Moving a pet to Spain
Harmonised entry: microchip, active rabies vaccination and an endorsed international health certificate.
Destination requirements apply to every origin. Document steps below reference USDA APHIS/VEHCS because they are the most common departure route; if you are moving from another country, the equivalent filing is handled by your national veterinary authority.
Quick rules summary
| Governing body | Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación |
|---|---|
| Mandatory lead time | 1–2 months |
| Rabies titer test (FAVN) | No |
| Import permit | No |
| Post-arrival quarantine | 0 days |
| Microchip mandate | ISO chip before rabies vaccination |
| Primary failure point | Regional dangerous-dog registration and vehicle restraint rules missed after arrival. |
Biosecurity & veterinary protocol
Entry rules depend on both your departure country and your destination. The endorsement steps below are written for the US-departure route (USDA APHIS via VEHCS); from any other origin, the equivalent step is an export health certificate endorsed by your national government veterinary authority.
- 1
Implant an ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15-digit microchip before any rabies vaccination.
- 2
Give the rabies vaccination after the microchip is in place — a vaccine given first is legally invalid.
- 3
Wait 21 days from the primary rabies vaccination before the pet can enter.
- 4
No rabies antibody titer test is required when departing from a listed low-risk third country (the United States and many others qualify); departures from unlisted countries do need a titer test.
- 5
Have a USDA-accredited (Category II) veterinarian complete the non-commercial EU Health Certificate for Spain and submit it through VEHCS.
- 6
USDA APHIS endorsement must be dated within 10 days of arrival in the EU.
Breed & airline warnings
"Potentially dangerous dogs" (Pit Bulls, Staffords, Rottweilers, Dogo Argentinos, Akita Inus) need regional registration and civil liability insurance.
Muzzles in public and physical vehicle partitions during road transit are mandatory for listed breeds.
Crates must follow IATA Live Animals Regulations: L = A + ½B, W = 2C, H = D + bedding. Two compatible animals up to 14 kg (30 lbs) each may share a crate; heavier animals travel individually. Check your breed →
Your Spain timeline
Build my pet's relocation plan
Your plan appears here
Tell us where your pet is travelling from and to, and we'll build a route-specific plan: the earliest realistic travel date, the steps that actually determine it, every deadline, and any quarantine on arrival.
- • Rules resolved per corridor — never a generic US or EU timeline.
- • Counts what your pet has already had done.
- • Tells you plainly when a corridor still needs verification.