Netherlands – Importing a Pet

Does the Netherlands allow pets to be imported, and are there restrictions on which animals are permitted?

The Netherlands permits the importation of domestic animals, including dogs, cats, and ferrets, in accordance with EU-wide health and identification regulations. You must either be the animal’s owner or an authorised representative travelling alongside it. Pets must not be intended for sale or commercial transfer. The process is overseen at both the European and national level by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

Unlike a number of other nations, the Netherlands does not maintain a blanket breed prohibition. A 1993 law banning pit bull terriers, pit bull crossbreeds, and Rottweilers was repealed by the Dutch government in 2008. However, in 2017, the Dutch government published an official register of 20 dog breeds considered dangerous or high-risk on account of aggressive tendencies capable of causing serious injury. The following year, legislation took effect requiring owners of these breeds to complete a course on managing dogs with a propensity for violence. Many of these animals are also required to wear a muzzle in public spaces. If your dog belongs to one of the listed breeds, you should consult the NVWA for current obligations before making any travel arrangements.

The Netherlands has also introduced far-reaching rules concerning which mammal species may lawfully be kept as pets. Only mammals featured on the officially approved list of pets and hobby animals may be kept, sold, or bred within the country — a list that was revised on 1 July 2024. Owners of mammals not included on this list as of that date may continue to keep those animals, but must not release them into the wild, and must be in a position to demonstrate that the animal was already present in the Netherlands prior to 1 July 2024.

Distinct rules govern other animal categories such as birds, reptiles, and amphibians. If you wish to bring a rodent, rabbit, bird, fish, amphibian, or reptile into the Netherlands from another EU country, a pet health certificate signed by a veterinarian is required. Where the animal in question is a protected species, you must also confirm that importation is permissible under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

What vaccinations and health requirements do pets need before entering the Netherlands?

Rabies vaccination forms the foundation of the health requirements for dogs, cats, and ferrets entering the Netherlands. All three species must be fitted with a microchip or bear a clearly legible tattoo, and must be vaccinated against rabies. Critically, the microchip must be implanted before the vaccination is administered — the sequence is a legal requirement.

The microchip must be in place on or before the day the rabies vaccination is given. Both the date of microchipping and the chip number must appear on the EU pet passport or health certificate. The chip itself must conform to ISO 11784/11785 standards and consist of 15 digits. A tattoo is only acceptable as an alternative if it was applied before 3 July 2011 and remains clearly readable.

For pets arriving from countries classified as low-risk for rabies (as of 2025), the vaccination schedule works as follows. Dogs and cats must have received a rabies vaccination at least 21 days before entering the EU. If a current, valid vaccination already exists, no further waiting period is necessary. Booster injections must be given before the existing vaccination lapses in order to maintain uninterrupted protection. If a booster is missed and the previous vaccination has expired, the next injection is treated as a primary vaccination, reinstating the 21-day waiting period before travel.

Pets originating from countries identified as high-risk for rabies face a more demanding set of requirements. A blood sample must be taken at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination to measure the antibody titre. If the animal has already received multiple rabies vaccinations and the most recent one is still valid, a blood sample may be collected immediately. The sample must be sent to an EU-approved laboratory, and the resulting titre must be at least 0.5 IU/ml. A further waiting period of at least 3 calendar months from the date of sampling is then required before the animal may travel. This means pets from high-risk countries must be at least seven months old before they are eligible for import.

Countries listed in the EU’s official territories register are considered low-risk for rabies. Any third country not appearing on this list is treated as high-risk. It is worth noting that from 16 September 2024, Russia and Belarus have been reclassified as high-risk countries. Owners should always verify the current classification of their country of departure with the NVWA or through the EU’s Your Europe portal before commencing preparations.

In addition to rabies, pet owners should consider vaccinating against other diseases such as distemper. For dogs transported commercially, distemper vaccination is a mandatory requirement. For non-commercial pet movements, additional vaccinations beyond rabies are not generally a legal entry requirement for the Netherlands, though vets strongly advise them. Owners travelling onward to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway, or Northern Ireland should note that those destinations require dogs to be treated against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis within 24 to 120 hours of travel — this condition does not, however, apply to entry into the Netherlands.

Age is a relevant consideration: because the primary rabies vaccination must be administered when the animal is at least 12 weeks old, and a 21-day waiting period must then be observed, it is in practice impossible to import animals younger than 15 weeks into the Netherlands. Owners should confirm all specific timelines with the NVWA or a licensed veterinarian before booking travel, as rules are subject to revision.

What is the application process for importing a pet into the Netherlands, and what paperwork is required?

Relocating to the Netherlands with a pet demands advance planning — depending on the country of origin, the preparation process can take anywhere from several weeks to several months. The following step-by-step overview describes what is typically required for a dog or cat arriving from outside the EU. Owners already within the EU who hold a valid EU Pet Passport will find that many of these steps have already been completed.

1. Implant an ISO-compliant microchip. Your pet must be implanted with an ISO 11784/11785 compliant 15-digit microchip before the rabies vaccination is given. This must be done by a veterinarian. The microchip number must be recorded on all subsequent health documentation.
2. Administer rabies vaccination. Rabies vaccines must be administered by an authorised veterinarian. All pets must wait at least 21 days, or the time designated by the rabies vaccine manufacturer, prior to travelling to the port of entry.
3. Carry out a rabies antibody blood test (if required). If you are travelling from a high-risk rabies country, pets arriving from a high-rabies-risk non-EU country must have a rabies blood titer test (minimum 0.5 IU/ml) performed at an approved EU lab, and wait at least 3 calendar months after the sample before travel. This step does not apply to pets from low-risk countries.
4. Obtain a veterinary health certificate. For non-commercial movements, a veterinary health certificate is required, issued by an official veterinarian from the country of departure and endorsed on every page by the relevant competent authority. The certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian until the date of the customs inspection on arrival.
5. Complete the owner’s declaration. For non-commercial movements, an owner’s declaration is always required. An English-language declaration is acceptable. This document must be completed by the owner and/or the person travelling with the pet.
6. Travel with your pet to the Netherlands. The animal must arrive in the EU within 10 days of the health certificate being endorsed. Entry must be made through an approved Border Control Post (BCP) at a recognised port or airport. The NVWA conducts inspections of arriving animals in conjunction with Dutch Customs.
7. Register your dog with the RVO (if staying longer than 3 months). Dog importers must register the dog with a veterinarian within 2 weeks of arrival in the Netherlands. The veterinarian will record the import, microchip number, and pet passport details in an affiliated portal. To do this, a Unique Business Number (UBN) from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) must first be obtained.
8. Obtain an EU Pet Passport in the Netherlands. Once inside the EU, the health certificate remains valid for four months, or until the rabies vaccine expires — whichever occurs sooner. During this window, you should arrange an EU Pet Passport through any authorised vet in the Netherlands.

An import permit is not required when personally accompanying a dog, cat, or ferret into the Netherlands. Unaccompanied pets, however, may require an import permit. If your animal is travelling separately — for instance, as freight — contact the NVWA and your airline well ahead of time, as supplementary commercial movement documentation will be needed.

Does the Netherlands require pets to undergo quarantine on arrival?

Compliant pets entering the Netherlands are not subject to any quarantine requirement, provided they are in good health and their vaccinations are current. This stands in marked contrast to countries such as Australia and New Zealand, where even fully vaccinated animals must undergo mandatory quarantine periods of ten days or longer. The Dutch approach places its primary emphasis on documentation checks and veterinary health certificates rather than physical isolation.

That said, quarantine is not entirely out of the question. If a pet fails to meet EU import requirements, Dutch Customs will transfer it to an official NVWA veterinarian, who will review the animal and any available paperwork and determine the appropriate course of action. The vet may opt to quarantine the animal or arrange its return to the country of origin.

Should quarantine be imposed, all associated costs — including accommodation, transport, and veterinary care — fall entirely to the owner. There is no state-funded quarantine facility for non-compliant animals. Repatriation to the country of origin is a genuine possibility. This reality highlights just how important it is to ensure that every document is correctly prepared and in order before departure.

Is the Netherlands part of any international pet travel scheme?

Yes. As a full EU member state, the Netherlands participates in the EU Pet Travel Scheme. The European pet passport is a standardised identification document that is mandatory for travel between EU countries. It is issued exclusively to pet owners who are resident within the EU, and applies to dogs, cats, and ferrets.

The passport records a full description of the animal, including its microchip or tattoo number, its vaccination history — notably rabies — and the contact details of both the owner and the issuing veterinarian. A pet passport remains valid indefinitely as long as the animal’s health records, particularly the rabies vaccination, are kept up to date.

For pets and owners already within the EU, or travelling from certain designated non-EU territories, the scheme offers considerable convenience. Animals accompanied by pet passports issued in Andorra, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, or Vatican City State may also enter the EU under the scheme’s provisions.

Owners arriving from countries outside the EU Pet Travel Scheme — including those that were formerly part of it — must present alternative documentation. Since Brexit, the United Kingdom no longer participates in the scheme. Pets entering the Netherlands from Great Britain (England, Scotland, or Wales) must be accompanied by an Animal Health Certificate; UK-issued pet passports are no longer accepted in lieu of this certificate.

An official EU pet passport may only be issued to animals that have previously been present in the EU, and can only be issued by a veterinarian within the EU itself. When returning to the EU, the EU pet passport is only valid as an import document when the rabies vaccination recorded in it was administered by a veterinarian within the EU. If rabies vaccination was carried out in a non-EU country, that vaccination cannot be entered into the EU passport — it must instead be recorded on a separate EU health certificate.

Do pet owners need to register or licence their pet after arriving in the Netherlands?

The Netherlands operates a well-structured registration system for dogs that is among the more administratively detailed in Europe. If your stay is fewer than three months and you have no intention of selling or transferring your dog during that time, registration with the RVO is not required and there is no need to apply for a UBN. However, owners staying for four months or more are subject to registration obligations.

The principal step for dog owners is obtaining a Unique Business Number (UBN) from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). This requirement applies to private owners who breed a dog on a single occasion, import a dog from another country, or have a dog that has not previously been registered. The UBN fee stands at €22.28 (as of 2025). The invoice is not issued immediately — it will arrive by post during the year following the application, and payment is only due upon receipt.

With a UBN in hand, the next obligation is registration with a veterinarian. Dog importers must register the animal at a vet within two weeks of arriving in the Netherlands. The veterinarian will record the import details, microchip number, and pet passport information in an affiliated portal. Dutch law prohibits any veterinarian from microchipping a dog, registering it in the portal, or issuing a passport unless the owner has first obtained a UBN.

The Netherlands does not impose a national dog licence fee in the conventional sense — unlike some countries where central government charges an annual levy. However, certain Dutch municipalities still collect a local dog tax known as hondenbelasting. The rate varies considerably between local councils, so it is worth checking with your local gemeente (council) after you have settled in. No comparable registration requirement applies to cats or ferrets beyond the microchipping and EU Pet Passport obligations already outlined.

Are there any additional rules or costs expats should be aware of when bringing a pet to the Netherlands?

There is a ceiling on the number of animals that may be brought in under the non-commercial rules. Travelling with more than five animals triggers commercial movement regulations. Owners with large multi-pet households should plan ahead carefully and may wish to contact the NVWA to understand the correct procedure for each individual animal.

The Netherlands has enacted ground-breaking legislation governing which mammal species may lawfully be kept as pets. From 2024, the government introduced an approved list of mammal species deemed suitable for domestic keeping, and only animals appearing on this list may be purchased, kept, bred, or sold. Similar lists covering birds, amphibians, and reptiles are expected to follow. If you own an exotic mammal, you should check whether it features on the approved list before making any relocation plans.

The Netherlands has also taken a distinctive stance on physical characteristics in certain breeds. The Dutch government has proposed legislation banning the ownership of cats and dogs bearing physical traits that are harmful to the animal, with the principal focus on extreme brachycephalic — or flat-faced — features. In 2019, the Dutch Kennel Club prohibited the breeding of 12 brachycephalic breeds, among them pugs, Boston terriers, shih-tzus, and British bulldogs. While existing owners are not necessarily facing immediate prohibition, anyone intending to bring these breeds into the country should seek up-to-date guidance from the NVWA before travelling.

Airline and transport policies, though outside the scope of immigration law, have a direct practical impact on almost every pet owner. Rules on whether animals may travel in the cabin or must be placed in the cargo hold differ considerably between carriers. Those who would prefer not to drive to the Netherlands might consider rail travel, but should be aware that individual train operators have their own pet policies — for example, with the exception of assistance and guide dogs, pets are not permitted on Eurostar services. Always verify the pet policy of your specific carrier in advance, and confirm that your chosen point of entry into the Netherlands is an approved Border Control Post.

In contrast to countries like Australia, which subject all arriving pets to mandatory quarantine regardless of vaccination status, the Netherlands places its trust in documentation and vaccination compliance. This results in a significantly less stressful experience for animals and their owners, as long as all paperwork has been completed correctly. The costs you should plan for include: veterinary fees for health certificates and microchipping (if not already carried out), any government endorsement fees required in your country of departure, airline pet transport surcharges, and the RVO UBN registration fee of €22.28 (as of 2025). Consult the official sources below for the most current fee information, as these figures may change.

Where can expats find official information about importing a pet into the Netherlands?

The leading authority on pet import regulations in the Netherlands is the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). Comprehensive details on the requirements for bringing your pet to the Netherlands are available on the NVWA’s website, including guidance for travellers arriving from both EU and non-EU countries. The NVWA’s English-language pages cover health certificate requirements, rabies risk classifications, and Border Control Post information, and should be treated as the definitive reference. Visit: english.nvwa.nl

For customs and border control guidance on what may be brought into the Netherlands, including pets, Dutch Customs (Douane) publishes information on restricted and prohibited items. The NVWA carries out inspections of animals arriving at the border in cooperation with Dutch Customs. Visit: douane.nl

For UBN registration, dog registration in the I&R system, and EU Pet Passport guidance, the relevant body is the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). Once you have been assigned a UBN, your veterinarian will complete the import registration for your dog and issue an EU Pet Passport. Visit: english.rvo.nl

The Dutch government’s central portal at government.nl offers a clear, accessible overview of pet import requirements. For EU-wide regulations and an interactive tool for checking the rabies risk classification of any country of departure, the EU Your Europe portal at europa.eu is a valuable additional resource. Always verify the details directly with these official sources before travelling, as regulations are periodically reviewed and updated.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my pet arrives in the Netherlands without the correct paperwork?

If a pet fails to satisfy EU import requirements, Dutch Customs will pass it to an official NVWA veterinarian, who will assess both the animal and any documentation that is available before deciding on the appropriate course of action. The veterinarian may choose to impose quarantine or arrange for the animal to be returned to its country of origin. Any quarantine costs — covering accommodation, transport, and veterinary care — are the sole responsibility of the owner. Beginning preparations well in advance is the surest way to avoid this outcome.

How long does the full process take from start to finish?

The duration depends primarily on the country you are travelling from. Owners bringing pets from low-risk rabies countries should allow a minimum of three to four weeks — sufficient time for microchipping, the primary rabies vaccination, and the mandatory 21-day waiting period. For pets from high-risk rabies countries, a waiting period of at least 3 calendar months from the date the blood sample was taken must elapse before travel, bringing the total preparation time to at least five to six months from initial vaccination. It is wise to build in additional time to account for veterinary appointments, official endorsements, and administrative processing.

Do the rules differ for cats versus dogs?

The fundamental requirements — microchipping, rabies vaccination, and a health certificate or EU Pet Passport — apply in equal measure to dogs, cats, and ferrets. Dogs, however, carry additional post-arrival obligations in the Netherlands. Owners must register their dog with a veterinarian within two weeks of arriving, and must have first obtained a UBN from the RVO. Cats are not subject to an equivalent post-arrival registration requirement, though the microchipping and EU Pet Passport rules continue to apply.

Can I bring a rescue animal or adopted pet into the Netherlands?

Yes, though rescue animals must fulfil exactly the same health and documentation requirements as any other imported pet. The EU health certificate must clearly identify the animal by its microchip number, and the attending veterinarian must certify that it is fit to travel and is not coming from an area under rabies restrictions. Rescue animals from high-risk rabies countries will often require a titre test, which can add several months to the overall timeline. The NVWA website provides country-specific guidance and is the best starting point for owners in this situation.

Can I bring a puppy or kitten to the Netherlands?

Unvaccinated puppies, kittens, and ferret kits cannot be imported into the Netherlands from any country or EU member state. While microchipping may be carried out from eight weeks of age, the rabies vaccination cannot legally be administered until the animal is at least 12 weeks old. Since a further 21-day waiting period must follow the primary vaccination, it is effectively impossible to import an animal younger than 15 weeks. For pets from high-risk rabies countries, the minimum age at time of travel rises to at least seven months.

Do I need an import permit to bring my pet to the Netherlands?

Owners travelling personally with a dog, cat, or ferret do not require an import permit to enter the Netherlands. Unaccompanied pets may, however, require one. If your animal is to travel separately — for example, as air cargo arranged through a pet relocation company — contact the NVWA in advance to establish what additional documentation will be needed.

What is a UBN and does every pet owner need one?

A UBN (Uniek Bedrijfsnummer, or Unique Business Number) is a registration number issued by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). It is required in order to register a dog, have it microchipped, and obtain a European pet passport. Private dog owners who import a dog from abroad, breed a dog on a single occasion, or have an unregistered dog must all apply for a UBN. The current fee is €22.28 (as of 2025), billed by post after the application has been processed. Cat and ferret owners are not subject to the same UBN requirement, though all applicable health and microchipping rules still apply.

Are there restrictions on bringing exotic or unusual pets to the Netherlands?

Only mammals that appear on the officially approved list of pets and hobby animals — last revised on 1 July 2024 — may be kept, sold, or bred in the Netherlands. Where an animal is a protected species, importation must also be checked against CITES provisions. Owners who possessed a mammal not on the approved list prior to 1 July 2024 may benefit from transitional arrangements, but new imports of unlisted species are prohibited. Consult the Dutch government’s website for the current approved list before making any arrangements to bring an exotic animal to the Netherlands.