Norway Pet Import Requirements

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What is a Pet Passport?

We refer to a pet passport as a collection of documents that conform to Norway pet import requirements for dogs, cats, and ferrets entering this country from non-EU countries. This term is not to be confused with an official EU Pet Passport issued in the European Union for EU-resident pets. Your pet’s passport to enter Norway will include proof of microchip, current rabies vaccination, rabies titer test (some countries), parasite treatment, and one of the following:

An official EU or NI Pet Passport (resident EU or Northern Ireland pets)
An EU Health Certificate (non-EU-resident pets)
A government-issued Pet Passport from a part 1 listed third country (see EU COUNTRY CLASSIFICATIONS)
An Animal Health Certificate when entering Norway from the United Kingdom (UK-resident pets)

Animals Eligible for These Pet Import Requirements

These rules apply to the transport of domestic dogs, cats and ferrets including assistance and service animals. Unless 5th generation removed from the pedigree, wolf hybrids, Savannah and Bengal cats cannot be imported under these regulations. Owners of other types of pets (amphibia, reptiles, birds, rabbits, rodents) covered by these regulations should refer to IMPORTING OTHER PET ANIMALS TO Norway below.

Pets in Norway

Norway is a pet-friendly country with a strong love for animals, especially dogs and cats. The country is known for its pet-friendly culture, with many outdoor spaces where pets can roam and play. Many hiking trails and national parks welcome pets, allowing dogs to enjoy the stunning landscapes. Numerous beaches and lakes permit dogs, especially in the summer months.

Dogs are allowed on most public transportation, including trains and buses, often for free or at a reduced fare if they’re in a carrier. In urban areas, dogs are typically required to be on a leash, but many areas offer off-leash zones.

Norway has regulations regarding pet ownership, including microchipping dogs and vaccinations. To control the street population of dogs, no street dogs can enter Norway. They must be imported as a family pet.

Find a Licensed Veterinarian

Before beginning any pet export procedure, make sure your veterinarian is approved by the governing veterinarian authority in your pet’s country of origin. Your veterinarian should work for or is licensed by the agency of the government that is responsible for the movement of live animals.

Quarantine for Pets Entering Norway

There will be no quarantine imposed on your pet when entering Norway if pet import regulations detailed here are met. If your pet does not conform to the regulations as stated below, it will be subject to quarantine if facilities are available, returned to the origination country, or euthanized. The importer will be responsible all costs involved.

Although Norway is not an EU Member State, it is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA), European Free Trade Association and the Schengen Area. Due to an EEA Agreement, Norway is obliged to implement the EU’s regulations for pet import.

NEWS: The EU has modified its regulations as of April 2026 with important changes to non-commercial transport (step 2). The EU has granted a transition period until March 2027; however, some countries like Germany have already enforced these new regulations. All new regulations have been indicated as such on this page.

All steps required to conform to regulations to import a dog, cat or ferret to Norway must be completed in the origination country. Steps 1-8 should be followed in the order given.

Step 1: EU Country Classifications

The European Union (EU) and Norway do not recognize any countries as rabies-free. Dogs, cats, and ferrets from all countries are subject to current rabies vaccinations according to their regulations. The EU classifies countries as either:

The requirements to import a dog, cat, or ferret to Norway will depend on the classification of your country of origin and whether your pet has entered an unlisted country within the past four months. Click on the links above to find your country classification.

Pet owners should identify the classification of their country of origin before reviewing import regulations for Norway.

Step 2: Type of Transport

The European Union classifies the movement of pets as non-commercial or commercial. These pet import requirements apply to both non-commercial and commercial transports. Review the conditions below to determine whether your pet’s transport will be classified as non-commercial or commercial, as the requirements for each type of transport are different.

Conditions for Non-Commercial Transport

• All pets must enter Norway with their owner*. Proof of travel will be required AND
• The transport applies to no more than five pets** unless proof of participation in a competition or show is available, and pets are over six months of age AND
• The owner must attest that the purpose of the transport must not be for adoption, sale, or exchange of ownership via a Declaration of Non-Commercial Transport.

*Some EU Member States will allow a representative assigned by the owner to travel with the pet under non-commercial regulations; however, the owner must still travel to the same destination within 5 days of their pet’s travels. (New regulation)

**If entering the EU by ground, a maximum of 5 pets per vehicle can travel under non-commercial regulations. (New regulation)

Unless all of the above conditions are satisfied, your pet must travel under commercial regulations.

Conditions for Commercial Transport

The owner or a designated representative is not traveling with the pet OR
The transport is greater than five pets under one owner’s passport OR
The purpose of the transport involves any change of ownership, adoption, or commercial sale.

If any of the above conditions are met, then your pet must travel under commercial regulations. The importer must be registered in the origin country and have proof of the organization they represent. They also must have proof that this business or organization will be responsible for the import of the pet. The exporter must provide proof that they are registered in the exporting country.

Step 3: Pet Microchip

The third step to import a dog, cat, or ferret to Norway is to have your pet identified with a non-encrypted, 15-digit, ISO 11784/11785 compliant pet microchip. If your pet’s microchip is not ISO compliant, you can bring your own microchip scanner.

Note: By 1 January 2028, all pet microchips must be ISO 11784/11785 compliant. As there is no guarantee that border inspection officials will have a universal scanner available, it is advised to consider updating your pet’s microchip if you are a frequent traveler. (New regulation)

A licensed veterinarian, a veterinary hospital, or a trained nurse must implant the microchip. (New regulation) You should be issued a microchip certificate at the time of implantation on the veterinarian’s letterhead with specifics on your pet, microchip number, and implantation date.

A tattoo is an acceptable form of identification under the following conditions:

It was applied prior to July 3, 2011, and
The tattoo is clearly visible, and
Your pet was vaccinated for rabies after the tattoo was applied, and
All rabies vaccinations after the tattoo was applied were kept up-to-date. (No rabies vaccinations were allowed to expire before boosters were administered).

It is anticipated that after 2026 every dog or cat kept for sale, adoption, or cross-border movement within or into the EU will need to be registered in an approved database, with the microchip number acting as the primary identifier. EU Member States without current databases will be setting those up for this purpose. It is important to ensure that your pet’s identity and contact details are correctly recorded before departure.

Step 4: Vaccinations

All dogs, cats, and ferrets over 12 weeks of age entering Norway must have proof of a current rabies vaccination administered at the same time or after a microchip was implanted.

If entering Norway from another EU Member State**, part 1 or part 2 listed third country, your pet must wait for at least 21 days after primary rabies vaccination to travel. Note that every manufacturer of rabies vaccines has specifications on when immunity is reached, and your veterinarian should inform you of the wait time for your pet’s specific vaccine.

If entering Norway from an unlisted country, pets must wait for 30 days to have a licensed veterinarian administer a rabies titer test (next step).

In either case, do not count the day of the veterinary visit in the wait time.

Dogs, cats, and ferrets that travel between Norway and Sweden do not need to be vaccinated against rabies.

Other Vaccinations:

Pet owners should always consider healthy vaccinations against diseases such as:

canine distemper (also for ferrets)
canine hepatitis
canine leptospirosis
canine parvovirus
feline viral rhinotracheitis
feline panleukopenia
feline leukemia

Exception: Dogs must be vaccinated against distemper when being transported commercially.

Step 5: Rabies Titer (Serology) Test

A rabies titer test, also known as a serology test, must be administered to pets entering Norway from unlisted countries only. The test should be administered no sooner than 30 days after the rabies vaccination is administered. Do not count the day of the veterinary visit.

This test measures the rabies antibodies in your pet’s blood. There are several kinds of rabies titer tests, although the Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization (FAVN) test is preferred.

The titer test must be administered more than 90 days prior to the date on the EU Health Certificate (step 8). (New regulation)

The test must be administered by a licensed veterinarian, and the blood sample must be sent to an approved laboratory for processing.

It is worth noting that some EU Member States require that serology levels be confirmed prior to leaving their country.

The test is valid to enter any EU Member State for the life of your pet if boosters are administered prior to the expiration of the previous rabies vaccination.

Step 6: Import Permit

Pet owners do not need an import permit when entering Norway with a dog, cat, or ferret. Unaccompanied pets may need an import permit.

Step 7: Parasite Treatments

All dogs entering Norway must have a tapeworm treatment administered by a licensed veterinarian between one and five days of entering the country. The treatment must be recorded in the EU Pet Passport or EU Health Certificate (next step).

Alternatively, all dogs can be treated at least twice before traveling at a maximum interval of 28 days. All dogs must be treated regularly at maximum intervals of 28 days for as long as the dog keeps traveling to and from Norway. If the dog remains in Norway, the last treatment has to be administered after the traveling has ended. If the 28-day interval is exceeded, the treatment series has to be started over with two treatments to trigger the 28-day rule again. All treatments should be shown in the health certificate.

This requirement does not apply to cats.

Dogs entering Norway directly from Ireland, Northern Ireland, Finland, or Malta are exempt from this requirement unless they transit another country.

Step 8: Health Certificate

Every country worldwide requires current and original health certificates in their pet import regulations, and Norway is no exception. The EU Health Certificate must include pet owner information (New regulation) clearly identify your pet, including its microchip number. Your veterinarian must state that your pet is fit to travel and is not originating from an area that is under restrictions for rabies. Additionally, your veterinarian should attest that your pet displays no symptoms of any contagious diseases.

The type of health certificate required will depend on the type of transport the pet is traveling under – non-commercial or commercial. Both certificates must be endorsed by a government veterinarian representing the agency in your country that is responsible for the import and export of live animals.

Your pet must enter the EU Member State within 10 days of endorsement (non-commercial) and depart the country of origin within 48 hours of endorsement (commercial). (New regulation)

Non-Commercial Transport to Norway from an EU Member State or Part 1 Listed Country

Steps 3 and 4 apply. Step 5 does not apply unless your pet has entered an unlisted country within four months of travel.

EU-Resident Pets: Have a licensed veterinarian issue and update an EU Pet Passport or government-issued pet passport (part 1 listed third countries) for your pet. A health check prior to travel is recommended and may be required by your air carrier.

An EU pet health certificate is not required for pets traveling to Norway with a current EU Pet Passport.

Non-Resident Pets (visitors): If your pet has not lived in an EU Member State or part 1 listed country for six months or you do not have a permanent address in an EU Member State, then your pet will need a non-commercial EU Health Certificate. (New regulation)

Non-Commercial Transport to Norway from a Part 2 Listed or Unlisted Country

Steps 3 and 4 apply. Step 5 applies under the following conditions:

Your pet is originating from an unlisted third country or
Your pet has entered an unlisted country within four months of travel.

A licensed veterinarian must issue a non-commercial health certificate. The certificate must then be endorsed by a government veterinarian representing the agency in your country that is responsible for the import and export of live animals. The certificate is valid for 10 days from endorsement to the day your pet arrives at the border inspection post. (New regulation)

The EU Health Certificate for Norway is good for the transport of five or fewer dogs, cats, or ferrets. The form is good for six months of travel within the EU if the rabies vaccination documented on the certificate does not expire during that time. (New regulation)

Note: Resident UK pet owners traveling from the UK to any EU Member State under non-commercial regulations (see step 2) should not use an EU Pet Passport and instead obtain an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) according to the Animal and Plant Agency. The validity of the AHC has been extended to six months. (New regulation)

Commercial Transport to Norway from an EU Member State

Steps 3 and 4 apply. Step 5 does not apply.

Your pet must travel from a licensed premise which is registered with the governing authority in your EU Member State
responsible for the import and export of animals.

Your veterinarian must obtain and update an EU Pet Passport for your pet.

Your pet must be inspected, and an Intratrade health certificate must be issued by a licensed veterinarian and endorsed by a government veterinarian within 48 hours of entry.

The transport must be recorded in the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) ahead of travel. This system tracks the import, export, and intra-trade of all live animals entering or leaving the EU.

Commercial Transport to Norway from a Part 1 and 2 Listed Third Country

Steps 2 and 3 apply. Step 4 does not apply.

Your pet must be inspected, and a commercial bilingual EU Health Certificate for Norway must be issued and endorsed by a licensed veterinarian and endorsed by a government veterinarian within 48 hours of travel.

The transport must be recorded in advance in TRACES.

Commercial Transport to Norway from an Unlisted Country

Step 3, 4, and 5 apply.

Note: Pets can only enter Norway from unlisted countries under commercial regulations from these countries.

Your pet must be inspected, and a commercial EU Health Certificate must be issued and endorsed by a government veterinarian within 48 hours of travel.

The transport must be recorded in advance in TRACES.

Other information

Importing Dogs and Cats to Norway from Malaysia and Australia

If your dog, cat or ferret is entering Norway from peninsular Malaysia, the following additional conditions must be met:

Your pet has had no contact with pigs during at least the past 60 days prior to export.
Your pet has not lived in a place where cases of Nipah disease have been confirmed during the past 60 days.
Your pet has been tested with a negative result to an IgG capture ELISA test carried out in a laboratory approved for testing for Nipah disease viruses within 10 days of export.

Cats may only enter Norway from Australia under the condition that they have not lived in areas where cases of Hendra disease have been confirmed during the past 60 days.

Importing Puppies and Kittens to Norway

Unvaccinated puppies, kittens, and ferrets are not permitted to enter Norway from any country or EU Member State. Rabies vaccinations will not be recognized until 12 weeks of age, and there is a 21-day wait for puppies and kittens arriving from EU Member States and Part 1 or 2 listed third countries.

Puppies and kittens entering from unlisted countries cannot do so until they are at least seven months of age to meet requirements.

Related: Transporting a puppy.

Breeds Banned for Import to Norway

Norway will not permit the import of the following breeds, their crosses, or any mixes that resemble the breed:

Pit Bull Terrier
American Staffordshire Terrier
Fila Brasilerio
Toso Inu
Dogo Argentino,
Czechoslovakian Wolfdog.

Flying a Pet to Norway

Commercial airlines that serve pets flying to Oslo Gardermoen Airport include Air France, Air Seria, airBaltic, Austrian Airlines, British Airways (cargo), Brussels Airlines, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Eurowings, Finnair, Iberia, Icelandair (cargo), KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Luxair, Norwegian, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Scandinavian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Thai Airways, Transavia, Turkish Airlines, Vueling and Wizz Air.

Flights to Norway should be direct or transit through a listed third country or another EU Member State if possible*. If your pet transits through an unlisted country, then a Transit Declaration will be required attesting that your pet has had no contact with rabies-carrying animals and remained secured within the airplane or airport.

*Note: If your pet has a layover in an EU Member State in its itinerary, then additional requirements will apply.

Entering Norway with a Pet

All pets entering Norway by air from non-EU Member States under non-commercial regulations must do so at an approved Border Inspection Post (BIP) at Oslo International Airport. Pets can also enter Norway at Storskog crossing on the Norwegian side of the border with Russia.

Dogs, cats, and ferrets can fly to Norway in the cabin, as checked baggage, or as air cargo, according to airline pet policies. In all cases, pets must travel in a crate or carrier in accordance with the International Air Transport Association.

If traveling under non-commercial regulations, your pet’s passport, including all required documents, will be checked and entered into TRACES.

All commercial transports, whether by air or land, must be preregistered in TRACES, and the responsible transporter must be registered.

Flights to Norway should be direct or transit through an EU Member State, part 1 or 2 listed third country, if possible*. If your pet transits through an unlisted country, then a Transit Declaration will be required. The declaration must state that your pet has had no contact with rabies-carrying animals and has remained secured within the airplane or airport.

*Note: If your pet has a layover in an EU Member State in its itinerary, then additional requirements will apply.

All domestic dogs and cats must be free of evidence of disease communicable to humans when examined at the port of entry to Norway. If your dog or cat is not in apparent good health, further examination by a licensed veterinarian may be required at the importer’s expense.

Exporting Resident Pets from Norway

All dogs, cats and ferrets leaving Norway for another EU Member State or part 1 or 2 listed third country should:

Be microchipped
Be vaccinated for rabies (in that order) not sooner than 12 weeks of age and
Wait for at least 21 days after primary vaccination before leaving Norway.
Have a licensed veterinarian issue an EU Pet Passport (EU destinations) or export health certificate in accordance with destination country requirements.
Provide other required documentation (depending on destination country requirements).

Exception: Exports to EU Member States that permit the entry of unvaccinated puppies and kittens.

Note that many part 1 listed third countries will have additional requirements in addition to a resident EU Pet Passport when returning to the country.

Pet owners should consider having serology levels confirmed prior to leaving Norway. Even if your pet is not entering an unlisted country, traveling internationally with the results of this test will ensure a smoother customs clearance in your destination country.

All animals leaving Norway for non-EU countries that do not have specific health certificates must obtain a health certificate in accordance with their destination country requirements prior to the issuance of an export permit. This permit will be issued by agencies in the origin country responsible for the issuance of export permits.

Importing Other Pet Animals to Norway

Domesticated** birds, rodents, rabbits, amphibians, and reptiles can enter Norway with a health certificate (except from non-EU countries) and declaration of non-commercial transport. They must travel with their owners in numbers fewer than five.

**Domesticated birds do not include chickens, turkeys, Guinea fowl, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants, partridges and ratites. Domesticated animals do not include those intended for the production of food. Exotic breeds will not be permitted entry.

Birds and animals must enter Norway at an approved border inspection point except if they are entering from EU Member States or part 1 listed third countries. Prenotification of entry at least 48 hours before entry must be provided.

Pet Bird Import (Non-Poultry)

Only birds who are originating from these non-EU countries will be permitted entry.

The bird is accompanied by the owner or the owner’s representative.
The transport does not exceed five birds in number.
The bird must be identified by a non-removable, legible individual marking displaying an alphanumeric code (clip, ring, microchip, transponder, or ear tag) prior to isolation and any testing (see below).

Additional Requirements for Bird Imports from Non-EU Countries:

Birds must have undergone isolation for 30 days prior to export OR
Birds must have had two vaccinations against avian influenza with the H5 vaccine between 60 days and 6 months of import OR
Birds are subjected to 14 days of isolation in the origination country under the supervision of an authorized veterinarian and undergone a test to detect the H5 and H7 antigen or genome AND
Birds have had a PCR test for H5 and H7 avian influenza virus with negative result on one sample taken no sooner than the 7th day and no later than 14 days before import (a serological test is not sufficient)

Birds must be examined within 48 hours of transport and found free of any signs of disease or external parasites. A health certificate must be issued and include the following information:

characteristics of the bird
species
sex
color
owner’s information
veterinarian’s information
details of any medical tests or treatments.

Birds must not be exposed to any other birds after the clinical examination and prior to import.

Birds must enter Norway at an approved border inspection point: Vilnius airport or Medininkai and Kybartu road.

After entering Norway, birds must be transferred directly to a private household or residency. The birds will be under surveillance during this time and must not be exposed to other birds for 30 days.

Birds that are subject to CITES regulations must be accompanied by additional permits (next step).

Birds that do not meet the above requirements will be quarantined for a minimum of 30 days when entering Norway.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)

Importers should verify that their pet is not protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). This is important if your pet is not a dog or cat, and very important if it is a turtle or parrot. You will need to apply for additional permits if this is the case.

Over 180 countries participate and enforce CITES regulations.

Related: Learn more about CITES

Current Information

To the best of our ability, we ensure that recommendations given on PetTravel.com reflect the current regulations. We cannot predict how a given country may enforce these regulations. Noncompliance may result in the need to make arrangements to put your pet into quarantine at your expense, return your pet to the country of origin, or euthanize your pet. We suggest that you minimize the disruptions that may occur by following Norway pet import requirements.