Does my pet need a new microchip to travel to Spain?

Usually not. Almost every chip fitted in the UK meets the ISO 11784 and 11785 standard. A chip that does not meet the standard still does not have to be replaced: you may have to bring your own reader instead, so check with us and with the ferry operator before you travel. A chip that cannot be read at all is a different matter, and means preparing the whole journey again.

What if my pet was chipped after the rabies vaccination?

The vaccination does not count for travel. Your pet needs a new rabies vaccination after the chip date, followed by 21 full days before travel is allowed.

Can my pet be chipped and vaccinated on the same day?

Yes. Same day is fine, as long as the chip is not later than the vaccination. Most vets do both in one appointment for this reason.

Do I need to update the microchip database before travelling?

It is not checked at the border. Do it anyway, with a phone number that works abroad, so that a lost pet can be returned to you.

My pet has two microchips. Is that a problem?

Not automatically, but both numbers need to be recorded properly and the certificate has to match what the scanner reads. Tell your vet before the certificate appointment.

Getting your pet microchipped for travel

Your pet needs a microchip that meets the ISO 11784 and 11785 standard, and it has to be fitted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination. If the chip went in afterwards, the vaccination does not count for travel and your pet has to be vaccinated again.

That single rule is behind more cancelled trips than anything else on this list.

Why the order is the whole point

The microchip is how the paperwork gets attached to the animal. A rabies vaccination recorded against an unidentified dog proves nothing, because there is no way to show at the border that the dog in front of the officer is the dog that was vaccinated.

So the sequence is fixed. Chip first. Vaccination second. Or both in the same appointment, which is what most vets do.

Get it the wrong way round and there is no appeal and no paperwork fix. Your pet needs a fresh rabies vaccination after the chip, and then a fresh 21 day wait on top. If you were planning to travel in three weeks, you are now planning to travel in six.

How to check yours

Dig out the vaccination record and compare two dates: the date the chip was implanted and the date of the rabies vaccination. The chip date has to be the same day or earlier.

If your pet was chipped as a puppy and vaccinated later, you are almost certainly fine. The problem shows up in two situations:

A rescue dog that came with an unknown history, was vaccinated by the rescue and chipped on arrival in the UK.
A dog chipped in adulthood, often to meet the UK chipping law, that already had rabies cover from an earlier trip.

If your records do not show both dates clearly, ask your vet to confirm from the practice system before you book anything.

When a chip cannot be read

Chips migrate, and occasionally they fail. At the border the chip is scanned and the number is checked against the certificate. If it cannot be read, your pet is refused entry or put into quarantine.

Ask your vet to scan the chip at the certificate appointment. It takes ten seconds and it is the last practical moment to find out.

If your vet cannot read the chip, the whole preparation starts again. That is the rule, not a worst case. Your pet is rechipped, vaccinated against rabies again, waits the full 21 days again, and needs a new certificate carrying both the old and the new microchip number. From a dead chip to a legal departure is three weeks at the very least.

So the scan at the certificate appointment is not a formality. It is also why we ask about the chip when you enquire, rather than the week before you travel.

Keeping the registration current

The chip database entry is separate from the chip itself. Border officials do not check it, so an out of date address will not stop your journey.

It matters for a different reason. If your pet goes missing in France or Spain, the finder scans the chip and gets whatever contact details the database holds. Before a long trip, log in and check the phone number is one that works abroad. It costs nothing and it is the only thing on this page that helps you on the worst possible day.

FAQ

Does my pet need a new microchip to travel to Spain?: Usually not. Almost every chip fitted in the UK meets the ISO 11784 and 11785 standard. A chip that does not meet the standard still does not have to be replaced: you may have to bring your own reader instead, so check with us and with the ferry operator before you travel. A chip that cannot be read at all is a different matter, and means preparing the whole journey again.
What if my pet was chipped after the rabies vaccination?: The vaccination does not count for travel. Your pet needs a new rabies vaccination after the chip date, followed by 21 full days before travel is allowed.
Can my pet be chipped and vaccinated on the same day?: Yes. Same day is fine, as long as the chip is not later than the vaccination. Most vets do both in one appointment for this reason.
Do I need to update the microchip database before travelling?: It is not checked at the border. Do it anyway, with a phone number that works abroad, so that a lost pet can be returned to you.
My pet has two microchips. Is that a problem?: Not automatically, but both numbers need to be recorded properly and the certificate has to match what the scanner reads. Tell your vet before the certificate appointment.

Back to the full checklist · Next: Rabies vaccination

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

Sources: Taking your pet dog, cat or ferret abroad, GOV.UK.
Last checked: 10 September 2026.