Do I need an AHC or can I still use my EU pet passport?
If you're resident in England, Scotland or Wales, you need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). Your EU pet passport — even one issued in an EU country — has not worked for entering the EU since 22 April 2026. The only exception is Northern Ireland residents, who can keep using an EU pet passport.
Last verified against gov.uk: 26 July 2026.| Criteria | AHC | EU pet passport |
|---|---|---|
| Valid for GB residents (EU travel)? | Yes — required | No, since 22 April 2026 |
| Valid for NI residents (EU travel)? | Not needed — passport still works | Yes |
| Reusable? | No — single-use, one outbound trip | Yes — same document for years |
| Issued by | Official Veterinarian (OV), no more than 10 days before travel | Any vet, once, then updated with boosters |
| Covers onward EU travel + return to GB | Up to 6 months, if rabies vaccination stays valid | N/A — reusable, no expiry window as such |
| Typical cost | A new fee each trip, typically £75–£250 depending on the vet | One-off issue cost, then free booster updates |
The "dog passport" question, answered directly
Most people searching for this are really asking: "do I still need the thing my vet used to call a pet passport?" The honest answer is that the document has changed. What you need now is called an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) — sometimes informally called a "dog passport" for travel, though it isn't a passport in the old sense. It's a single-use certificate, not a booklet you keep and reuse.
What happens if you try to use your old EU pet passport
Carriers check your documents before you travel, and border staff check them again on arrival. An EU pet passport alone doesn't satisfy either check for a GB resident anymore — so travelling on one puts your trip at real risk, whether that's your ferry, train, or airline declining to let you board, or being turned back once you reach the EU side. It's a straightforward fix, though: get the AHC sorted before you go, and this simply doesn't come up.
The Northern Ireland exception
If you live in Northern Ireland, this page doesn't apply to you — under the Windsor Framework, you can continue using an EU pet passport for EU travel. This guide is written for GB (England, Scotland, Wales) residents.
What to do with your old EU pet passport
Don't throw it away. It's still useful as a medical record — it shows your dog's rabies vaccination history, which your vet will need when issuing your first AHC. Keep it with your dog's other paperwork.
Worked example
You're a GB resident with a dog that has an EU pet passport issued in 2023, fully up to date with rabies boosters. For a trip to Spain in September 2026, that passport does not get you into the EU. You still need an AHC issued by an Official Veterinarian (OV) no more than 10 days before you travel — the passport comes along only as a reference document for your dog's vaccination history.
Common mistake
People sometimes assume the rule only applies to new passports, or that a passport issued in an EU country (rather than the UK) is treated differently. It isn't. The rule is based on where you, the owner, are resident — not where or when the document was issued.