On 7 October 2026, GOV.UK published bilingual versions of a one-page form: the declaration that lets someone else take your pet into the EU. Going to France, it "must be in French and English". Going to Ireland, the English-only version will do.
The certificates are built to be read at a foreign border, often in two languages; the papers that need translating sit around them.
Below: leaving and entering Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and what to translate.
Which documents does a pet need to travel from Great Britain?
It depends on the destination. GOV.UK's rules cover dogs, cats and ferrets and "also apply to assistance dogs":
| Destination | Document | Who issues it | How long it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| An EU country | Animal health certificate (AHC) | An official vet (OV) | 10 days to enter the EU, then 6 months for onward travel and return to Great Britain |
| Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland pet travel document (PTD) | Online application, free | As long as you own the pet |
| Anywhere else | Export health certificate (EHC), plus an export application form in England, Scotland and Wales | An OV you nominate | Depends on the destination |
For the EU, your pet must be microchipped "before, or at the same time as" its rabies vaccination and vaccinated at 12 weeks old or more, and you must wait at least 21 full days after the first vaccination. Dogs going to Finland, Ireland, Malta or Norway also need tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before arrival, as do dogs going to Northern Ireland without a PTD.
Does an animal health certificate need translating?
No. The current EU model, in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/705, which applies from 22 April 2026, says the certificate "shall be drawn up in at least one of the official languages of the Member State of entry and in English".
Four rules to know, two of them new in 2026:
- Validity. An AHC works for 10 days to enter the EU, then for 6 months of onward travel within the EU and for return to Great Britain, unless the rabies vaccination expires first. Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirms the extension "from 4 months to 6 months".
- One certificate per trip, shared by up to 5 pets.
- The old model. The European Commission says AHCs on the previous model "remain valid" if issued before 1 October 2026.
- Pet passports. GOV.UK says that if you live in England, Scotland or Wales you "cannot use a pet passport to enter the EU", even one issued in the EU. Residents of Northern Ireland still can.
Can someone else take my pet to the EU?
Yes, if you authorise it in writing and travel to the same destination within 5 days of your pet, before or after. GOV.UK's new guidance sets the rules:
- Language: "You must use a version of the declaration that includes an official language of the EU country you are travelling to." GOV.UK publishes English-only, English and French, English and Spanish, and English and Dutch versions.
- Other languages: if yours is missing, "contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to request another language", rather than translating the form yourself. Its format is set in EU law.
- Completing it: block capitals, your name exactly as on the AHC, each pet's microchip and AHC number, then print it and sign in pen.
Only the owner can sign it, and the person travelling carries it. If you cannot travel within 5 days of your pet, the commercial export rules apply.
What documents does a pet need to enter Great Britain?
A microchip, a rabies vaccination, the right travel document and, for dogs from most countries, tapeworm treatment 24 hours to 5 days before arrival. Pets must arrive on an approved route unless travelling within the UK or from Ireland, and you sign a declaration that you will not sell or transfer the pet. The document depends on where you travel from:
| Travelling from | Documents accepted |
|---|---|
| An EU country | An EU pet passport, a GB-issued AHC within its 6 months, a Great Britain pet health certificate, or a GB pet passport issued before 1 January 2021 |
| Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man | None |
| Listed countries such as Norway or Switzerland | A pet passport, an AHC or a GB pet health certificate |
| Listed countries such as Canada, Japan, the UAE or the USA | A Great Britain pet health certificate |
| A country that is not listed | A Great Britain pet health certificate and a rabies blood test |
The blood test adds the longest wait: a sample taken at least 30 days after vaccination, a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an EU-approved laboratory, and then you "must wait 3 months from the date the blood sample was taken before you travel".
The Great Britain pet health certificate is English by design. Its explanatory notes say: "The certificate shall be drawn up in English. It shall be completed in block letters in English." An official vet in the country of departure signs it, the pet must enter within 10 days, and certified copies of the vaccination details and any rabies test report are attached.
Bring originals, "not photocopies". A pet that is not properly prepared can be quarantined for up to 4 months, or refused entry if you travelled by sea, at your expense.
When does a pet document need a translation?
Rarely for the certificates themselves. The AHC is bilingual, the GB certificate is in English, and the current EU pet passport model prints its text in the issuing country's language "and in English". Translations belong around them:
| Document | Language rule | Translation needed? |
|---|---|---|
| AHC for the EU | English and a language of the country of entry | No |
| Authorised person declaration | English and a language of the destination | Use APHA's version |
| Great Britain pet health certificate | Completed in English | No |
| Foreign vaccination booklet or vet records | Whatever the issuing vet used | Yes, when a UK vet or authority must rely on it |
| Rabies test report from a laboratory abroad | The laboratory's language | Sometimes |
| Certificates for countries outside the EU | Set by each destination | Check the EHC first |
The usual case is a pet from abroad with a vaccination booklet in another language. GOV.UK tells you to take proof of your pet's microchipping date and vaccination history to the vet who issues the AHC. If that proof is in Turkish, Russian or Polish, a certified translation lets the vet check each entry against the original.
Outside the EU, rules vary. Argentina's animal health service, SENASA, says one of the languages of the international veterinary certificate "debe ser el español" (must be Spanish), and APHA's export certificate 3887 for cats and dogs going to Argentina is printed in English and Spanish. If a country asks for more than the EHC, such as an import permit, ask which language it must be in. Moving for good? Our guide to moving abroad with UK documents covers the rest of the file.
What should a translated vaccination record show?
The fields GOV.UK says a pet's vaccination record must contain, in the order of the original:
- the pet's date of birth
- the microchip number, the date it was implanted or read, and where it is on the body
- the vaccination date
- the vaccine manufacturer and product name
- the vaccine batch number
- the date the first vaccination is valid from, and the date the latest one is valid until
- the vet's signature and contact details
Microchip and batch numbers are copied digit for digit, product names stay as printed, and dates keep the original order with the format stated once. GOV.UK warns that a pet "can be stopped from travelling" if details in its travel document are "in the wrong place", so a translation should mirror the booklet's layout. Our certified translation guide explains what the signed certificate of accuracy adds.
What is different for Northern Ireland?
Travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland has its own scheme:
- From Great Britain: a free PTD and a microchip, with no rabies vaccination or tapeworm treatment needed. The microchip is scanned at the port or airport; by air, tell DAERA at least 10 working days before you travel.
- Someone else travelling: they need the PTD, your written approval ("a letter, email or text message") and a declaration signed at the port or airport.
- Northern Ireland residents: no PTD for travel to and from Great Britain, only a microchip; EU pet passports remain available from participating vets.
- Going on to the EU: the scheme does not cover it. An AHC presented on arrival in Northern Ireland must be endorsed at the travellers' point of entry to be used for onward travel.
Why pets get refused or quarantined
- Microchip after the vaccine, which means vaccinating again.
- Travelling too early: before the 21-day wait, or within 3 months of a rabies blood test.
- An AHC older than 10 days at the EU border.
- A Great Britain resident using a pet passport to enter the EU.
- An English-only declaration for someone taking your pet to France or Spain.
- Tapeworm treatment outside the 24 to 120 hour window.
Checklist: pet travel documents
Questions people ask
Do I need to translate my pet's animal health certificate?
No. EU law requires the AHC to be drawn up in English and in at least one official language of the country you enter, so border officers can read it. A separate translation adds nothing and does not replace it.
Can I still use my pet passport to travel to the EU?
Not if you live in England, Scotland or Wales: GOV.UK says you cannot, even with a passport issued in the EU, and the European Commission says such passports are not valid for travel from Great Britain to the EU. You need a new AHC for each trip; Northern Ireland residents can still use EU pet passports.
How long is an animal health certificate valid?
For 10 days from issue to enter the EU, then for 6 months of onward travel within the EU and for your return to Great Britain. It stops working earlier if your pet's rabies vaccination expires during the trip.
Can someone else take my dog to France?
Yes, with your signed declaration in French and English, which GOV.UK publishes. You must travel to the same destination within 5 days before or after your dog, and the person travelling carries the declaration with the AHC.
Does my pet's foreign vaccination record need to be in English to enter the UK?
Not as such. The Great Britain pet health certificate must be completed in English by an official vet, with certified copies of the vaccination details attached, and its notes ask for no translation of those copies. A translation matters most when a UK vet must rely on the booklet later.
Do I need a pet passport to take my dog to Northern Ireland?
No. From Great Britain you need a free Northern Ireland pet travel document and a microchip, with no rabies vaccination or tapeworm treatment. Residents of Northern Ireland need only a microchip for travel to and from Great Britain.
How long must I wait after a rabies blood test?
Three months from the date the blood sample was taken, if you are coming from a country that is not listed. The sample must be taken at least 30 days after vaccination and show at least 0.5 IU/ml at an EU-approved laboratory.
How much does a pet document translation cost?
Official Translations charges £29.95 per page, a page being up to 300 words, with a signed certificate of accuracy. Most single-page documents arrive as a signed PDF by email within 24 hours, and longer ones in 1 to 3 business days.
