How To Get an EU Pet Health Certificate in the United States

An EU pet health certificate is usually required when traveling from the United States to the European Union with a dog, cat, or ferret that does not already qualify to travel on a valid EU pet passport. The certificate must be completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA APHIS before travel.

We used this process when traveling to Europe with our French Bulldog, Gus. This guide explains the main steps, timing, paperwork, and mistakes to avoid when preparing for pet travel from the United States to the EU.

Rules checked: June 2026. Pet-travel rules can change, and requirements depend on your destination country, airline, route, pet species, rabies status, and whether the movement is commercial or non-commercial. Always confirm current requirements with USDA APHIS, your USDA-accredited veterinarian, your airline, and the official rules for your first EU country of entry before booking travel.

USDA APHIS says new EU non-commercial health certificates go into effect on October 1, 2026. The current non-commercial certificates can be endorsed on or before September 30, 2026.

For commercial movement of dogs, cats, and ferrets, USDA APHIS says the new certificate goes into effect on October 17, 2026. The current commercial certificate can be endorsed on or before October 16, 2026.

Because these dates affect which form your veterinarian must use, do not download an old certificate and assume it is still valid. Start with the USDA APHIS page for your first EU destination and follow the current instructions there.

• USDA APHIS pet travel from the United States to France
• USDA APHIS pet travel from the United States to another country
• European Commission rules for bringing pets into the EU from non-EU countries

You usually need an EU pet health certificate if you are traveling from the United States to the EU with a dog, cat, or ferret and your pet does not have a valid EU pet passport that meets current rules for your trip.

The non-commercial certificate is generally for pets traveling with the owner or an authorized person, not being sold or transferred, and moving within the permitted time window around the owner’s travel. If the pet is being sold, transferred to a new owner, traveling separately outside the allowed window, or otherwise does not qualify as non-commercial movement, different commercial rules may apply.

Do not guess which category applies. Ask your USDA-accredited veterinarian and check the USDA APHIS page for your destination country before starting the paperwork.

Timing is the hardest part of the EU pet health certificate process. USDA APHIS says the non-commercial health certificate is valid for 30 days after the accredited veterinarian issues it. USDA must endorse the completed certificate within 10 days of arriving in the EU.

Build your timeline backward from your EU arrival date. Schedule the veterinary appointment early enough to complete the certificate and any required paperwork, but not so early that the certificate falls outside the allowed timing window.

Ask your veterinarian whether they use VEHCS, the Veterinary Export Health Certification System. Electronic submission can make the endorsement process easier, but your veterinarian should confirm the current process for your destination and travel date.

Our journey to get Gus’s EU Pet Health Certificate began a year before our full-time travel departure date. We knew it had to be issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian. We also knew Gus’s rabies vaccinations were essential.

I called his vet in Austin to see if anyone was qualified to issue international health certificates. They confirmed one vet was certified. So, I made Gus’s annual appointment with the appropriate person.

A week later, I took Gus for his regular annual vet appointment. I explained to the vet that we would be traveling to Italy in a year, and Gus would need an EU Health Certificate before leaving. She disclosed she was not sure she would renew the credentials allowing her to issue the documents.

Nonetheless, she reviewed Gus’s three rabies certificates to ensure they were properly signed in blue ink. One certificate was signed in black ink, so it needed a new signature. Finally, she confirmed that none of the vaccinations had ever lapsed.

If a rabies vaccination expires before getting a booster, the booster is no longer considered a booster. Instead, the booster is treated as the initial vaccination. This is important because, in states like Texas, the initial vaccination is only valid for one year. The boosters, on the other hand, are good for three years.

Consequently, if you ever let a rabies vaccination expire (by just one day), the next vaccine is only valid for one year. Unfortunately, you probably won’t realize this. Instead, you will likely assume it is a booster and wait three years before getting the next one. Of course, you then have a second expired vaccine, and the next one is (again) considered the initial and only valid for one year.

So, if it has been more than a year since the last rabies vaccine, it could be expired (even if it was a three-year booster). To resolve this issue, your vet must administer a rabies vaccine before issuing an international health certificate. Importantly, this must be done 21 days before your departure. All of this showcases the importance of starting the process well in advance of your trip.

Start with the country where your pet first enters the European Union. Requirements and certificate pages are organized by destination, so your first EU entry point matters.

Your pet needs a microchip and a valid rabies vaccination that meets the rules for your destination. The timing of the microchip and rabies vaccination matters, so review records before booking the vet appointment.

The certificate must be completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian. Not every veterinarian handles international travel paperwork, so confirm experience with EU certificates before scheduling.

Plan the appointment so the certificate can be completed and endorsed within the required timing window. Confirm your arrival date, flight route, and destination-country page before the appointment.

Your veterinarian may submit the certificate through VEHCS or follow the current APHIS process. Do not treat the certificate as complete until it has been endorsed by USDA APHIS when endorsement is required.

Carry the endorsed certificate, rabies records, microchip information, owner declaration if required, airline documents, and any destination-specific paperwork. Keep both digital and paper copies during travel.

Some European destinations have tapeworm treatment rules for dogs, and airlines may have their own forms, carrier rules, and check-in requirements. Check these separately from the EU health certificate.

My takeaway from this experience is that you must start the process a minimum of 30 days before your departure date. This is critical if your pet’s rabies certificate has ever expired, and a new rabies vaccination must be administered before departure.

Also, if cost is a factor for you, call around to different vet offices. Be sure to ask how much they charge for the necessary examinations and issuance of the certificate.

I did not price compare, and, in hindsight, $600 seems like a steep price to pay for the services I received. That said, I met a lady on my flight from Austin to Newark who was flying to Switzerland with her Yorkie. She paid $1,000 for her international health certificate! So, maybe $600 is not all that bad…

If you would like some tips on flying with your dog, check out our article, "Flying International with a French Bulldog."

USDA APHIS says the non-commercial EU health certificate is valid for 30 days after the accredited veterinarian issues it. The completed certificate must be endorsed by USDA within 10 days of arriving in the EU.

No. The certificate must be completed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA APHIS when endorsement is required.

Maybe. A valid EU pet passport can work for some eligible non-commercial movements, but it depends on rabies validity, where the vaccination was recorded, owner status, and current rules. Check USDA APHIS and the European Commission before relying on a passport instead of a health certificate.

VEHCS is the Veterinary Export Health Certification System used for submitting many export health certificates to USDA APHIS. Your veterinarian can tell you whether VEHCS applies to your destination and travel date.

Start researching weeks before travel, but schedule the final certificate appointment around the required timing window. The exact timing depends on your EU arrival date, destination rules, veterinarian availability, and USDA APHIS endorsement requirements.