The Animal Health Certificate, explained properly

If your pet was last abroad before Brexit, here is the change that catches most owners out: the UK pet passport is gone. Great Britain residents now need an Animal Health Certificate, usually shortened to AHC, for every trip to the EU. It is the single most important piece of paper in pet travel, and the one most journeys go wrong over. This guide explains what it is, what it costs, and the timing rules that actually matter.

What an AHC is

An Animal Health Certificate is an official document, signed by a vet who holds Official Veterinarian status, confirming that your pet is microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. It is what French border staff at the Eurotunnel terminal want to see before your dog or cat enters the EU.

Three validity periods are printed into it:

• 10 days from issue for entering the EU. Your crossing must happen inside this window.
• 6 months for onward travel within the EU once you have entered.
• 6 months for coming back into Great Britain on the same certificate.

One certificate covers up to five pets, and you need a fresh one for every new trip out of the UK. There is no multi-trip AHC.

What has to happen before the vet can issue one

1. Microchip first. Your pet must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, the rabies vaccination. A chip fitted after the jab does not count, and the vaccination has to be done again.
2. Rabies vaccination. Your pet must be at least 12 weeks old when vaccinated.
3. The 21-day wait. You cannot travel until 21 full days after the first rabies vaccination. Day one is the day after the jab. Boosters given before the previous dose expired need no new waiting period.

What it costs

The government does not set a price, so vets charge what they choose. Expect somewhere between £100 and £250 per certificate at most practices, with central London often at the top of that range. Not every practice has an Official Veterinarian on staff, so phone ahead and ask specifically for an AHC appointment rather than a standard consultation.

The timing puzzle, solved

The 10-day window is the part people get wrong. Book the AHC appointment for a date within 10 days of your crossing, but not so close to departure that a problem at the appointment leaves you no time to fix it. Three to five days before travel is the comfortable zone. Take your pet's vaccination record to the appointment, and check that the microchip number on it matches the chip.

What an AHC does not cover

Entering France, Belgium, the Netherlands or Spain needs no tapeworm treatment. Coming home is different: dogs must see a vet on the continent between 24 hours and 5 days before arriving back in Great Britain. That rule trips up more return journeys than any other, and we cover it fully in the return-leg guide.

A few destinations do require tapeworm treatment on the way in, among them Ireland, Finland, Malta and Norway. Check the entry rules for your specific destination on gov.uk before you travel.

Where the journey fits in

Paperwork is half of pet travel. The other half is the drive itself, and that is the part we do every week. Our paperwork page has the full checklist, and when you book with us we go through every document together before travel day, so nothing gets discovered at the terminal. If Paris is the destination, the Paris route page shows how the journey works.

This guide explains the rules in plain English and was checked against official guidance when last updated. Rules change: always confirm current requirements on gov.uk before you travel. Nothing here is legal or veterinary advice.