Bringing a pet to Estonia

• Microchip your pet (ISO 11784/11785)Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination, or the vaccine is not recognised.
• Rabies vaccinationPet must be at least 12 weeks old. Valid 21 days after the primary dose.
• Rabies antibody (titer) test — required from some origin countriesFAVN/RNATT rabies antibody test; the result must be ≥ 0.5 IU/ml. Blood must be drawn at least 30 days after vaccination; the sample must be taken not less than 90 days before the date of issue of the health certificate (the certificate is issued before entry, so counting to entry is the stricter reading). Testing is limited to EU-approved laboratories.
• Official health certificate (EU Animal Health Certificate (new Reg 2026/705 format from 2026-10-01))Endorsed by Competent authority of the country of departure (USDA APHIS for the United States). Enter within 10 days of endorsement.
• Travel through an approved point of entryPets from third countries must enter through a designated Estonian Travellers' Point of Entry

1. 1
   Before vaccination
   Microchip

   Implant the ISO microchip first — the rabies vaccine only counts once the pet is chipped.

2. 2
   Day 0
   Rabies vaccination

   Pet must be at least 12 weeks old.

3. 3
   After 21 days
   Rabies vaccine becomes valid

   Earliest eligible entry date for listed / low-risk origin countries.

4. 4
   Unlisted origins only
   Rabies antibody titer test + waiting period

   FAVN/RNATT rabies antibody test; the result must be ≥ 0.5 IU/ml. Blood must be drawn at least 30 days after vaccination; the sample must be taken not less than 90 days before the date of issue of the health certificate (the certificate is issued before entry, so counting to entry is the stricter reading). Testing is limited to EU-approved laboratories.

5. 5
   ≤ 10 days before entry
   Health certificate issued and endorsed

   Endorsed by Competent authority of the country of departure (USDA APHIS for the United States).

6. 6
   Arrival
   Entry checks at an approved point

   No routine quarantine when all requirements are met.

No entry fee for non-commercial movement on the Estonia side (listed countries). A separate USDA endorsement fee applies on the US side (amount to be confirmed). Domestic registration: for now, dog registration/microchipping is mostly required by individual local authorities and can be done through a local pet register (LLR, llr.ee), the vet-side Lemmikloomaregister, or the Estonian Kennel Union; the competent authority (the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture) plans to make microchipping and registration of dogs, cats and ferrets nationally mandatory from 2027-06-01, with data entered into a new national pet registry. Under a bill (not yet through its third reading): nationwide mandatory microchipping/registration from 2027-06-01, existing pets transition until 2029-01-01, €12 state fee.

Estonia has no national dangerous-dog breed ban. Rules for dangerous dogs and for leads/muzzles in public places are set by each local authority (kohaliku omavalitsuse eeskiri) through local by-laws, and standards vary by place (e.g. the city of Tallinn requires dogs to be leashed in most public places). From 2026-07-01, local authorities may impose a sunniraha (coercive penalty payment) of up to €6,400 — not a direct fine (trahv), but a coercive payment applied only after an ettekirjutus (order) is repeatedly or continuously ignored; the legal basis is an amendment to the Local Government Organisation Act (kohaliku omavalitsuse korralduse seadus), applying to pet-keeping violations generally (not only dangerous-dog owners), and local authorities have greater proactive powers to intervene.