Travelling with pets in the EU and EEA – the pet passport 

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General information

Since 1 October, people wishing to travel between European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) member states with dogs, cats or ferrets have had to present a pet passport, which must be issued by a veterinary authority.

Advice

For animals subject to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), it should be noted that CITES permits are required for Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, which can be applied for at the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK).

Advice

Currently, there is no certification requirement for any other pets, including tropical aquarium fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds (except poultry), rodents, rabbits or invertebrates (except bees and crustaceans), taken across borders in the course of private travel.

The pet passport applies across the EU and the EEA. It is designed to be difficult to forge and to allow each individual animal to be identified and checked. You can get a pet passport

  • from any freelance vet practising in Austria or
  • from the University of Veterinary Medicine [Veterinärmedizinischen Universität]

For all animals over the age of three months, the pet passport must include details of an approved vaccination against rabies (as well as any approved booster jabs). When the animal is vaccinated against rabies for the first time, the date from which it is considered to have been vaccinated should be entered into the passport.

A new form of pet passport was introduced on 29 December 2014. However, passports issued prior to this date are still valid.

Caution

Some EU member states impose additional requirements for animals to be treated against ticks and tapeworm.

The pet passport also includes various details about the keeper of the animal concerned. You can also record a change of ownership in the passport, and attach a photograph of the animal. All pet passports must include the animal's name, age, breed, gender and ID number.

Each traveller can take a maximum of five pets with them, provided each individual animal has its own passport. However, these animals must not be passed on to third parties or offered for sale.

If you are travelling abroad with dogs, cats or ferrets, they must be tatooed with an ID number or micro-chipped to ensure they can be clearly identified. The microchip number and/or the clearly legible tattoo number must be entered in the animal's pet passport.

Tattoos were used to identify some animals up to 2 July 2011. From 3 July 2011, the only way of officially identifying cats and ferrets has been via a microchip. All dogs kept in Austria have had to be micro-chipped since 30 June 2008, and the owner/keeper must ensure that their dog is registered in the Austrian public database. Tattoos carried out prior to these dates are still valid, provided they are clearly legible.

Caution

Municipal and provincial authorities have the power to impose additional requirements within their remits, such as mandating that animals must wear muzzles or be kept on a lead.

The EU's requirements for travel with pets also apply in some non-EU member states (specifically, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City).

Competent authority

If you need to provide evidence that your pet is not infected with certain animal diseases, please contact

Further information

Further links

Legal basis

Certified Translation
Last update: 15 May 2024
Responsible for the content:
  • Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology
  • Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection