Bring a pet dog or cat to Australia from the UK: the full official process
Taking a pet dog or cat from Great Britain to Australia is a two-government process, and the good news is that the UK is one of Australia's approved (Group 3) countries — so unlike an owner starting in an unapproved country, you can prepare your pet entirely in the UK and export it directly, with no need to relocate through a third country first. That still does not make it quick: Australia runs one of the strictest, longest pet pathways in the world, built around a rabies antibody (RNATT) blood test and a mandatory 180-day waiting period counted from the date the blood sample reaches the laboratory. On the UK side, your export runs through an Official Veterinarian (OV) authorised by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), who completes and certifies the export health certificate Australia requires. On the Australian side, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) sets the import permit, testing and quarantine rules, and every pet finishes with post-entry quarantine at the Mickleham facility near Melbourne. Plan on at least six months, and confirm every day-count on the official pages linked below before booking flights, because a single wrong date can mean refusal, extended quarantine, or your pet being sent back.
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
The UK is an approved Group 3 country, so you prepare your pet in the UK and export directly — no third-country routing. But you still must serve Australia's mandatory 180-day waiting period, counted from the date the RNATT rabies blood sample ARRIVES at the laboratory (not from vaccination), the titre must be 0.5 IU/ml or more, and every pet does post-entry quarantine at Mickleham near Melbourne (minimum 10 days with a valid pre-RNATT identity check, otherwise minimum 30 days). Plan on at least 6 months.
At a glance
The whole journey in order. Every point below is spelled out in full further down.
- The UK is an approved Group 3 country, so you prepare and export your pet directly from the UK — no third-country stay needed.
- Microchip your pet; an optional identity check before the RNATT cuts Australian quarantine from a minimum of 30 days to a minimum of 10 days.
- Vaccinate against rabies, then do the RNATT blood test — the result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml (FAVN or RFFIT).
- Serve the mandatory 180-day wait counted from when the RNATT sample reaches the laboratory.
- Apply and pay for the Australian import permit through BICON.
- Complete the extra dog tests (Leptospira, Brucella, Leishmania) and the tick/flea and worming treatments in their windows.
- An APHA-authorised Official Vet certifies the export health certificate; a final clinical exam is within 5 days of export.
- Fly directly into Melbourne as manifested cargo and complete post-entry quarantine at Mickleham.
Leaving the UK — the APHA export health certificate route
Because Australia is outside the EU, your travel document is not an EU animal health certificate but an export health certificate (EHC) matched to Australia's requirements. It is completed and certified by an Official Veterinarian (OV) authorised by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), and the underlying preparation (microchip, rabies vaccine, RNATT and tests) is all done here in the UK.
Authority: GOV.UK / Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
Start with your vet, and microchip before the rabies vaccinationDon't get this wrong
GOV.UK's pet-travel rules require your pet to be microchipped before, or at the same time as, its rabies vaccination — if it is vaccinated before being chipped, it must be vaccinated again. Your vet also needs proof the pet is at least 12 weeks old before vaccinating it against rabies. Because Australia sets extra requirements on top of these basics, GOV.UK tells you to check the destination country's own rules, which is where the RNATT test, import permit and quarantine (see the Australia section) come in.
- Microchip must come before or at the same time as the rabies vaccine, or the vaccination doesn't count
- Vet needs proof the pet is at least 12 weeks old before rabies vaccination
- GOV.UK: you must also check the destination country's additional rules
- The same microchip number must appear on every document
For Australia you need an export health certificate (EHC), not an EU animal health certificateDon't get this wrong
GOV.UK describes an export health certificate as 'an official document that confirms your export meets the health requirements of the destination country,' and you must apply for one when moving live animals from Great Britain to a non-EU country such as Australia. This replaces the EU animal health certificate used for EU travel. The EHC is built around Australia's specific import conditions, so you obtain those conditions (via the Australian permit process) and your certificate is completed to match them.
- Australia is non-EU, so the document is an export health certificate (EHC)
- GOV.UK: an EHC 'confirms your export meets the health requirements of the destination country'
- Required for moving live animals from Great Britain to a non-EU country
- The EHC is matched to Australia's import conditions
An APHA-authorised Official Veterinarian (OV) certifies and signs the certificate
Before you export, you contact an Official Veterinarian (OV) or inspector who certifies the export health certificate. GOV.UK defines an OV as 'someone who's been authorised by APHA to perform statutory duties (work that is required by law).' You name the OV in your application and confirm they can inspect the consignment and sign it before export. If no certificate template exists for your situation, GOV.UK says to contact the destination's competent authority in advance to find out the paperwork and import conditions that apply.
- The EHC must be certified by an Official Veterinarian (OV) authorised by APHA
- GOV.UK defines an OV as authorised by APHA to perform statutory duties
- You name the OV in your application; they inspect and sign before export
- Contact the destination competent authority in advance for import conditions
Entering Australia — the DAFF import side (UK is an approved Group 3 country)
The UK is one of Australia's approved (Group 3) countries — 'rabies is present but well controlled' — so you prepare your pet in the UK and export it directly, with no third-country stay required. The full rabies-testing pathway still applies, and this is one of the strictest, longest pet journeys in the world, so allow at least six months and confirm every day-count on the DAFF pages.
Authority: Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)
Confirm the UK is an approved Group 3 country and allow at least 6 monthsDon't get this wrong
Australia only accepts cats and dogs prepared in an approved country, and the UK is on that approved list in Group 3 — countries where 'rabies is present but well controlled' and the full rabies-testing pathway applies. Because the UK is approved, you prepare your pet in the UK and export it directly, without the 180-day third-country residency that owners in unapproved countries face. All steps must be carried out by a government-approved vet, Australia strongly recommends using an experienced pet transport agent, and the department warns the whole process takes at least six months.
- The UK is an approved Group 3 country — direct export, no third-country stay
- Group 3 = 'rabies is present but well controlled', full testing pathway applies
- Plan at least 6 months
- All steps done by a government-approved vet; a pet transport agent is recommended
Microchip your pet (and optionally get an identity check to cut quarantine)
Your pet must have an ISO-compliant microchip (generally 10 or 15 digits); numbers starting with 999 are not accepted. A government-approved vet must scan the microchip at every visit and before every blood sample, and the number must match every document. Separately, an optional identity check by an official government veterinarian, done BEFORE the RNATT blood test and at a different visit, reduces the mandatory Australian quarantine from a minimum of 30 days to a minimum of 10 days. A pet passport, vaccination card or microchip certificate is not accepted as an identity check.
- ISO-compliant microchip required (10 or 15 digits; not 999-series)
- Vet must scan chip at every visit and before every blood draw
- Optional identity check cuts quarantine from min 30 to min 10 days
- Identity check must be done before the RNATT, at a separate visit
Vaccinate against rabies, then do the RNATT blood test
Your pet must be vaccinated against rabies with a vaccine approved in the country of export (for dogs, given when at least 84 days old). Vaccination must stay continuously valid from the RNATT date through to export. Then a government-approved vet takes blood for the Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test (RNATT), performed at least 3-4 weeks after a primary vaccination course. The lab must use the FAVN or RFFIT test, and the result must be 0.5 IU/ml or more. A result below 0.5 IU/ml means re-vaccinate and repeat the test.
- Rabies vaccine must be approved in the UK; dogs vaccinated at min 84 days old
- RNATT taken at least 3-4 weeks after primary vaccination
- Test must be FAVN or RFFIT
- Result must be 0.5 IU/ml or higher
- Vaccination must stay valid continuously to export or the 180 days restart
Serve the mandatory 180-day waiting period after the RNATTDon't get this wrong
This is the single hardest date to get wrong. Your pet cannot be exported to Australia until at least 180 days after the RNATT blood sample arrives at the laboratory. There are no exceptions. This is a residency/observation period (the pet lives with you in the UK during this time; it is not quarantine) that ensures the animal is not incubating rabies. The RNATT itself is only valid for 12 months (365 days) from the sampling date, so the export must happen inside the window between 180 days and 12 months after the sample. Let the RNATT lapse and you must re-test and restart the 180 days.
- 180-day wait counts from when the RNATT sample ARRIVES at the lab
- No exceptions to the 180 days
- RNATT is valid 12 months / 365 days from sampling
- Export must fall between day 180 and month 12
- Not a quarantine period — the pet lives with you in the UK during this time
Apply and pay for the Australian import permit via BICONDon't get this wrong
You must hold a valid biosecurity import permit before export, applied for through Australia's Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON). Apply as soon as possible after you have the RNATT declaration, and submit the RNATT lab report plus the endorsed RNATT declaration with the application. Pay in full at submission; the fee is non-refundable. Most permits issue in 20-40 business days but it can take up to 123 business days. For a Group 3 country the permit is valid only until the RNATT expires (12 months from the blood sample date), and it must be valid on the day the pet arrives.
- Permit applied for in BICON before export
- Submit RNATT lab report + endorsed RNATT declaration
- Most permits: 20-40 business days; up to 123 business days possible
- Fee paid in full at submission and is non-refundable
- Group 3 permit valid only until the RNATT expires (12 months from sampling)
Complete the other required tests, vaccinations and parasite treatments
Dogs from a Group 3 country need extra checks beyond rabies: Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola (either vaccinate, or test negative by MAT within 45 days of export); Brucella canis (if not desexed — RSAT, TAT or IFAT, negative, within 45 days of export); and Leishmania infantum (IFAT or ELISA, negative, within 45 days of export). External parasite (tick and flea) treatment must start at least 30 days before export and be maintained. Internal parasite treatment (nematodes and cestodes) must be given twice within 45 days of export, at least 14 days apart, with the second dose within 5 days of export. Cats have their own separate guide.
- Leptospira Canicola: vaccinate, or MAT test negative within 45 days of export
- Brucella canis (if not desexed): RSAT/TAT/IFAT negative within 45 days of export
- Leishmania infantum: IFAT or ELISA negative within 45 days of export
- External parasite treatment starts at least 30 days before export
- Internal parasite treatment twice within 45 days, 14 days apart, 2nd dose within 5 days of export
- Some prohibited dog breeds cannot enter Australia at all
Final vet check, health certificate and government endorsement
Within 5 days before export, a government-approved vet does a final clinical exam and completes the country-specific veterinary health certificate (you obtain the blank from the competent authority — in Great Britain this is the APHA-certified export health certificate). Then an official government veterinarian must endorse it — completing, signing and stamping every page with an original 'wet ink' stamp — along with the RNATT lab report, Leishmania report, Brucella report (if not desexed) and Leptospira report/vaccination certificate. The health certificate must be an original; copies are not accepted. All these documents travel with the pet to Australia.
- Final clinical exam within 5 days before export
- Country-specific vet health certificate completed then officially endorsed
- Every page needs an original wet-ink stamp + official vet signature
- Health certificate must be an original, not a copy
- Permit, health certificate, lab reports and RNATT declaration travel with the pet
Fly to Melbourne and complete post-entry quarantine at MicklehamDon't get this wrong
The pet must arrive directly at Melbourne International Airport (no domestic transfers) as manifested cargo in an IATA-approved crate, before the import permit/RNATT expires. On arrival a biosecurity officer transports the pet to the Mickleham post-entry quarantine facility. Dogs must stay a minimum of 30 days, reduced to a minimum of 10 days only if a valid pre-RNATT identity check was done (or the dog originated in Australia). You pay all quarantine costs before release, and any compliance issue can extend the stay.
- Must arrive directly into Melbourne, as manifested cargo in an IATA crate
- No domestic transfers (cannot land elsewhere and fly on to Melbourne)
- Quarantine at Mickleham: minimum 30 days, or minimum 10 days with a valid identity check
- Owner pays all quarantine fees before the pet is released
- Non-compliance can mean longer quarantine, extra testing, re-export or euthanasia
The kit this move actually needs
Heads up: some links below are affiliate links. Buy through one and Animalsss may earn a small commission — it costs you nothing extra, and it never changes what we list. We put down the kit this particular move actually needs, and nothing we were paid to.
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An IATA-approved travel crate or carrier
Airlines check the container against the IATA live-animal rules before they will load it: hard-sided, well ventilated, and big enough for the animal to stand up and turn around. The wrong crate is the most common reason a booked pet gets bumped at the counter.
See options on Amazon → -
Clip-on food and water cups
The crate has to travel with bowls fixed inside that ground staff can top up without opening the door. Free-standing bowls do not count.
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Absorbent crate lining
A layer that holds an accident through a long leg keeps the animal dry and keeps the crate from being pulled off the ramp for leaking.
See options on Amazon → -
"Live Animal" labels and orientation arrows
Most carriers want the crate marked LIVE ANIMAL with "This Way Up" arrows. A cheap sticker set beats hunting for a marker at check-in.
See options on Amazon → -
An ID tag that reaches you at both ends
A number someone can actually answer on the day — not just your home line — is what reunites a pet with you if the crate and the paperwork get separated in transit.
See options on Amazon →
Official sources
Every step above was read off one of these pages. They are the version that counts — check them before you travel or ship.
- GOV.UK — take your pet abroad
- GOV.UK — get an export health certificate
- Australia DAFF — importing cats and dogs (step-by-step guides)
- Australia DAFF — importing cats and dogs (Group 3 dogs guide)
- Australia DAFF — rabies neutralising antibody titre test
- Australia DAFF — importing cats and dogs (permit)
Common questions
The questions people ask most about this corridor, answered from the same official sources above.
How long does it take to move a pet from the UK to Australia?
At least six months from your first vet visit. The timeline is built around Australia's mandatory 180-day wait, counted from the day the rabies blood sample (RNATT) reaches the laboratory. On top of that you have the rabies vaccination, the blood test, the BICON import permit, other tests and parasite treatments, and the Mickleham quarantine stay.
Is the UK a rabies-free country for importing a pet to Australia?
No — for Australia's purposes the UK is a Group 3 country (rabies present but well controlled), not rabies-free. That means a pet from the UK must complete the full rabies pathway: rabies vaccination, the RNATT blood test with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, and the 180-day wait. Do not assume the UK skips the blood test.
Is there quarantine when my pet arrives in Australia from the UK?
Yes. Every dog and cat arrives at Melbourne as manifested cargo and completes a minimum stay at the Mickleham post-entry quarantine facility. The minimum is 10 days if an official government vet does an identity check before the RNATT; without that earlier check it is a minimum of 30 days.
Do I need an import permit to bring a pet from the UK to Australia?
Yes. You apply and pay for an Australian import permit through the BICON system. Processing takes roughly 20–40 business days (sometimes longer), the fee is non-refundable and paid at submission, and for a Group 3 country the permit's validity is tied to the RNATT's expiry. On the UK side an official vet certifies the export health certificate through APHA.
Where to go next
Everything Animalsss holds on these animals — care, prices and listings.
This page tells you where the official rule is and what it says. It is not the rule and it is not legal advice. The official source decides, and the official source is the one that counts if this page and it ever disagree.
Reviewed by the Animalsss Movement Desk. Last reviewed 21 Sep 2026. Every rule and day-count was adversarially fact-checked against the official GOV.UK and Australian DAFF pages; the UK's Group 3 classification was confirmed from DAFF's own country lists.
This page is free to read and always will be. It is written from the official pages linked above; those pages can change, and if one has, the link is the fastest way to see what it says now.
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