Pet Microchip

The first step to prepare your dog, cat or ferret to enter Scotland is to have your pet microchipped with an ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15 digit pet microchip.

If your pet currently has a microchip that is not ISO 11784/11785 compliant, then you have 3 choices:

• You can bring your own microchip scanner.
• You can contact the officials at the Border Inspection Post where you will enter the UK and inquire as to whether they have scanners that can read your pet's chip.
• If your pet's current microchip can still be read, your veterinarian can implant compliant chip. The number and implant dates of both microchips must be documented on the EU Health Certificate (see step #5).

A tattoo is an acceptable form of identification as long as it was given prior to July 3, 2011, is clearly visible and your pet was vaccinated for rabies after the tattoo was applied.

Vaccinations

All dogs, cats and ferrets must have proof of a current rabies vaccination administered after a microchip was implanted to enter Scotland.

The first rabies vaccination after the microchip is implanted is called the primary vaccination and it should be a one year vaccine unless manufacturer specifications permit its use as a primary vaccination. If your pet's previous rabies vaccination had expired before being revaccinated, the next vaccination becomes the primary vaccination.

All vaccinations that are administered after the primary vaccination are called booster vaccinations.

If your pet is entering Scotland from a rabies-free (click here) or rabies-controlled country (click here), the primary rabies vaccination must be administered no sooner than 21 days before entering Scotland.

There is no waiting period after booster vaccinations as long as:

• the previous vaccination was administered after a microchip was implanted AND
• the booster vaccination was administered before the previous vaccination had expired.

Scotland does honor the 3 year rabies vaccination for dogs, cats and ferrets; however, it should only be administered as a booster, not as a primary vaccination. You can speak to your veterinarian about this.

Once your pet has entered Scotland, a 21 day waiting period is not required for subsequent visits, provided rabies boosters are kept up to date, and the other entry requirements are met.

If your pet is entering Scotland from a high-rabies country, it must wait for a minimum of 30 days after the primary or booster vaccination before receiving a rabies titer test (see step #3).

Rabies Titer Test

If your pet is entering Scotland from a high-rabies country (click here), your pet must be microchipped, then vaccinated for rabies (in that order). After waiting a minimum of 30 days after the primary or booster vaccination, a rabies titer test must be administered  (Have your veterinarian scan your pet's microchip prior to the titer test.)  Samples must be processed at approved laboratories. Assuming test results within acceptable limits, your pet can enter Scotland no sooner than 3 calendar months after the date the blood was drawn and avoid quarantine. This step is not required unless entering Scotland from a high-rabies country. If you do not have 3 calendar months before traveling, your pet will be quarantined for the balance of time required to fulfill the 3 months.

Tapeworm Treatment - Dogs Only

Before your dog can enter Scotland, it must be treated against certain tapeworms by a licensed veterinarian between one and five days prior to entering the country unless your pet is entering directly from Finland, Ireland, Malta or Norway.

Pet Health Certificate

The type of pet health certificate required for your pet depends on whether or not your pet's transport is accompanied OR it involves a purchase, sale or transfer of ownership. Choose from two options below.

Non-Commercial Transport: the owner or a legal representative of the owner is traveling with or within 5 days of the pet AND the transport does not involve purchase, sale or transfer of ownership.

Non-Commercial Travel to Scotland from a country outside of the EU:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply. If entering Scotland from a high-rabies country, step 3 applies as well.

A licensed veterinarian in the originating country must complete the non-commercial GB health certificate within 10 days of travel. The form must be endorsed by the government agency in the origination country that is responsible for the import and export of animals.

This form is good for transports of 5 or less dogs, cats or ferrets. (see item 7 if you are traveling with more than 5 pets). The form is good for 4 months of travel within the EU as long as the rabies vaccination documented on it does not expire.

Non-Commercial Transport to Scotland from another EU Member State:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply. Step 3 does not apply.

Have your veterinarian update an official Pet Passport for your pet. A GB health certificate is required for pets traveling to Scotland from another EU Member State or countries listed in step #6 unless your pet has a current EU Pet Passport. Pets entering the UK from Northern Ireland non-commercially are not subject to these requirements. Checks on pet travel between the UK and Northern Ireland have been suspended indefinitely.

No matter what country you are entering Scotland from, you or your representative must sign a Declaration of Non-Commercial Transport stating that your pet's transport does not involve the sale or transfer of ownership of your pet.

Commercial Transport: the owner or a legal representative of the owner is not traveling with or within 5 days of the pet OR the purpose of the transport involves a sale or transfer of ownership OR more than 5 dogs, cats or ferrets are traveling with or without their owner.

Commercial Transport to Scotland from a rabies-free or rabies-controlled country outside the EU:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply. Step 3 does not apply.

A licensed veterinarian in the originating country must complete the commercial UK health certificate within 48 hours of travel. The form must be endorsed by the government agency in the origination country that is responsible for the import and export of animals.

This form is good for transports of 5 or less dogs, cats or ferrets. (see step 7 for transports of more than 5 pets.) The form is good for 4 months of travel within the EU as long as the rabies vaccination documented on it does not expire.

Your pet must enter england at an approved Border Inspection Post (BIP) at an international airport in Heathrow or Gatwick. Pets must enter the UK at approved Border Inspection Posts and notice must be provided at least 48 hours prior to import.

All dogs must be vaccinated against distemper.

Commercial Transport to Scotland from another EU Member State:

Regulations in steps 1 and 2 apply.

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

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

Your pet's veterinarian must issue an Intratrade health certificate completed within 48 hours of entry.

If your pet is traveling to the Isle of Man under commercial regulations from another EU Member State, a licensed agent in the origination country who is registered to enter transports into IPAFFS must handle the transport.

Commercial Transport to Scotland from high-rabies countries outside the EU:

Dogs, cats and ferrets can only enter Scotland from these high-rabies countries. Pets must conform to all rules above and also have a titer test according to step 3 above.

Entering Scotand from Malaysia & Australia

If your pet is entering Scotland from peninsular Malaysia, the following conditions must be met:

1. Your pet has had no contact with pigs during at least the past 60 days prior to export.
2. Your pet has not lived in a place where cases of Nipah disease have been confirmed during the past 60 days.
3. Your pet has been tested with negative a 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 Scotland 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.

Traveling with more than 5 pets

If you are traveling with 6 or more cats, dogs or ferrets, in order to transport them under non-commercial regulations, they must be 6 months or older and attending or training for a competition, show or sporting event. If this is not the case, your pets must meet the requirements for commercial transport. (see step #5)

Entering Scotland by Air

Unless traveling from Ireland, pet owners accompanying their pets must bring their animals from abroad as manifest (air) cargo directly into Scotland on certain approved routes which are operating through the Animal Reception Centre/Border Inspection Post at Edinburgh Airport. Accompanied pets can also enter at Glasgow. Animals using this service must meet all the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme detailed above. Within the British Isles pets can be carried on any route subject to the transport company's agreement and conditions of carriage.

Pets traveling unaccompanied from outside the EU must custom clear at Edinburgh, London Heathrow or Gatwick Airports.

Pets should enter Scotand directly or transit through another EU Member State. If your pet transits through a high-rabies country, then a Transit Declaration will be required stating that your pet has had no contact with rabies-carrying animals and remained secured within the airplane or airport.

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

Beginning January 1, 2021, Value Added Tax (VAT) will be due for pets entering the UK from the EU as well as any other country. If entering the UK as visitors, the VAT will be refunded when exiting the UK.

If your pet is transferring residency to the UK, then a Transfer of Residency Form must be filed with customs to avoid paying the tax. Pet owners who have not filled out the form will be refunded when the form is completed and filed.

Pets returning to the UK from another EU country will not be charged VAT as long as proof that the pet exited the UK with the owner is provided.

Pets who have not been owned for at least 6 months or are being purchased are subject to 20% of the value of the pet and the cost of transport and import charges.

Note that tail docking for for spaniels and hunt point retrievers intended for use as working dogs is currently prohibited in Scotland, but pending legislation may change that.

Puppies and Kittens

Unvaccinated puppies and kittens under 12 weeks of age are not permitted to enter Scotland. Puppies and kittens must be microchipped, then vaccinated for rabies no sooner than 12 weeks of age. All regulations in steps 1-5 will apply.

Banned Breeds

The following breeds are not permitted to enter Scotland: Brazilian Fila, Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa Inu or American Staffordshire Pit Bull Terrier. If you have a wolf hybrid or Savannah cat, then you must seek advice from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency before you travel.

Exporting Pets from Scotland

All dogs, cats and ferrets leaving Scotland for another EU Member State must be microchipped, vaccinated for rabies (in that order) and wait 21 days before leaving the country.  Have your veterinarian issue an UK pet passport if you intend to return to the UK.

All dogs, cats and ferrets leaving Scotland for an EU Member States or Northern Ireland must have an Export Application Form and an Animal Health Certificate issued by an Official Veterinarian unless they have an EU Pet Passport issued in the European Union. All pets must enter the EU or Northern Ireland at travelers point of entry (border inspection posts). Dogs, cats and ferrets leaving Scotland for other countries must have an Export Health Certificate issued by an Official Veterinarian.

Unaccompanied transports must be recorded in IPAFF and TRACES by a licensed agent.

If you are planning to take your pet on a trip to a high-rabies country, your veterinarian should administer a rabies titer test before you leave Scotland if you intend to return to the EU.

Export Health Certificates will be required for unaccompanied transports. The transport must be entered into the TRACES system if the destination is an EU Member State.

Export certificates are required for unaccompanied transport of dogs and cats to the following countries: Anguilla, Antigua/Barbuda, Argentina, Ascension Island, Australia, the Bahamas, Bahrian, Bangladesh (GB only), Bermuda, Bolivia, Boznia Herzogovina, Botswana, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus (northern), Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Falkan Islands, Faroe Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Gambia (dogs only), Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Hawaii, Honduras, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libia, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia (peninsula), Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Oman, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Soloman Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, St Helena, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga (dogs only), Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turks & Caicos, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzebekistan (dogs only), Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wallace and Futuna Islands, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Other Animals

There are no rabies requirements for other species of rodents, rabbits, birds, ornamental fish, intervebrates, amphibians and reptiles (except red-eared sliders) imported to Scotland from other EU Member States as well as Andorra, Switzerland, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway and San Marino. However, pet rabbits and rodents imported to the UK will be quarantined for 4 months unless they have lived in an EU Member state for at least 4 months prior to import. Red-eared sliders are banned in the United Kingdom.

Birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, reptiles, amphibia, mammals such as rodents and rabbits should have a health certificate to enter Scotland. Pet owners are strongly advised to seek further information from the relevant authority of their country and/or that of the destination country.

CITES

If your pet is not a dog, cat or ferret, and especially if it is a turtle or parrot, you should verify that it is not protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). You will need to apply for additional permits if this is the case. Over 180 countries participate and enforce CITES regulations.