Does My Pet Need to Quarantine in France? Pet Import Requirements for Every Country

Published on November 11, 2026

France is one of the more welcoming countries in the world for a pet move. There is no quarantine facility waiting at the airport, and most dogs and cats are ready to travel in a matter of weeks. The one detail that can turn weeks into months is where your pet is coming from. France follows the EU’s rabies rules, and those rules sort every country into one of three groups. Find your group, and the rest of the plan falls into place.

Key France Pet Import Facts at a Glance

Does My Pet Need to Quarantine in France?

No, as long as your pet arrives with everything in order. France does not hold compliant dogs and cats in quarantine. On arrival, French customs checks your pet’s health certificate and rabies records and scans the microchip. Pets coming from countries that require a titer test are always presented to customs for this check.

Isolation only comes into play when something is missing or wrong. If a pet arrives without a valid rabies vaccination, a required titer test or a correct certificate, French officials can send the pet back to its origin country or place it in isolation, at the pet parent’s expense.

In other words, France’s version of quarantine happens on paper, before your pet ever leaves home.

How France Groups Countries for Pet Rabies Rules

France follows EU rules, which sort countries into three groups:

EU member states. Pets living in another EU country travel to France on an EU pet passport. No titer test, no health certificate.

Listed (low-risk) countries. No titer test required, but pets still need a microchip, a rabies vaccine and an EU health certificate. The list includes the United States (including Puerto Rico and Guam), Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, plus a number of smaller territories. The full list is published by the European Commission.

Unlisted (high-risk) countries. Every other country, including India, the Philippines, Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, mainland China, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Pets from these countries need a rabies titer test, followed by a 3-month wait before they can enter France.

Two details catch people off guard. Hong Kong and Taiwan are listed while mainland China is not. And South Korea, which many pet parents assume is low-risk, is not on the EU list.

What Does My Pet Need to Enter France From a Listed (Low-Risk) Country?

This applies to pet parents moving from the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, Australia, Singapore, the UAE and the other listed countries.

1. Microchip first. An ISO 11784/11785 compliant microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccine. A vaccine given before the microchip does not count.
2. Rabies vaccination. Given when your pet is at least 12 weeks old. After a first (primary) vaccination, your pet must wait 21 days before entering France. Boosters given before the previous vaccine expires have no wait.
3. EU animal health certificate. Issued by an official or government-authorized veterinarian and endorsed by your country’s veterinary authority within 10 days of your pet’s arrival in France. 
4. Owner declaration. You confirm the move is non-commercial. You, or someone you authorize in writing, must travel within 5 days of your pet. Up to 5 pets can travel this way.

No titer test and no waiting period beyond the 21 days. For the full US process, including USDA endorsement, see our guide to moving pets from the USA to France.

What Does My Pet Need to Enter France From a High-Risk (Unlisted) Country?

This applies to pet parents moving from India, the Philippines, Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, the Middle East outside the UAE and Bahrain, most of Latin America, Africa and Asia.

1. Microchip first. Same ISO standard as above, implanted before the rabies vaccine.
2. Rabies vaccination. Given at 12 weeks of age or older, after the microchip. Every booster after that has to be given before the previous vaccine expires.
3. Rabies titer test. An authorized vet draws blood at least 30 days after the vaccination. The sample goes to an EU-approved laboratory, and the result must be 0.5 IU/ml or higher.
4. The 3-month wait. The blood sample must be taken at least 3 months before your pet’s health certificate is issued, so your pet can’t travel until that time has passed. This wait is the part pet parents most often underestimate. 
5. EU animal health certificate. Issued by an official or government-authorized veterinarian and endorsed by your country’s veterinary authority within 10 days of your pet’s arrival in France, with a certified copy of the titer result attached. 
6. Arrival check. French customs reviews the documents and scans the microchip before your pet is released.

The good news: a passing titer test stays valid for your pet’s lifetime, as long as rabies boosters are never late. If a booster lapses, the next shot counts as a new primary vaccine and the titer test and 3-month wait start over.

What Do Pets Moving From Great Britain to France Need?

Great Britain is a listed country, so there is no titer test. Since April 22, 2026, though, pet parents who live in Great Britain can no longer use an EU pet passport to bring a pet into France, even one issued in an EU country before that date. Each entry needs an animal health certificate (often called an AHC) issued by an official veterinarian within 10 days of arrival.

France does not require tapeworm treatment for dogs, so that step only comes back into play for trips into the UK. Our guide to the Pet Travel Scheme covers the UK side.

Can My Pet Enter France With an EU Pet Passport?

Only if you live in the EU. EU pet passports are now issued only to pet parents whose main residence is in an EU member state. Pets moving to France from anywhere outside the EU travel on an EU animal health certificate instead. Once you are settled in France, your vet can issue an EU pet passport. Our post on EU pet passport changes has more detail.

One helpful exception for EU residents: if your pet had a passing titer test recorded in its EU passport before leaving the EU, it can return from a high-risk country without the 3-month wait.

How Far in Advance Should I Plan a Pet Move to France?

From a listed country, plan for 1 to 2 months. That covers the 21-day wait after a new rabies vaccine plus the 10-day certificate window, with room to book flights.

From a high-risk country, plan for at least 4 months if your pet is starting from scratch: 30 days from vaccine to rabies titer test, then 3 months from blood draw to health certificate. Lab results can take several weeks. If your pet already has a passing titer test and an unbroken vaccine history, the timeline can be much shorter.

How Old Does a Puppy or Kitten Need to Be to Enter France?

France makes no exception for unvaccinated young animals coming from outside the EU. Because the rabies vaccine can’t be given before 12 weeks of age, the earliest a puppy or kitten from a listed country can enter is about 15 weeks old. From a high-risk country, it is about 7 months old, once the titer test and 3-month wait are added. Our guide on how old a puppy or kitten needs to be to travel internationally covers this in more detail.

What If My Pet’s Flight Connects Through a High-Risk Country?

A pet from a listed country can connect through a high-risk country without needing a titer test, as long as the pet stays inside the airport or the aircraft and has no contact with other animals. You sign a short declaration confirming this, and it travels with your pet’s documents. Routing matters here, so it is worth confirming the connection before booking.

Are There Breed Rules for Pets Entering France?

For dogs, yes. Category 1 dogs, which include Pit Bull-type, Staffordshire Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Mastiff (Boerboel) and Tosa types without a pedigree recognized by France, can’t be imported. Staffordshire Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Tosas with a recognized pedigree, plus all Rottweilers and Rottweiler-type dogs, are Category 2 and can enter with restrictions. See our guide to France dog breed restrictions for the full rules.

For cats, Bengal and Savannah cat parents should bring a pedigree or birth certificate. Without proof of breed, France treats the cat as a hybrid, which requires an import permit arranged in advance.

Why Do Pet Moves to France Get Delayed?

Most delays come from small details:

• Vaccine given before the microchip. The vaccine doesn’t count, and the clock restarts.
• A booster given one day late. It becomes a new primary vaccine, and from a high-risk country that means a new titer test and a new 3-month wait.
• Blood drawn too early. The titer sample has to be taken at least 30 days after the vaccine.
• Certificate issued too soon. From a high-risk country, the certificate can’t be issued until 3 months after the blood draw.
• An unapproved lab. The titer test only counts if an EU-approved laboratory ran it.
• An outdated passport assumption. Pet parents living outside the EU need a health certificate, even if their pet has an older EU passport.
• Pet and owner more than 5 days apart. A different (commercial) certificate and process applies.

None of these are hard on their own. They just all have to line up on the same certificate.

How WorldCare Pet Transport Helps With France Pet Moves

France rewards good timing. Our Pet Relocation Counselors work backward from your move date, confirm which group your pet’s origin country falls into, coordinate vet appointments and titer test submissions, and review every line of the health certificate before it is endorsed. From pickup at home to customs clearance in France and delivery to your new front door, our door-to-door service covers the full journey, with updates in a dedicated WhatsApp group along the way.

Whether your pet is coming from the US, the UK or a country that needs the full titer test process, we can tell you where you stand today and what comes next. For an overview of the full process, see our France pet relocation guide, and once you arrive, our PawPrint City Guides can help you settle in.

Request a France Pet Move Quote Today

Let us be the heart of your move.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does France quarantine dogs and cats? No. France has no standard quarantine for pets. Dogs and cats that meet every requirement are checked by customs on arrival and released.

Do I need a rabies titer test to bring my pet to France? Only if your pet is coming from a country that isn’t on the EU’s listed countries. Pets from the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, Australia and other listed countries don’t need one. Pets from countries such as India, the Philippines, Brazil and South Africa do.

How long is the wait after a titer test for France? The blood draw must be at least 3 months before your pet’s EU health certificate is issued. A passing result stays valid for life as long as rabies boosters are never late.

Is South Korea considered high-risk for pets entering France? Yes. South Korea is not on the EU’s list of exempt countries, so pets from South Korea need a rabies titer test and the 3-month wait.

Can I bring my pet to France on an EU pet passport if I live in the UK or the US? No. EU pet passports are only valid for pet parents whose main residence is in the EU. Pets coming from outside the EU need an EU animal health certificate for each entry.

What is the youngest age a puppy can enter France? About 15 weeks old from a listed country, and about 7 months old from a high-risk country. 

What happens if my pet doesn’t meet France’s import requirements? French officials can send the pet back to its origin country or place it in isolation, at the pet parent’s expense. Planning the timeline early avoids this.