Moving to the UK With Your Dog or Cat from the US: 2026 Checklist

Who this guide is for

Pet dogs, cats and ferrets travelling from the USA to Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales). Non-commercial: 5 pets or fewer, travelling within 5 days of the owner or an authorised person.

Key rules

The USA is a "listed" country for Great Britain.
Pets from the USA need a Great Britain pet health certificate.
Pets from the USA do not need a rabies blood test.
The microchip must be ISO 11784/11785 (15 digits).
The microchip must be implanted on or before the day of the rabies vaccine.
The pet must be at least 12 weeks old at the rabies vaccine.
Wait at least 21 days after the primary rabies vaccine. Some vaccines need 30 days.
A US primary rabies vaccine counts for 1 year only, even a "3-year" vaccine.
A booster must be given within 12 months of the primary vaccine. A gap means starting again.
Every rabies certificate must show the microchip number and the vaccine manufacturer.
A USDA-accredited vet issues the certificate. USDA (APHIS) endorses it.
The certificate is valid 30 days after the vet signs it.
USDA must endorse it within 10 days before arrival in the UK.
Dogs need tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival. Cats do not.
The owner signs a declaration. It travels with the pet.
Arrive on an approved route. By plane, pets travel as cargo (except assistance dogs and private charters).
Wrong paperwork can mean up to 4 months of quarantine, at your cost.

Timeline (work back from your arrival date)

When	What to do
4 months or more before arrival	Check your dog is not a banned breed. Book a USDA-accredited vet.
At least 21 days before arrival (30 if your vaccine requires it)	Microchip first, then rabies vaccine. Skip if your pet has an unbroken rabies history after microchipping.
30 days to 10 days before arrival	Vet issues the GB pet health certificate.
10 days or less before arrival	Vet submits the certificate to USDA through VEHCS. USDA endorses it.
Optional, before USDA endorsement	Ask Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC) for a paperwork pre-check if you land at Heathrow.
5 days (120 hours) to 1 day (24 hours) before arrival	Dogs only. Vet gives tapeworm treatment and records date and time.
Before departure	Sign the owner declaration. Add the USDA certificate number to it.
Arrival day	Microchip and documents are checked.

Common mistakes

Rabies vaccine given before the microchip.

A US "3-year" vaccine treated as valid for 3 years when it is the first one.

Microchip number missing or wrong on a rabies certificate.

USDA endorsement too early (more than 10 days before arrival).

Tapeworm treatment too early or too late, or time not recorded.

Booking a route that is not approved for pets.

Airlines

Checked 29 Oct 2026 on each airline's own page. Fees and rules change; confirm when booking.

GOV.UK rule: on flights into Great Britain, pets travel as cargo. Exceptions: recognised assistance dogs and private charters.
British Airways: no pets in the cabin on any route. Pets fly in the hold. Into the UK, IAG Cargo arranges it. From the UK, PetAir UK arranges it.
IAG Cargo: some dangerous dog breeds and snub-nosed cats and dogs may not be accepted. Cats departing the USA or Canada need at least a 200-series kennel. Snub-nosed pets need a kennel 10% larger than the minimum. You sign an indemnity covering quarantine costs.
American Airlines: no carry-on pets on transatlantic trips. No checked pets to the UK. American Airlines Cargo: Heathrow only. AA Cargo's page also lists Manchester, but Manchester is not on GOV.UK's approved list for American, so confirm before booking. A UK customs broker is required. No warm-blooded animals on flights of 12 hours or more.
GOV.UK approved air routes: Delta cargo is approved for Edinburgh, Gatwick and Heathrow. British Airways for Heathrow and Gatwick. United and Virgin Atlantic are not on the commercial list.
Delta Cargo: Delta Cargo has a temporary global embargo on household pet shipments. The only exception is US active-duty military and Foreign Service officers on permanent change of station (PCS) orders, and even they cannot ship pets to or from Amsterdam (AMS), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR), Seoul (ICN) or Tokyo (HND). Snub-nosed dogs and cats and their mixes are not accepted. International pet shipments must be booked through an IPATA member pet shipper (military and Foreign Service PCS moves excepted). GOV.UK listing Delta cargo as an approved route does not mean Delta currently accepts pets.
Delta: no pets in the cabin to or from the United Kingdom.
United: no pets to, from or through the United Kingdom. United no longer carries pets in cargo (PetSafe ended), except for some military and State Department travellers.
Virgin Atlantic: only assistance dogs can travel in the cabin (Conditions of Carriage, Article 16). Cargo pet availability could not be confirmed: the Virgin Atlantic Cargo pets page did not load. Ask Virgin Atlantic Cargo directly. Unverified / not covered
In practice: plan for cargo through a pet shipper or the airline's cargo arm.

Unverified / not covered Not covered on this page yet: Air France fees and snub-nosed list, ITA hold rules, Virgin Atlantic cargo, ferries. Ask the carrier directly before you book.

Breeds

Great Britain bans certain dog types. A banned dog cannot enter without a valid Certificate of Exemption.
Check the GOV.UK banned dogs list before booking anything.
Airline breed rules: IAG Cargo may refuse some dangerous and snub-nosed breeds. AA Cargo's restricted list includes snub-nosed dogs and cats and other breeds, for example Boston Terrier, Boxer, Bulldog, Pug, Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Cane Corso, Presa Canario, and Persian, Himalayan and Burmese cats. Check before booking.

Questions people ask

Does my dog need a rabies blood test to go from the US to the UK?

No. The USA is a listed country. Blood tests are only for countries that are not in the EU and not listed.

Which document does my pet need?

A Great Britain pet health certificate. A USDA-accredited vet issues it and USDA endorses it.

How long is the certificate valid?

30 days after your vet signs it. USDA must endorse it within 10 days before arrival.

When does my dog need tapeworm treatment?

Between 24 and 120 hours before you arrive in Great Britain. A vet must give it and record it.

Do cats need tapeworm treatment?

No. Only dogs.

Will my pet be quarantined?

Not if all rules are met. If they are not, your pet can be quarantined for up to 4 months at your cost.

My dog had a 3-year rabies vaccine. Is it valid for 3 years?

Not if it was the first vaccine after microchipping. That one counts for 1 year. A booster within 12 months can then last 1 to 3 years.

Can someone else fly with my pet?

Yes, if you authorise them in writing and they travel within 5 days of you. Otherwise a commercial certificate is needed.

Can my pet fly in the cabin to the UK?

No, except recognised assistance dogs and private charters. Pets fly as cargo.

Which airlines fly pets from the US to the UK?

Mostly as cargo. British Airways uses IAG Cargo. American uses American Airlines Cargo to Heathrow only (GOV.UK's approved list). Delta and United do not take pets in the cabin to the UK, and Delta Cargo has a temporary embargo on household pets.

Guide checked: 29 October 2026

Related guides

Official sources (checked 29 Oct 2026)

Rules last checked 29 October 2026 against GOV.UK and USDA APHIS. Rules can change without notice. Always confirm with your USDA-accredited vet.