The EU has tightened up the post-Brexit rules on access to the European Pet Passport. Here’s what that means from trips between France and the UK for dogs, cats and ferrets.
Since the end of the Brexit transition period in 2021, the UK has no longer been part of the EU-created Pet Passport scheme. From April 22nd 2026, the EU has tightened up several post-Brexit loopholes when it comes to Pet Passports.
Here’s what this means if you are travelling with a dog, cat or a ferret:
You live in France
If you live in France and your pet’s passport was issued by your vet in France, then nothing changes.
You can continue to use the French-issued passport on trips to the UK, and to countries within the EU.
If you live in France but are still using a UK-issued Pet Passport, you will need to get your French vet to issue you a new one. In order for this to be issued, your pet must be registered in the I-CAD national register (which is a legal requirement even if you don’t plan on travelling).
UK-issued Pet Passports have technically not been valid since 2021, but this wasn’t always closely checked. Since April 2026, controls are set to get stricter.
You live in the UK
The end of the Brexit transition period ended UK access to the EU Pet Passport scheme.
The EU says: “From January 1st 2021, EU pet passports issued to a pet owner resident in Great Britain are no longer valid for travel with pets from Great Britain to an EU country or Northern Ireland.”
Instead of a Pet Passport, dogs, cats and ferrets now need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) – the big difference between this and the passport is that the AHC is only valid for one trip, so you will need a new certificate in advance of each trip to France.
Vets in the UK have been issuing AHCs since December 2020. To get one you need;
- Proof of your pet’s microchipping history
- Your pet’s vaccination record
- A certificate for a rabies vaccination that was carried out at least 21 days before the date of travel
The certificate costs an average of £100, although different vets charge different amounts – practices close to the UK Channel ports often offer deals.
If you are travelling with more than one animal you need a certificate for each one.
Once you have the certificate, it is valid for entry to the EU for just 10 days – so your appointment needs to be close to your date of travel. The certificate can only be used for one entry to the EU.
Once you are in France, the certificate is valid for onward travel to other countries within the EU for six months (previously four months, but six months since April 2026) and for re-entry to the UK for six months. If you intend to stay longer than six months in France, you will need to get a new certificate in order to re-enter the UK.
The EU rules state that arrivals from a non-EU country should also have a written declaration that their pet’s relocation is for non-commercial reasons, although this can be in the form of a simple letter.
Second-home owners
The EU’s April 2026 crackdown will mainly affect second-home owners.
There had previously been some confusion about the situation for second-home owners as some French vets had been happy to issue EU Pet Passports with only proof of an address in France (eg a utility bill).
The French government in 2022 clarified the rules on this, requiring that pets be registered within the French domestic registry in order to get an EU Pet Passport.
However from April 22nd, 2026, the EU has clarified that Pet Passports issued to owners who are resident in the UK or Northern Ireland will no longer be valid.
This means that not only can French vets not issue them, but second-home owners who already have a Pet Passport can no longer use it to travel. They will instead have to follow the UK-resident system of Animal Health Certificates.
The UK government says: “EU pet passports may now only be issued to people whose main home is in the EU and should not be used by people who have holiday homes in the EU or visit seasonally. EU pet passports issued to GB residents before 22 April 2026 may no longer be valid documents for entry to the EU.”
Other changes
Starting on April 22nd, 2026, the EU has also introduced other changes, intended to clarify the difference between people travelling with a pet and the commercial transport of animals.
To this end;
- If someone else travels with your pet, extra paperwork is needed. If the owner is not travelling with the pet, the pet must travel within five days of the owner, and the person accompanying the animal must carry written permission from the owner. This permission must travel with the pet’s travel document.
- There is a new five‑pet limit per private vehicle. Non‑commercial travel into the EU is now limited to a maximum of five pets per private vehicle, rather than five per person. The existing limit of five pets for people travelling on foot stays the same. Exceptions apply for pets travelling to competitions, events or training, if specific conditions are met.
Border control changes
Tighter border control rules for humans mean that it’s more important than ever that the animals and the humans in the group have matching statuses.
The EU’s new EES passport controls – being introduced gradually at the UK-France border in 2026 – mean that stays in France are automatically tracked for non-residents.
It is therefore clear at the border whether you are a French resident, and how long you have been in France – non-residents arriving with a pet that has an EU Pet Passport are therefore more likely to be flagged.
