriage rules (crate size, breed limits, seasonal embargoes). Re-confirm carriage with your airline after you meet the rules above.

Questions people ask about this route

Does my cat need a rabies blood test for France?

No. Great Britain is on the EU's list of third countries exempt from the antibody titration test; the test and its 3-month wait apply only to non-listed countries.

Are any cat breeds restricted in France?

No. France's categorised-dog law has no equivalent for cats — every breed and cross of domestic cat may be brought in.

Can my cat travel with someone else?

Yes, if they travel within 5 days of your own journey to the same destination and carry your signed declaration naming them. Outside that 5-day window the movement stops being non-commercial — contact the APHA Pet Travel helpline first.

How many pets can travel together?

Up to 5 pets per owner for non-commercial travel, and no more than 5 pets in one private vehicle entering the EU. One AHC can cover all of them if they travel together.

Related guides

✓ Last verified: 2026-11-12

Official sources for this page

We check each rule against the exporting country's official page and the destination country's official page. If the two disagree, we show the disagreement instead of guessing.

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