Emigrating from Germany with Pets — Passport, Chip and Entry Rules

You are deregistering, the move is booked — and your dog or cat is coming too. The good news: taking a pet out of Germany is well-trodden ground. The catch: the requirements are time-sensitive, and the most common mistake is starting too late. A rabies titre test for some non-EU countries has to be done months before departure. Miss that window and your pet does not fly when you do.

We have supported over 40,000 people through leaving Germany since 2014, and pet relocation is one of those tasks people leave until the boxes are packed. This guide walks through the documents every pet needs, and where the destination rules diverge — EU versus non-EU.

At a glance

• Dogs, cats and ferrets need a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a pet passport or health certificate.
• Inside the EU, the EU pet passport (EU-Heimtierausweis) is all you need — issued by any vet.
• For many non-EU countries you also need a rabies antibody titre test and an official health certificate — and the titre test often has a mandatory waiting period.
• Start at least 3–4 months before departure for non-EU destinations. Some countries require even longer.
• Number of animals, breed bans and quarantine rules vary by country — check the destination's official source before you book flights.

The three things every pet needs

1. Microchip. Your animal must be identifiable by an ISO 11784/11785 microchip. The chip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination — if it is done after, the vaccination does not count and has to be repeated.

2. Rabies vaccination. A valid rabies vaccination is the non-negotiable core requirement almost everywhere. It is only valid from 21 days after the first shot, so this cannot be a last-minute task. Keep boosters current; a lapsed vaccination resets the clock.

3. Documentation. Inside the EU this is the EU pet passport, which records the chip number, the vaccination and your vet's details. For non-EU travel you usually need an official health certificate issued close to departure, often endorsed by an official (state) veterinarian.

Moving within the EU

This is the simple case. With a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport, dogs, cats and ferrets travel freely between EU member states. Two things to watch:

• Tapeworm treatment is required for dogs entering a small number of countries (Ireland, Finland, Malta, Norway), given by a vet 24–120 hours before arrival and recorded in the passport.
• Number limits: travelling with more than five animals can shift you from "pet travel" into commercial-import rules unless it is for a competition or show.

Any vet in Germany can issue the EU pet passport — do it before you deregister, while your usual vet still has your animal's full history.

Moving outside the EU

Here the rules diverge sharply by destination, and the timing gets serious. Many non-EU countries (and the EU again, if you ever return from a "non-listed" country) require a rabies antibody titre test: a blood sample taken at least 30 days after vaccination, analysed by an approved lab, often followed by a mandatory waiting period of up to three months before entry is allowed.

Because a rabies-free country like Australia or New Zealand can require the longest lead times and strict quarantine, the destination's official government source is the only authority that matters — airline and forum advice is often out of date. Plan the pet timeline backwards from your departure date, not forwards from today.

Sequence it with your move

The pet timeline often has the longest lead time of anything on your moving list — longer than cancelling contracts, longer than the Abmeldung itself. So start it first:

1. Confirm the microchip is ISO-standard and the rabies vaccination is current.
2. Check the destination's official import rules today — they decide everything else.
3. If a titre test is required, book it early enough to clear the waiting period.
4. Arrange the health certificate close to departure.
5. Then handle the rest of your move — including your deregistration and the wider leaving Germany checklist.

Get the pet paperwork moving before you book anything else, and the rest of the move slots in around it.

Frequently asked questions

Related: Relocating from Germany with kids · How to deregister from Germany · Leaving Germany checklist