Bringing pets to Spain
Plan the paperwork for your own dog, cat or ferret, including origin, travel and local follow-up.
Responsible authority
MAPA · Veterinario autorizado/oficial · Autoridad de entrada · Registro autonómico
Rule level
España · según trámite y ubicación
Application route
online, in person, appointment may be required
Last reviewed
September 20, 2026
What is this for?
Preparation for a non-commercial move of your own dog, cat or ferret to Spain. Work per animal; the selected person is its responsible owner, not the animal. A veterinarian and the entry authority confirm travel readiness. This dossier is not a pet passport, health certificate or entry permission.
When can it be useful?
- Plan the paperwork for your own dog, cat or ferret, including origin, travel and local follow-up.
Where do I arrange it?
- MAPA: Viajar con perros, gatos y hurones · requisitos y modelos actuales
- MAPA: Identificación, vacunación y controles · preguntas frecuentes
What may I need first?
- Municipality / province
- Pet name and planned travel date
- Species
- Departure route
- Departure country, transit and first EU entry
- Purpose and ownership
- Total pets travelling together
- Owner and pet travel arrangement
- Younger than 15 weeks on arrival?
- Veterinarian has checked identification, rabies and travel documents?
Documents to prepare
- Per-animal file: species, age, identification record and the passport or official certificate required for that origin; keep numbers outside SpainForm.
- Veterinary record of rabies vaccination and any route-specific tests, with dates checked against the planned journey.
- Owner itinerary, pet itinerary and any written authorization; identify the first entry point into the EU and all transit countries.
- Carrier's written transport requirements, booking, suitable travel arrangements and destination-veterinarian contact.
Practical route
- Identify the animal and the complete itinerary, including the first EU border and planned dates.
- Confirm whether the movement qualifies for the non-commercial pet route; sale/adoption and separated travel need different assessment.
- Ask the veterinarian to check the identification sequence, rabies validity, age and any origin-dependent tests or waiting periods.
- Use the current MAPA country route and certificate model; ask the competent authority who signs/endorses it and when.
- Coordinate the carrier and, where applicable, the authorized entry point and declaration/control arrangements before booking irrevocable travel.
- Have the veterinarian/authority recheck the documents against the final travel date; carry the required originals and authorization.
- After arrival, ask a local veterinarian about regional identification registration, contact details and municipal obligations.
What comes next?
- Keep travel/entry records and confirm the local registration result for this animal.
- Update owner contact details with the relevant animal register; a new passport or owner address does not automatically update every registry.
- For future travel, recheck destination, transit and return rules before departure.
Important to check
Preparation aid, not an official form or decision. The competent authority confirms eligibility, required evidence, fees and the outcome. Items marked for confirmation remain unresolved.
Official sources
SpainForm records the authority and review date so this content can be checked and updated manually.