Since 22 April 2026, EU pet passports issued to GB residents are no longer valid for travel to EU countries. If you live in England, Scotland, or Wales and want to take your dog to Europe, you now need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for every trip — a document signed by a qualified vet before each journey.
Last verified against gov.uk: 26 July 2026.The EU pet passport — the booklet that GB residents used to travel with their dog, cat, or ferret to Europe — is no longer accepted for travel from Great Britain to EU countries. Any GB resident who tries to cross an EU border using an old pet passport risks being turned away. The passport isn't expired or revoked: it's simply no longer a valid travel document for this journey.
The change came into force on 22 April 2026, as part of the post-Brexit realignment of UK and EU pet travel rules.
This applies to residents of England, Scotland, and Wales. If you live in Northern Ireland, different rules apply — NI operates under the Windsor Framework and can still use EU pet passports for travel to EU countries. If you're unsure which rules apply to you, the answer comes down to where you live, not where your pet passport was issued.
The Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is the document that replaces the EU pet passport for GB residents travelling to the EU. It's not a one-off document — you need a fresh one for every outbound trip from Great Britain.
The AHC is signed by a vet who holds an Official Veterinarian (OV) qualification. Not all vets are OVs, so the first step is confirming your usual vet is qualified, or finding one who is. The certificate records your dog's microchip number, rabies vaccination details, and confirms they're fit to travel.
Your OV can only sign the AHC in the 10 days before your dog enters the EU. The signing day itself counts as day one — so if you're travelling on 10 August, the earliest your vet can sign the certificate is 1 August.
This matters for planning. Most owners book their OV appointment two to three weeks before travel, so there's no last-minute scramble over availability, even though the legal signing window is only 10 days.
Before 22 April 2026, once a dog had entered the EU on an AHC, that certificate was valid for 4 months of onward travel. That's now been extended to 6 months. If you've read anything stating 4 months, it's out of date.
Once your dog has entered the EU on a valid AHC, the same certificate covers onward travel between EU countries and your return home to Great Britain — for up to 6 months, as long as the rabies vaccination is still current. Full details on the AHC's two validity windows are in the AHC validity guide.
You're in Bristol, taking your dog to France for two weeks, departing 10 August. Here's what you need:
Your dog's microchip must have been implanted before or at the same time as the first rabies vaccination. The rabies vaccination must be current — if it's a booster with continuous cover, there's no waiting period; a first vaccination requires 21 days before travel. An OV signs your AHC no earlier than 1 August (the signing day counts as day one of the 10-day window). On return, your dog needs tapeworm treatment from a vet — more than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arriving back in Great Britain.
The AHC signed on or after 1 August covers the whole trip and your return journey.