The animal health certificate

The animal health certificate, or AHC, is the document that lets your pet enter the EU. It is signed by an official veterinarian in Great Britain, it covers up to five animals, and it can only be issued in the 10 days before you enter the EU.

You need a new one for every outbound journey. It is not a passport and it does not roll over.

The rule that changed on 22 April 2026

If you live in England, Scotland or Wales, an EU pet passport is no longer a valid document for entering the EU. That applies to passports issued before 22 April 2026 as well, so an old Spanish issued passport that worked last summer does not work now.

You can still use that passport to bring your pet back into Great Britain. Only the outbound leg changed.

If you live in Northern Ireland, your EU pet passport still works in both directions.

How long it lasts

Three different clocks run off the date of issue, and mixing them up is the usual cause of panic:

• 10 days to enter the EU
• 6 months for onward travel inside the EU
• 6 months to re-enter Great Britain

So one certificate covers your outbound trip and your journey home, provided the return happens within six months and the rabies vaccination is still valid. If you are away longer than six months, your pet needs a document issued in Spain for the return.

The 10 days run to the moment you enter the EU, not the moment you leave home. On our route that means the crossing at Calais, and it is why we do not like a certificate issued nine or ten days before departure. A certificate issued ten days before the crossing has no margin at all, and two days of delay on one issued nine days ahead puts you over the line at the French border.

It is issued in English and French

This one is specific to our route and it does not appear in the general guidance.

The certificate is written in English and the language of the country where you enter the EU. We cross at Calais, so your Spanish journey needs an English and French certificate.

If your vet issues English and Spanish because Spain is the destination, the document is wrong for the border you are actually presenting it at. Tell your vet the entry point is France. If we are handling the booking, we will tell them for you.

When to book the appointment

The legal window opens 10 days before you enter the EU. We advise aiming for six to eight days before departure. That leaves room for a delay without pushing you past the expiry date, and room to correct an error if one turns up.

Official veterinarians get busy in July and August. Book the slot as soon as your travel date is fixed, even though the appointment itself will be weeks later.

Bring proof of the microchip date and the full vaccination history. The vet cannot issue from a gap.

Two ways to get one

We arrange it. We book the appointment with an official veterinarian and handle the paperwork. Once that appointment has taken place, the signed certificate is in your inbox within 24 hours.* Ask us for the current price when you book.

You arrange it. Plenty of customers use their own vet, which is fine as long as the practice has an official veterinarian. Check that when you call, because not every practice does. Send us a copy about five days before travel so we can check it over. Errors are not common, but five days gives everyone time to fix one.

*Those 24 hours run from the appointment, not from the day you book with us. The appointment sits inside the 10 day window above, so a journey booked weeks ahead still has its certificate issued in the week you leave. Nothing about that is a delay on our side: a certificate issued any earlier would have expired before you reached Calais.

What the document looks like

Expect about eleven pages, every one stamped and initialled. Page one has your details and, for each animal, the species, breed, colour, microchip number and date of birth. The middle pages carry the declarations by the vet, the vaccination table and the empty table for the tapeworm treatment on the way home. At the back sits your own written declaration and a certified copy of the vaccination record.

Two practical points. Scan all of it, not just the front page, because a partial scan is worthless in a check. And if we are carrying your pet without you, page nine is where you name us as the carrier authorised to move the animal on your behalf. We send you that wording when you book.

FAQ

How long is an animal health certificate valid?

10 days to enter the EU, then 6 months for onward travel within the EU and 6 months to re-enter Great Britain, all counted from the date of issue.

Do I need a new certificate for the journey home?

Not if you return within six months and the rabies vaccination is still valid. The same certificate covers the return leg.

Can I still use my pet passport instead?

Not to enter the EU, if you live in England, Scotland or Wales. Since 22 April 2026 an animal health certificate is required for the outbound journey. The passport still works for coming back to Great Britain.

How many pets fit on one certificate?

Up to five.

Which languages should the certificate be in?

English and the language of the country where you enter the EU. Travelling with us through Calais, that is English and French, even though you are going to Spain.

How soon before travel can I get it?

No earlier than 10 days before you enter the EU. We recommend six to eight days before departure so a delay cannot push you past the expiry.

Can any vet issue one?

No. It has to be signed by an official veterinarian. Ask your practice directly, because not all of them have one.

Back to the full checklist  ·  Next: Tapeworm treatment

Tell us about your journey and we will confirm the dates before you book.

Sources: Getting an animal health certificate, GOV.UK and New EU rules for pet travel for GB residents, GOV.UK.
Last checked: 10 September 2026.