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Flying to Germany with a pet

Requirements reviewed: April 2026 · Official authority: EU — Travelling with pets (European Commission)

Calm golden retriever sitting beside a soft pet travel carrier near a sunny window

Entry requirements at a glance

Microchip
Required

ISO 11784/11785 standard 15-digit microchip. Must be implanted before or at the time of the first rabies vaccination — never after.

Rabies vaccine
Required. Valid rabies vaccination administered after microchipping.
Health certificate
EU health certificate (EU-approved format). For pets entering from the U.S., an accredited vet issues a certificate in the format required by EU Regulation 576/2013. USDA APHIS endorsement is required.
Rabies titer test
Not required Not required for entry from the U.S. (U.S. is an approved third country).
Quarantine on arrival
None if all requirements are met None if all requirements are met.
Breed restrictions / bans
Germany's federal rules ban Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, Staffordshire Bull Terriers, and Bull Terriers as dangerous breeds; some German states (Länder) have additional restrictions. Check the specific state's rules.

Step-by-step process notes

Germany (and the EU generally) requires the ISO microchip implanted before or simultaneous with the rabies vaccine. The EU health certificate format is standardized; your USDA-accredited vet should be familiar with it. The U.S. is on the EU's approved third-country list, so titer tests are not needed. Certificate must be issued within 10 days of travel. Seek USDA APHIS endorsement with enough lead time (7–14 business days for standard service).

Confirm with the official authority

This page summarizes Germany's pet-import requirements as of April 2026. Pet-import rules change. Always verify with the official government authority before travel.

EU — Travelling with pets (European Commission)

Build your travel checklist

Use the Pet Travel Readiness tool to turn Germany's requirements into a sequenced, dated checklist — microchip, vaccines, titer test wait period, and USDA health certificate window — from your travel date.

Build my Germany checklist

Useful guides

USDA health certificate, step by step Microchip and rabies rules

Other destinations

United Kingdom Microchip req. · No quarantine Canada No microchip · No quarantine Mexico No microchip · No quarantine Japan Microchip req. · Quarantine Australia Microchip req. · Quarantine
All destinations