Taking more than one dog to the EU? What you need to know
You can take up to 5 pets into the EU as one non-commercial trip, but since 22 April 2026 that limit applies per private vehicle, not per person. Each pet needs its own Animal Health Certificate details recorded, though multiple pets belonging to the same owner can go on a single certificate. Travelling with more than 5 requires a specific exemption, such as attending a registered competition or show.
Last verified against gov.uk: 26 July 2026.The rule changed on 22 April 2026 — per vehicle, not per person
Before this date, the 5-pet limit was widely understood as applying per person — so two owners travelling together in one car might have assumed they could bring up to 10 pets between them. That's no longer the case. The limit is now 5 pets per private vehicle, regardless of how many owners are inside it. If you're travelling on foot rather than by vehicle, the 5-pet limit still applies per person.
One certificate can cover several pets
An AHC isn't necessarily one document per dog — up to 5 pets belonging to the same owner can be listed on a single certificate, provided they're all travelling together. This is also generally cheaper than booking separate appointments for each dog.
What if you have more than 5?
Travelling with more than 5 pets in one private vehicle is only permitted if you're attending or training for a registered competition, show, or sporting event — and you'll need written evidence of that registration to support it. Without a qualifying exemption, a trip with more than 5 pets is treated as a commercial movement, which comes with a different and more demanding set of paperwork requirements entirely.
If someone else is travelling with your dog
If your dog is travelling with an authorised person rather than you — a dog-sitter, a family member, or a professional pet transport service — that's allowed, but your own journey generally needs to happen within 5 days of your dog's journey, and you'll need to provide written authorisation that travels with the pet's documents.
Worked example
A couple travelling together with 3 dogs, in one car, needs one AHC listing all 3 dogs — well within the 5-per-vehicle limit. If a third owner joins with 2 more dogs in the same car, that's 5 dogs total in one vehicle: still fine. A sixth dog in that same car, with no competition exemption, would push the trip over the limit.
Common mistake
The most common mix-up is assuming the 5-pet limit multiplies with each additional person in the car. It doesn't anymore — it's tied to the vehicle itself, so plan around that number regardless of how many people are travelling.