Bringing your dog, cat or ferret to Jersey from the EU or the rest of the world

Entry requirements into Jersey

When you bring a pet to live or travel to Jersey from the EU or the rest of the world (not including the UK, Isle of Man and Channel Islands) the entry requirements depend on the country your pet comes from.

There are 3 types of classification:

• Part 1 listed countries
• Part 2 listed countries
• not listed countries

Listed and not listed countries on GOV.UK

Your pet dog, cat or ferret can enter Jersey with either a valid:

• pet passport or an animal health certificate (AHC) issued in Great Britain, Channel Islands or Isle of Man or a UK pet passport, if travelling from Part 1 listed countries
• Great Britain pet health certificate, EU or UK pet passport, if travelling from Part 2 listed countries or not listed countries

If your pet is travelling abroad, see the requirements on taking your dog, cat or ferret from Jersey to the EU or the rest of the world.

Your pet should be healthy and fit for any travel journey. Find guidance and information on your pet's welfare while travelling.

Pets coming from a listed Part 1 or Part 2 country

Your pet can come directly to Jersey from a Part 1 and 2 listed country only if it:

• has a microchip (unless your pet has a tattooed identification)
• is vaccinated against rabies
• has been vaccinated after it was microchipped
• was at least 12 weeks old at the time of its rabies vaccination
• was vaccinated at least 21 days before travelling
• has a valid entry document (pet passport (EU and Part 1 listed countries only), Animal Health Certificate or Great Britain pet health certificate)
• has been treated for tapeworm 1 to 5 days before its scheduled arrival (dogs only, see dogs tapeworm treatment)
• travels to Jersey with an approved carrier
• travels with or within 5 days of its owner who is named in and has signed the pet passport. If its owner is travelling within 5 days of the pet, proof of movement may be requested such as flight or ferry booking confirmation. If the pet is not travelling with its owner, the owner needs to authorise the person transporting the pet. These documents should accompany the pet
  

If your pet is not travelling with or within 5 days of its owner, you need to follow the additional requirements for commercial movements to Jersey from the EU or the rest of the world.

You need to fill in a non-commercial declaration confirming that you're not going to sell or transfer the ownership of your pet.

There are additional requirements if you're bringing a pet to live in Jersey.

Additional requirements for not listed countries

If your pet is coming from a not listed country, it must meet the entry requirements for Part 1 and 2 countries and have a rabies antibody titration test:

• taken at least 30 days after your pet was vaccinated against rabies
• taken at least 3 months prior to travelling into Jersey
• passed (your vet will tell you) 

Before your pet comes back from the not listed country, it doesn't have to complete the 3 months waiting period if:

• it had a rabies antibody titration test before leaving for the not listed country
• the test result was successful
• the successful test result was entered into its UK pet passport by a vet before leaving for the unlisted country

If your pet does not have a pet passport, you need a British export health certificate issued by the country of origin. You'll need the serology report to prove your pet's successful rabies antibody titration test was carried out before you left for the unlisted country. A certified copy of the official serology report, containing the successful test, needs to be attached to your pet's British export health certificate.

A valid pet passport issued in the EU is also accepted.

Additional requirements for cats from Australia

To bring a cat into Jersey from Australia, you must have a certificate from the Australian Department of Agriculture. The certificate must confirm your cat has not been exposed to the Hendra virus in the 60 days before you left.

Additional requirements for dogs and cats from Peninsular Malaysia

You must have a certificate from the Malaysian government veterinary health services to bring your dog or cat into Jersey from Peninsular Malaysia. The certificate must show your pet has:

• not been in contact with pigs in the 60 days before you left
• not been on a holding where Nipah disease has been found in the 60 days before you left
• a negative blood test result for Nipah virus antibody. The test must be carried out by a laboratory approved for Nipah virus on a blood sample taken no more than 10 days before you leave

EU pet passports

If you get your pet an EU pet passport your vet in the EU must issue the passport correctly. If they do not issue the passport correctly it can cause delays when you travel to Jersey with your pet.

The guidance on EU pet passports will help your vet complete the passport.

They must make sure they enter the correct date for the implantation or reading of your pet's microchip.

Guidance on EU pet passports

Find more details to support the guidance on the requirements from the EU Regulation 576/2013 for anti-rabies vaccinations.

Validity requirements for anti-rabies vaccinations in English

Validity requirements for anti-rabies vaccinations in French

Validity requirements for anti-rabies vaccinations in Portuguese

Tattooed identification

Your pet doesn't have to be microchipped if it's been tattooed with an identification number and:

• the tattoo was done on or before 3 July 2011
• the tattoo is clearly readable
• your pet was vaccinated against rabies after being tattooed

Your vet must also record in your pet's passport or health certificate the:

• date of tattooing
  
• tattoo number
• date of the rabies vaccination
  

Dogs tapeworm treatment

Before it travels to Jersey your dog must be treated for tapeworm within 24 to 120 hours (1 to 5 days) of its scheduled arrival. Your vet must record the treatment in either your dog's:

• Animal Health Certificate
• Pet Passport
• Great Britain Pet Health Certificate
• UK Pet Passport

Your dog doesn't need a tapeworm treatment if travelling to Jersey directly from:

• Republic of Ireland
• Malta
• Finland
• Norway

If you're travelling to Jersey and go to the EU for a short period, your dog may be treated for tapeworm on Island before you leave to meet the re-entry requirements. The Jersey vet must record the treatment in your dog's travel document.

Information your vet needs to record

You must make sure that the vet has put the following details in the 'Echinococcus treatment' section of your dog's pet passport or health certificate:

• the name and manufacturer of the product
  
• the date and time your dog was treated (using the 24-hour clock)
  
• the vet's stamp and signature

Booster vaccinations

You must get regular booster vaccinations for your pet. Check your pet passport or health certificate to find out when the booster vaccination is due.

If you miss the booster and you're travelling from a not listed country, your pet will need to be vaccinated and blood tested again. You'll also have to wait for 3 months before travelling.

Approved carriers and routes

You can only bring pets to Jersey using approved air or sea carriers and routes.

Your pet cannot enter Jersey on a private aircraft or boat. You will not be able to land and your dog will having to be kept below deck at all times so it cannot escape. The harbour authorities may also require you to isolate your boat.

Customs, duty free and animals on Jersey Marinas website

If you're travelling from the Republic of Ireland you don't have to use an approved carrier and you can bring your pet on a private boat.

List of approved transport companies and routes

If you're a company interested in transporting pets see requirements for air or sea carriers transporting pets.

Microchip failures

If your pet's microchip fails and can't be read, your pet must:

• be re-chipped
• be re-vaccinated for rabies
• have blood tests taken (only if travelling from a not listed country)
• have a new travel document issued
• have the record of the old and new microchips in the Marking of animals section of its new pet passport

You won't be able to travel with your pet until 21 days after the rabies vaccination in the case of pets from a listed country.

This preparation must be carried out in the country where the pet is in when the microchip fails.

Pets that fail the arrival checks

If your pet fails our arrival checks it'll be refused entry into Jersey. You'll be advised to contact a vet.

If your pet has already arrived in Jersey, it may be held in quarantine until it meets requirements or exported out of Jersey.

All costs are at the owners' expense.

Travelling with more than 5 pets

If you travel to Jersey with more than 5 pets to attend a competition, show, sporting event, or training for such event, you need:

• a written evidence of registration for the event
• all your pets to be over 6 months old
• all your pets to be attending the event
• to meet the pet travel rules of the country you'll be entering

You must complete the declaration form confirming you're not going to sell or rehome your pets. This form does not need to be completed if you're travelling with 5 pets or less.

Declaration form for moving more than 5 pets for a competition or show

If you travel with more than 5 pets for other reasons, see commercial pet movements to Jersey from the EU or the rest of the world.

Travelling with assistance dogs

You can bring your assistance dog to Jersey if it's been trained by organisations members of Assistance Dogs International or International Guide Dog Federation.

Your dog must meet the entry requirements for pets above.

Your dog may travel with an approved or any commercial carrier. The person responsible for the dog must give the carrier at least 48 hours notice before travelling. The carrier must notify us at least 36 hours before arrival.

You must email the States Veterinary Officer a copy of the pet passport or certificate before your arrival to Jersey or send by post and include a contact telephone number.

We will check your dog's documentation and advise if you can travel.  Your dog will be checked on arrival and we will scan your dog's microchip to check it matches the documentation.

Guide Dogs website

Bringing a pet to live in Jersey

If you're bringing your pet to live in Jersey it will be considered an import. You'll need to:

• meet the entry requirements into Jersey
• declare your import and pay GST (if applicable)
• apply for a dog licence (dogs only)

If your pet is not travelling with or within 5 days of its owner, you need to follow the additional requirements for commercial movements to Jersey from the EU or the rest of the world.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

You may need to pay GST if the total import cost exceeds the personal allowance. This includes the cost of:

• the pet
• freight
• insurances

If your pet is free, for example a rescue dog or cat, you'll need to provide customs a valuation for GST purposes. If your pet is a mixed breed you should research the value with a similar breed. For more information email Jersey Customs and Immigration Service or call +44 (0) 1534 448000.

Importing unaccompanied personal goods and paying customs duties

Dog licences

All dogs living in Jersey aged 6 months or older must be licensed under the Dogs (Jersey) Law 1961. You can purchase dog licences from your parish.

You don't need a dog licence for a dog kept and used solely as a guide dog by a blind or a deaf person.

Buying a dog licence

Dogs not allowed in Jersey

It's illegal to bring certain types of dogs into Jersey. Your dog may be seized if it displays characteristics represented by those on the banned list.

Dogs not allowed in Jersey

Pet travel guidance in other languages

In these documents non-approved countries have the same meaning as unlisted countries.

Pet travel guidance in French

Pet travel guidance in Polish

Pet travel guidance in Portuguese