Bringing your pet to France: rules and logistics

Pets are welcome in France, but there are strict rules relating to bringing pets into the country. If you plan to take a pet to France, it’s important to check the latest French regulations. Make sure you have the correct papers for France, as well as all the countries you pass through. Be aware that these may differ from country to country depending on where you are relocating your pet from.

This article includes the following topics:

French pet import regulations

For a non-commercial move, you can generally bring up to five pets into France. Dogs, cats, and ferrets should travel with their owner; if an authorized person accompanies them instead, the owner’s journey must take place within five days of the pet’s journey. Different rules apply if you are transporting more than five animals or if the move involves a sale or transfer of ownership.

Rules for dogs, cats, and ferrets

Dogs, cats, and ferrets traveling to France from another EU country or Northern Ireland normally need a valid European pet passport. France also accepts pet passports issued in certain listed non-EU countries and territories, including Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

For entry into France, dogs, cats, and ferrets must be identified by microchip, or by a clearly readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011, and have a valid rabies vaccination. The animal must be at least 12 weeks old for its first rabies vaccination and, after a primary vaccination, you must wait at least 21 days before travel. France does not admit young dogs, cats, or ferrets that are not yet fully immune after rabies vaccination, so they are generally at least 15 weeks old when they enter.

If you are traveling from a non-EU country, you must declare and present your pet to Customs on arrival in the EU. In most cases, dogs, cats, and ferrets also need an EU animal health certificate issued by an official state veterinarian no more than 10 days before arrival, together with a declaration confirming the non-commercial nature of the journey. A valid pet passport may be sufficient in some cases, such as a qualifying return to the EU or travel from a listed country or territory.

Depending on the country you are traveling from, a rabies antibody titration test may also be required. When it is required after a primary vaccination, the blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after vaccination and at least three months before travel, and tested by an EU-approved laboratory. Check the European Commission’s current rules for pets entering from non-EU countries before you travel.

Dogs must have at least one adult tooth in order to enter France.

Rules for small animals

Pets other than dogs, cats, and ferrets are subject to species-specific French rules, so the requirements depend on both the animal and where you are traveling from. For animals arriving from a non-EU country, rodents, rabbits and other lagomorphs, ornamental tropical fish, reptiles, amphibians, and most invertebrates must be accompanied by a veterinary document signed by a practicing veterinarian.

Pet birds arriving from a non-EU country require a health certificate and an owner’s declaration. Depending on the country of origin and the route used, they must also meet one of the applicable avian-influenza safeguards, such as supervised isolation for 30 days before dispatch, 14 days of isolation with PCR testing, or a valid vaccination against avian influenza H5 and H7.

After entering the EU, these birds must be taken directly to the residence where they will stay under official supervision for 30 days. During this period, they must not attend bird gatherings, and the owner must notify the local Direction départementale de la protection des populations (DDPP) so that supervision can be arranged.

Non-human primates cannot be imported into France as pets. Horses and other equids follow separate animal-health and registration rules. Protected species may also be subject to CITES import requirements, including permits that must be obtained before the animal enters the EU.

How to get an EU pet passport

A European pet passport is used for non-commercial travel with dogs, cats, and ferrets between EU countries. It records information including the animal’s microchip or tattoo number, rabies vaccination details, owner information, and the veterinarian who issued the document.

An EU pet passport can be issued by an authorized veterinarian to an owner who is resident in the EU. It remains valid for life as long as the health information recorded in it, including the rabies vaccination, remains current. Pet passports issued in certain listed non-EU countries and territories are also accepted for entry into the EU.

There is no single EU-wide price for issuing a pet passport, so fees depend on the country and veterinarian. If you are traveling to France from a non-EU country that is not covered by the accepted pet-passport arrangements, you normally need an EU animal health certificate instead.

Does France require pets to quarantine?

France does not impose a routine quarantine period on pets that meet the applicable entry requirements. If an animal fails the document, identification, or health checks at the border, the authorities may return it to the country of departure or place it in quarantine until it complies with the rules. Euthanasia is an option only if the other measures are not possible.

Once in France, you may have to follow specific other procedures depending on your type of pet – for example, registration or liability insurance. See the relevant sections below for details.

Does France ban any dog breeds?

France has two legal categories of dogs considered potentially dangerous. Category 1 covers non-pedigree dogs from crosses that are morphologically similar to American Staffordshire terriers (commonly called pit bulls), Mastiffs (boerbulls), or Tosas. Importing or introducing a Category 1 dog into France is prohibited, including simply transiting through France.

Category 2 covers pedigree American Staffordshire terriers, Rottweilers, and Tosas, as well as non-pedigree dogs morphologically similar to Rottweilers. Category 2 dogs can be brought into France, but their keeper must comply with specific rules, including identification, rabies vaccination, liability insurance, training, behavioral assessment where applicable, and a detention permit.

Read more about Category 1 and Category 2 restricted dogs on the Service-Public.fr website.

Choosing a pet relocation company

To make things easier, you can use a pet relocation company to help arrange paperwork and transportation. This can be useful if you’re unable to travel alongside your pets or if your route involves complex airline or import requirements.

Companies and specialist services that arrange or advise on international pet relocation include:

• Global International Relocation
• Pet Relocation
• Schumacher Cargo

Traveling to France with your pet

You can travel to France with pets by plane, train, or car. Carrier and restraint requirements vary by transport operator, animal size, and mode of travel, so a pet does not necessarily need to remain in a container for the entire journey. Check the operator’s rules in advance and make sure your pet has safe ventilation, appropriate access to water, and any carrier or restraint required for the route.

Taking pets on a train

Whether or not you can bring your pet on a train depends heavily on its size, the train company, and your origin and destination. Train companies have their own regulations, but most allow small dogs, cats, and rodents as long as they are in the right container.

Eurostar’s pet rules now depend on the route. Ordinary pets are not allowed on trains to or from London, between Brussels or the Netherlands and Lille, or on Eurostar Sun and Snow services. They are allowed on other Eurostar routes between Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. On those routes, small domestic animals under 6kg can travel in an appropriate carrier, while larger dogs need a dog ticket and must be leashed and muzzled.

While train journeys tend to be longer than flights, they can be a good option for causing less stress on pets. This is especially true of snub-nosed breeds that may have trouble breathing on a plane or in stressful situations.

Can your pet fly in the cabin with you?

Only small dogs and cats may be eligible to travel in the passenger cabin, and some airlines do not accept pets in the cabin at all. Carrier dimensions, combined pet-and-carrier weight limits, minimum ages, the number of animals accepted, and fees are set by each airline rather than by a single universal rule.

Contact the airline before booking and add your pet to the reservation as early as possible, because airlines may restrict the number of animals on each flight. Confirm the exact carrier dimensions and weight allowance for your aircraft and fare before buying a travel bag or kennel.

Snub-nosed or brachycephalic cats and dogs need particular care when flying because they can have difficulty regulating their body temperature and breathing under stress. IATA advises against transporting snub-nosed dogs in hot weather, and individual airlines may impose stricter restrictions, so check the carrier’s breed policy before you book.

Pets in the hold or transported as cargo

If your dog or cat is too large for your airline’s cabin limits, the airline may require the animal to travel in the hold or as cargo. Other species may have different acceptance rules or may not be carried at all, so confirm the arrangements with the airline before booking.

The price varies greatly depending on how long the flight is, whether your pet needs special accommodations, and if you have a layover. For pets other than cats and dogs, it’s best to discuss your situation with the airline before booking a flight to see what’s permitted and which airports you can travel through. Lufthansa, for example, has a dedicated website for animal transport.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) publishes Live Animals Regulations and current container guidance used by airlines when setting their animal-transport procedures. Read the IATA pet travel guidance and your airline’s own requirements before you travel.

For air transport in a container, use a crate that meets your airline’s requirements and the applicable IATA guidance. IATA states that a maximum of two compatible adult animals of comparable size, each weighing no more than 14kg and accustomed to living together, may share a container; animals over 14kg must be crated individually. Separate rules apply to young puppies and kittens from the same litter.

Airline-approved pet carriers

Before buying a crate, check the latest IATA container guidance and the airline’s specifications. At a minimum, focus on the following:

• The container must be large enough for the animal to turn around normally while standing, stand and sit erect, and lie in a natural position
• Use the measurements of the largest animal when calculating the container dimensions if more than one animal is permitted to share it
• IATA’s current guidance calls for a larger container for snub-nosed breeds
• Confirm the airline’s own construction, ventilation, door, feeding, watering, labeling, and handling requirements before travel, as airline procedures can differ

Traveling with a guide dog or service animal

Guide and service animals are treated differently from ordinary pets, but the exact rules depend on the transport operator, route, and type of assistance animal. You still need to comply with the animal-health and entry requirements for France and any countries you transit, as well as the carrier’s documentation and safety rules.

For example, Air France’s current service-dog guidance recommends submitting a request at least 48 hours before departure. The 96-hour recommendation applies to travel to or from the United Arab Emirates; travel to the United Kingdom has a 48-hour notice requirement.

Flights to or from the United States have additional requirements. The US Department of Transportation allows airlines to require its service-animal forms, and Air France asks passengers on US routes to send the required DOT forms to the airline before travel. Check both the airline’s instructions and the US Department of Transportation service-animal rules for your journey.

After arriving in France with your pet

Dogs and cats brought into France must be registered with Identification des Carnivores Domestiques (I-CAD), the national identification file for dogs, cats, and ferrets, within seven days of arrival. Registration is not completed simply by providing a foreign microchip number: you should take the animal to a veterinarian practicing in France, who can prepare and submit the provisional identification certificate for an import or intra-EU movement with the supporting documents.

A readable foreign microchip does not normally need to be replaced solely because it was issued abroad. Imported animals must already meet the identification requirements that apply to their journey before entering France. For a ferret brought from abroad, ask your veterinarian or I-CAD to confirm the applicable registration procedure.

If you bring a horse or other equid to live in France, it must generally be declared in the IFCE’s SIRE database within 30 days of arrival, although specific exemptions can apply in certain situations.

Useful resources

• Your Europe – travelling with pets – current EU rules for dogs, cats, ferrets, pet passports, health certificates, rabies vaccination, and border checks
• European Commission – bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country – detailed entry requirements for dogs, cats, and ferrets
• French Ministry of Agriculture – pet imports from non-EU countries – French rules for dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, and other pets
• French Customs – traveling with a pet – declaration and identity/document checks for pets arriving from non-EU countries
• Service-Public.fr – bringing a dog or cat from abroad – entry rules and I-CAD registration requirements
• Service-Public.fr – Category 1 and Category 2 dogs – rules for dogs considered potentially dangerous in France
• IATA Traveler’s Pet Corner – current airline container and animal-transport guidance
• Eurostar – traveling with pets – route-specific pet rules for Eurostar services
• I-CAD – registering an imported animal – French identification registration procedure after arrival
• IFCE – importing an equid – SIRE registration and import formalities for horses and other equids
• NS International – transporting pets by train – current pet conditions on several international rail services