Bringing a pet to Spain from another EU country

Key rules

• Documents: You need an EU pet passport, a readable microchip and a valid rabies vaccination, with no third-country certificate.
• Waiting period: A primary rabies vaccination becomes valid for travel 21 days after it is completed.
• Chip order: The microchip goes in before the rabies vaccination or at the same time.
• Tapeworm: Spain does not require tapeworm treatment for pets from other EU countries.

What your pet needs

Moving a dog, cat or ferret from another EU country to Spain takes three things: an EU pet passport, a readable microchip and a valid rabies vaccination. You do not need a third-country health certificate. An official EU health certificate is accepted in place of the passport.

The passport

An authorised vet issues the passport. The microchip and the rabies vaccination must both be recorded in it. The documents list below shows exactly what to carry.

The microchip

The chip must be ISO 11784/11785 compliant (15 digits), so a standard reader can scan it. It must be implanted before the rabies vaccination, or at the same time. If it went in afterwards, the vaccination does not count and must be repeated.

If your pet has a non-ISO chip, bring your own reader so it can be scanned at entry. A tattoo is accepted only if it is clearly legible and was applied before 3 July 2011.

The rabies vaccination

Your pet can travel once 21 days have passed since the primary vaccination was completed. The vaccine's data sheet sets how long the vaccination stays valid. The vet records this in the passport, commonly 1 to 3 years.

Give any booster before the previous vaccination expires. It is then valid from the day it is given, with no new wait. A late booster counts as a first vaccination, so you wait 21 days again before travelling. The timeline below sets out the order.

Tapeworm and other treatments

Spain does not require tapeworm treatment for pets arriving from another EU country.

Once you live in Spain

Some dog breeds are classed as potentially dangerous. If you have one, Spain may require a licence and insurance once you are resident. Ask your town hall what applies.

Timeline and deadlines

• Have the microchip implanted, before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination: before the first rabies vaccination

• Complete the first rabies vaccination and have the vet record it in the passport: at least 21 days before travel

• Your pet becomes valid to travel once the primary vaccination has been complete for 21 days: 21 days after the primary vaccination is completed

• Give any booster before the previous vaccination expires, so there is no new waiting period: before the current vaccination expires

• If a booster is late, repeat the 21-day wait before travelling: if the booster is given after the vaccination has expired

Documents you need

• EU pet passport issued by an authorised vet (an official EU health certificate is accepted instead). No third-country certificate is needed.

• Proof of an ISO-compliant microchip (15 digits), recorded in the passport, that a reader can scan.

• Valid rabies vaccination recorded in the passport, with the validity period set by the vaccine, commonly 1 to 3 years.

Checklist

• Check that your pet's microchip is ISO 11784/11785 compliant, with 15 digits.

• Ask your vet to scan the chip and confirm it reads correctly.

• Check the passport shows the chip was implanted before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination.

• Check that a tattoo is clearly legible and dated before 3 July 2011, if your pet has one instead of a chip.

Frequently asked questions

Does my pet need tapeworm treatment to enter Spain from another EU country?

No, tapeworm treatment is not required for pets entering Spain from another EU country. Your vet only needs to confirm the passport, microchip and rabies vaccination are in order.

What happens if my pet's rabies booster is late?

A late booster counts as a new primary vaccination, so your pet must wait 21 days again before travelling. A booster given before the previous one expires is valid from the day it is given, with no wait.

Can I use a tattoo instead of a microchip?

Only if the tattoo is clearly legible and was applied before 3 July 2011. For any pet identified after that date, you need a microchip.