Home › From the United Kingdom › Dog to France

Bringing a dog from the United Kingdom to France

Yes — Great Britain to France is one of the easiest routes on this site, and the classic ferry and Eurotunnel run. Your dog 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 you enter the EU. Great Britain is an EU-listed third country, so there is no rabies blood test. One hard exception: France bans 'category 1' attack-type dogs from entering at all — see the warning below.
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
5 pets
Maximum per vehicle
Non-commercial limit into the EU

Step-by-step checklist

Requirements — Dog · the United Kingdom → France
StepWhat to doWhen
MicrochipYour dog must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination — if the order is wrong, the vaccination does not count and must be repeated. 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 dog is at least 12 weeks old, with an approved inactivated or recombinant vaccine. After a first vaccination you must wait at least 21 full days before travelling; boosters given on time, 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 — the AHC is the document. One certificate covers up to 5 pets travelling together, and your vet will also give you a non-commercial declaration to sign. After entry, the same AHC stays valid for 6 months of onward travel inside the EU and for re-entry to Great Britain, while the rabies vaccination remains 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 dog's microchip number, vaccination record and any required treatments. 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 dog
  4. 4Arrival — Chip and document check at the travellers' point of entry
The mistake that causes trouble on this route: France's dog categories — they override the EU paperwork. 'Category 1' dogs (non-pedigree dogs of pit-bull type, Mastiff/'boerboel' type and Tosa type) are totally banned from entering France, even just to drive through it. 'Category 2' dogs (pedigree American Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers, pedigree Tosas and Rottweiler-type crosses) may enter only under the conditions French law sets for the category. A perfect AHC does not save a category 1 dog.

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 ferry or Eurotunnel pet charge set by your carrier.

✈️ 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

Can I use my dog's old EU pet passport?

Not if you live in England, Scotland or Wales. GOV.UK is explicit: GB residents cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU, even one issued in the EU — you need an animal health certificate for each trip.

Does my dog need a tapeworm treatment for France?

No. The pre-entry tapeworm rule applies to dogs travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland and Norway — France is not on that list. Your dog WILL need a tapeworm treatment 24–120 hours before coming back into Great Britain.

Does my dog need a rabies blood test for France?

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

My dog is a Staffordshire Bull Terrier — is it banned in France?

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are not a categorised breed in France. The ban covers non-pedigree dogs that look like American Staffordshire Terriers ('pit-bull' type), Mastiff type or Tosa type. If your dog could be judged category 1 or 2 by appearance, get a vet's written assessment before you travel — French officials decide on morphology.

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.

Want a professional to run this route for you?

Licensed pet relocation companies handle permits, vet paperwork and flights daily. We are adding vetted partners for this route — check back soon.