You need a new document at a cost of £90 a time
Anyone travelling with a pet needs to know the rule change
People travelling from the UK to Europe have been warned of a major passport change this week, making documents invalid from Wednesday, April 22. The post-Brexit change means that anyone travelling with a pet will need new documentation or face being sent home.
Until now, people taking their pets abroad – whether by plane, train, ferry or car – could use an EU Pet Passport. The EU Regulation 2016/429 – known as the Animal Health Law – comes into force this week after a 10-year transition.
That means anyone going to Europe with their pet now needs an Animal Health Certificate. The certificate requires a vet visit within 10 days of your trip, a new certificate each time and a £90 payment – per pet.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) issued Briefing Note 14/26 on April 17, 2026. This statement marks a significant shift in pet travel rules, effectively ending the “loophole” where Great Britain (GB) residents used EU-issued pet passports to avoid the cost of Animal Health Certificates (AHCs).
A spokesman said: “An EU pet passport, issued to or held by a pet owner who is resident in GB, will no longer be a valid document for travelling with pets from GB to the EU. This applies to EU pet passports issued in an EU Member State or Northern Ireland, including those issued before 22 April 2026 . EU pet passports may only be issued to owners whose main residence is within the European Un ion.”
If your primary residence is in Great Britain, you cannot use an EU pet passport for travel from the UK to the EU, regardless of where or when that passport was issued (e.g., if you obtained it in France or Spain). UK residents must now obtain an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for every single trip to the EU.
The briefing clarifies that EU pet passports issued in Northern Ireland are also invalid for travel if the owner is a resident of Great Britain.
APHA is updating the AHC forms to align with new EU regulations. While these new templates are being finalised, there is a transition period where older AHC templates will still be accepted for travel into the EU. There are currently no changes to the requirements for pets entering GB. You can still use a valid EU pet passport or AHC to return to the UK.
For dogs, the requirement for a vet-administered tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before arriving back in GB remains in place.
You should contact your vet immediately to arrange an AHC, as pet passports will no longer be accepted at the border for UK residents from that date.
Updated rules on the movement of dogs, cats and ferrets are included in a January 2026 EU regulation which is coming into force on April 22.