Pet Travel from Norway to the United Kingdom
– Rules, Documents and Route Requirements

Updated: 25 August 2026

Requirements for Cats and Dogs

Microchip

The pet must be identified by a microchip that can be read at the travel control. The microchip must have been implanted before, or on the same day as, the rabies vaccination used for the journey.

The number and implantation or reading date must be entered correctly in the travel document. If the recorded microchip number does not match the animal, or the chronology cannot be established from the document, the rabies vaccination may not be accepted for travel purposes.

Rabies Vaccination

• The pet must be at least 12 weeks old on the date of the first rabies vaccination.
• After a primary vaccination, at least 21 full days must pass before travel. Some vaccines require a longer waiting period, so the manufacturer’s instructions must also be checked.
• The vaccination must remain valid on the date of entry into Great Britain.
• If a booster was given after the previous vaccination had expired, it is treated as a new primary vaccination and the waiting period starts again.

Rabies Antibody Blood Test

A rabies antibody titration test is not required when a pet travels from Norway to Great Britain under the non-commercial pet travel rules.

Tapeworm Treatment for Dogs: the Route Changes the Rule

Direct entry from Norway: a dog does not require treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis when it comes directly to Great Britain from Norway.

Entry after travelling through the EU: the Norwegian exemption should not be relied upon when the final journey to Great Britain begins in another country. In this case, the dog must be treated by a veterinarian no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before the actual time of entry into Great Britain.

The veterinarian must record the product name and manufacturer, the exact date and time of treatment, and add a signature and stamp in the appropriate section of the pet passport or health certificate.

Tapeworm treatment is not required for cats.

Travel Documents Accepted for Entry into Great Britain

Norwegian Pet Passport

A valid pet passport issued in Norway is accepted for entry into Great Britain. Norway is not an EU Member State, but pet passports issued in Norway are recognised under the British pet travel rules.

The passport must clearly confirm the pet’s identity, the microchip chronology, a valid rabies vaccination and, where required for the route, the dog’s tapeworm treatment. A passport is not automatically valid merely because it has been issued: the individual entries, dates, signatures and stamps must also be complete and consistent.

Animal Health Certificate Issued in Great Britain

If the pet originally travelled from Great Britain with a valid Animal Health Certificate, the same certificate may be used for the return journey provided it remains valid for re-entry and the rabies vaccination has not expired. Any required tapeworm treatment must be entered correctly before returning with a dog.

Great Britain Pet Health Certificate

If the pet does not have a valid recognised passport or a usable Animal Health Certificate, a Great Britain pet health certificate may be used. It must be signed, stamped and dated by an official veterinarian authorised by the Norwegian authorities, and the pet must enter Great Britain within 10 days of the certificate being issued.

The Five-Day Rule: the Pet’s Journey and the Owner’s Journey

For the movement to remain non-commercial, the pet must travel because its owner is travelling. The pet must travel at the same time as the owner or within five days before or after the owner’s journey.

If another person accompanies the pet, that person must be authorised by the owner and the connection between the pet’s journey and the owner’s journey must be documented. If the pet travels outside the five-day period, or is being sold, rehomed or transferred to a new owner, commercial import rules may apply instead.

Route and Carrier

The final entry into Great Britain must normally take place on an approved route with an authorised carrier. A carrier may also impose its own requirements concerning the transport crate, booking procedure, number of animals accepted and proof that the pet is fit to travel.

There is an important difference between:

• a genuinely direct journey from Norway to Great Britain; and
• a journey from Norway through Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium or France before the final crossing to Great Britain.

The second route must be checked as a complete itinerary. The last country before entry into Great Britain can affect the document control and, for dogs, the tapeworm treatment requirement.

Check the current approved routes on GOV.UK

Travelling with More Than Five Pets

Under the standard non-commercial pet travel rules, no more than five pets may travel. An exception may apply when the animals are attending or training for a competition, show or sporting event. In that case, every pet must be over six months old and written evidence and the required declaration must accompany the journey.

If those conditions are not met, or the animals are travelling for sale, rehoming or transfer of ownership, additional commercial import requirements apply.

Common Problems Found Before Travel

• The owner assumes that the Norwegian exemption from tapeworm treatment still applies after travelling through the EU.
• The 24–120-hour window is calculated from departure rather than from entry into Great Britain.
• The microchip date does not clearly precede the rabies vaccination used for travel.
• The rabies entry is missing a signature, stamp, vaccine validity date or other required information.
• A booster was given after the previous vaccination expired, but the new waiting period was not observed.
• The owner and pet travel more than five days apart without recognising that different import rules may apply.
• The transport is booked before confirming that the route and carrier accept pets under the required conditions.

Our Services

• Pre-Travel Consultation
• Pet Travel Document Check
• Pet Transportation with a Courier
• Complete Pet Travel Documentation