Home › From the United Kingdom › Ferret to France
Bringing a ferret from the United Kingdom to France
Step-by-step checklist
| Step | What to do | When |
|---|---|---|
| Microchip | Your ferret must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination — otherwise the vaccination has to be repeated. | Before anything else |
| Rabies vaccination | Your ferret must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated, and you must wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination before travelling. No wait is needed after a booster if cover has never lapsed. | At least 21 days before a first trip |
| Animal health certificate | An official veterinarian (OV) issues an AHC for the trip — up to 5 pets can travel on one certificate, and you need a new one for each separate trip to the EU. Take proof of microchipping and vaccination history to the appointment, and sign the declaration that you will not sell or re-home the ferret abroad. | Within 10 days of entering France |
| Arrive through a travellers' point of entry | On arrival in France you may need to show the AHC with proof of the microchip and rabies vaccination. If someone else travels with your ferret, they must travel within 5 days of your own journey, with your signed authorisation. | Arrival day |
Your preparation timeline
- 1Once, before the first trip — Microchip + rabies vaccination, then wait at least 21 days
- 2Within 10 days of travel — Official vet issues the animal health certificate
- 3Travel day — Ferry, Eurotunnel or flight to France; documents checked at the point of entry
- 4Up to 6 months after entry — Onward travel inside the EU, and re-entry to Great Britain, on the same certificate while the vaccination stays valid
Costs you can plan for
There is no EU or French entry fee for a pet ferret. Your costs are the official vet's fee for the animal health certificate (vets set their own fees — GOV.UK publishes no set price), any vaccination updates, and the crossing itself.
Questions people ask about this route
Can I use my ferret's Great Britain pet passport for France?
No. GOV.UK and the European Commission both state that a pet passport issued to an owner resident in Great Britain is no longer valid for travel to the EU. You need an animal health certificate for each trip.
Does my ferret need a rabies blood test for France?
No. Great Britain is listed in Annex II to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/636, which exempts pets entering the EU from the titration test.
Does my ferret need tapeworm treatment for France?
No. Tapeworm treatment is a dog-only requirement, and it only applies before entering Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway — not France, and never for ferrets.
Can I come back to Great Britain on the same certificate?
Yes. The AHC stays valid for re-entry to Great Britain for 6 months from issue, as long as the rabies vaccination has not expired in the meantime.
Related guides
- Bringing a dog from the United Kingdom to France
- Rabies titer tests (FAVN / RNATT): validity and waiting periods by country
- How many days before travel do you need a pet health certificate?
- Pet quarantine by country: how long, where, and how to avoid it
- Microchip before or after rabies vaccination?
- How far in advance should you start preparing?
Official sources for this page
- GOV.UK — Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad
- European Commission — Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country
- European Commission — Listing of territories and non-EU countries (Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2026/636)
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.