Bringing a pet to Germany

• 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.
• Check breed restrictionsSome breeds are banned or restricted — see the breed rules section.
• Travel through an approved point of entry⚠Pending official confirmationThe Zoll and BMEL official pages (English and German) both state that 'pets from third countries may only enter through an authorised travellers' point of entry and must contact the competent authority on arrival', but no Germany-specific itemised airport/port list is published (checked 2026-07-18: the BMEL entry-points English sub-page only cites the general EU rules, and the German page returns 404). In practice, entry is through major international airports with veterinary services (e.g. Frankfurt, Munich). The itemised list is pending manual verification with the German veterinary authority. The banned import breeds and the entry mechanism are confirmed by the Zoll official page. Entry from Annex I countries (e.g. Switzerland, Andorra, Norway) does not need to go through an authorised entry point.

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 Germany side (listed countries). A separate USDA endorsement fee applies on the US side (amount to be confirmed). Domestic registration: Germany has no single national pet-microchip registry; microchip registration is done through private databases (FINDEFIX/Deutscher Tierschutzbund, TASSO); dogs must additionally be registered with their municipality to pay dog tax (Hundesteuer), and some states require dangerous dogs to be registered. An ISO microchip is still required for EU travel.

Banned: Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bullterrier

⚠Pending official confirmationFederal-level import ban: under the Hundeverbringungs- und -einfuhrbeschränkungsgesetz (HundVerbrEinfG) (2001), it is prohibited to import or bring Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bullterrier and their crosses into Germany (on the basis that they are presumed dangerous in the state of intended permanent keeping). Exceptions: residents holding a keeping permit for that state returning after a short trip abroad, service/military dogs, guide dogs, assistance dogs for people with disabilities, disaster-rescue dogs, dogs accompanying tourists staying fewer than four weeks, and dangerous dogs from the existing stock in Germany that are being brought back. Rules for keeping (as opposed to importing) dangerous dogs are set by each federal state (Bundesland); the 16 states differ, and some list additional breeds — anyone planning a long stay should check the Hundegesetz/Gefahrhundeverordnung of their state.