USA to the United Kingdom
Pet Shipping from the USA to the United Kingdom
We provide international pet transport from the USA to the United Kingdom, planned around its import rules, the season and your move date.
Book door-to-door pet relocation, or only the parts you need.
- Airline booking
- The travel crate
- The export and import paperwork
- Check-in at your US airport
- Pickup in the United Kingdom with delivery to your new address
The United Kingdom at a glance
Full requirementsGov.uk tells owners to check that their route into Great Britain is approved for pet travel, and APHIS says a dog from the United States needs a tapeworm treatment from a USDA Accredited Veterinarian 24 to 120 hours before it enters.
- Microchip
- Implanted before the rabies vaccination or the same day. Staff read an ISO 11784 and 11785 chip; with any other kind, bring a reader
- Rabies vaccination
- Given at 12 weeks or older, at least 21 full days before arrival, or longer where the vaccine’s maker says. No wait after a booster given on time
- Rabies titer
- Not needed. Gov.uk asks for a titer test only where a pet comes from outside the EU and from a country it has not listed. The USA is on its list
- Health certificate
- The non-commercial version, valid 30 days from the vet’s signature. APHIS endorses it no earlier than 10 days before arrival
- Tapeworm treatment
- Dogs only, with praziquantel or an equivalent, given by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian 24 to 120 hours before arrival and recorded with the date and time
Pet Shipping from the USA to the United Kingdom
The rules for a pet arriving in Great Britain are the UK government’s, set out in order on gov.uk, and APHIS explains how they are met from the United States. One of them decides the paperwork: gov.uk, read October 29, 2026, applies its commercial rules to a pet that lands more than 5 days before or after its owner, and from the United States that means the commercial health certificate APHIS lists, issued and endorsed within 48 hours of departure. If you would like a simple overview of international moves first, start with our international pet relocation page. In practice, we confirm what applies to your pet and route, map out a realistic timeline, coordinate the vet steps and paperwork, and get the crate and an approved route ready for travel day. Bringing a pet the other way, into the United States? See our US import guide.
Which route does a pet take into the United Kingdom?
By air, as cargo in the hold: gov.uk keeps the cabin for assistance dogs and private charters, and a pet can fly in only with an airline, and into an airport, on its approved list. That list, updated October 23, 2026, names British Airways and American Airlines into London Heathrow, among many others. The Heathrow Animal Reception Centre asks for a pet to be booked as manifest cargo. That flight and your pet’s check-in for it are parts of a move you can book by themselves.
Route details: USA to the United Kingdom
- Route
- USA to Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales)
- Arrival airports
- Approved list: American, Alaska to Heathrow; Delta to Heathrow, Gatwick, Edinburgh; British Airways to Heathrow, Gatwick
- How the pet flies
- As cargo in the hold with an approved airline; the cabin only for an assistance dog or on a chartered private plane, gov.uk says
- Advance notice
- Commercial moves only (sale, over 5 pets, or more than 5 days from the owner): notify APHA on IPAFFS at least one working day before arrival
- Health certificate
- Great Britain pet health certificate from a USDA Accredited Veterinarian, valid 30 days; APHIS endorses it in ink within 10 days of arrival
- Tapeworm treatment
- Dogs only: praziquantel or equivalent from a USDA Accredited Vet 24 to 120 hours before arrival, with product, date and time recorded
- Quarantine on arrival
- Microchip and papers checked on arrival. A pet not properly prepared can be quarantined up to 4 months or sent back; owner pays, gov.uk says
- Time to get ready
- At least 21 full days: microchip by the rabies shot, then 21 full days to arrival; the USA is listed, so gov.uk asks no rabies blood test
Work out your pet’s dates for this route
From official sources, read October 29, 2026: gov.uk, Pet travel: airlines and airports you can use; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Travel routes for pets; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain; City of London, Heathrow Animal Reception Centre: Importing your dog, cat or ferret; gov.uk, Import live animals and germinal products to Great Britain under Balai rules; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: What you need to do; USDA APHIS, Pet Travel From the United States to the United Kingdom/Great Britain; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Great Britain pet health certificate; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Tapeworm treatment for dogs; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Rabies vaccination and boosters; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Microchip; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Which pet travel document you need; gov.uk, Bringing your pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain: Blood tests for rabies.
What are the entry requirements for pets going to the United Kingdom?
The short answer
Gov.uk’s steps for a pet coming from the United States are an approved route, a microchip, a rabies vaccination, a Great Britain pet health certificate, a tapeworm treatment for a dog, and the owner’s declaration that the animal will not be sold or change hands.
Which pets can enter the United Kingdom?
Dogs, cats and ferrets come in under gov.uk’s pet rules, apart from five types of dog that the UK makes it against the law to own: the Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, the Fila Brasileiro and the XL Bully. One of those can enter Great Britain only if it already holds a valid Certificate of Exemption. Whether a dog is a banned type turns on what it looks like rather than its breed or name, gov.uk says. The Heathrow Animal Reception Centre will not judge that in advance and sends owners to the police force where they are moving. APHIS adds that a pet under 15 weeks old enters only once vaccinated against rabies and past its immunity period.
On arrival the pet’s microchip and documents are checked. Gov.uk says a pet that was not prepared as its rules require can be put into quarantine for up to 4 months, or sent back, at the owner’s cost. It names two slips that can do that by themselves, a microchip that cannot be read and a dog treated for tapeworm outside its window; details entered in the wrong place on the certificate can stop the pet traveling, and a chip implanted after the rabies vaccine means the vaccination has to be given again.
Before scheduling vet steps or flights, we confirm what rules apply to your pet and whether airline policies affect travel. Eligibility can come down to your pet’s type and health, airline rules for certain breeds or conditions, the documentation and timing, and which approved routes are available. Ready to start? Request a quote.
What vet work and documents does a pet need for the United Kingdom?
A microchip, then a rabies vaccination, then the Great Britain pet health certificate a USDA Accredited Veterinarian completes and APHIS endorses in ink, with the owner’s declaration signed on its last page, and for a dog a tapeworm treatment. APHIS adds a UK rule that catches long-vaccinated pets: the first rabies vaccination after the chip counts as the primary one and is valid for one year only, so a pet traveling more than 12 months after it has to carry a record of a booster given in time. The chip number, the manufacturer and the full product name have to be the same on the rabies vaccination record as on the health certificate.
| Requirement | Great Britain, from the United States |
|---|---|
| Microchip | Implanted before the rabies vaccination or the same day. Staff read an ISO 11784 and 11785 chip; with any other kind, bring a reader |
| Rabies vaccination | Given at 12 weeks or older, at least 21 full days before arrival, or longer where the vaccine’s maker says. No wait after a booster given on time |
| Rabies titer | Not needed. Gov.uk asks for a titer test only where a pet comes from outside the EU and from a country it has not listed. The USA is on its list |
| Health certificate | The non-commercial version, valid 30 days from the vet’s signature. APHIS endorses it no earlier than 10 days before arrival |
| Tapeworm treatment | Dogs only, with praziquantel or an equivalent, given by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian 24 to 120 hours before arrival and recorded with the date and time |
| Quarantine | Set by gov.uk for a pet whose preparation falls short, at the owner’s cost |
Read on October 29, 2026: gov.uk’s guide to bringing a pet dog, cat or ferret to Great Britain, its banned dogs rules and its list of approved airlines and airports; APHIS’s United Kingdom page, last modified October 6, 2026; and the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre’s advice to importers, updated October 5, 2026.
Planning Timeline for Pet Shipping to the United Kingdom
Plan the microchip and rabies vaccination first: the vaccine counts only if the chip went in that day or before, and the wait before arrival runs from it. The rest falls in the last stretch: the certificate, which your vet completes and APHIS endorses, the owner’s declaration, and for a dog the tapeworm treatment, timed against the flight’s landing rather than its departure.
Planning the budget? See what shipping a pet from the USA to the United Kingdom costs, fee by fee.
Taking a Dog or Cat to the UK: What the Move Involves
If you searched for how to take a dog to the UK rather than for pet shipping, you are looking at the same requirements, and this is how they fit together. A dog flies in as cargo whatever its size, on an airline gov.uk approves, and is released once its chip and papers have passed the check and it has cleared customs. The step to plan first is the vet visit for the chip and the rabies vaccination, because the wait before arrival counts from it.
Every Pet Travels
Differently
Different destinations, different routes, different challenges.
Because timelines, airline rules, and the UK’s entry requirements can vary, we build a plan that fits your pet and your move date.
Destination-Focused Planning
We use the UK’s official import guidance as the baseline, then turn it into a simple checklist and timeline you can follow.
Smart Routing and Logistics
We help choose practical routes, travel windows, and handoff procedures so your pet’s trip is safer and more predictable.
Personalized Support
Pet Travel Advisors assigns a move coordinator who keeps you updated and checks details before travel so nothing important is missed.
Questions about moving a pet to the United Kingdom
Request a QuoteWhat does it cost to ship a pet from the USA to the UK?
A dog or cat moving on this route runs about $3,400 to $7,000, all-inclusive and door to door for one pet. Crate size, which is what the airline charges on, and the season set where a move lands in that range, and a second pet costs extra.
Costs depend on your pet’s size and crate, the route and airline, vet and document fees, and whether the move is door to door. For dogs, the tapeworm treatment and the Great Britain pet health certificate add small fixed steps. The fastest way to get a real number is a quote based on your origin city and travel date. Request a quote here.
For the itemized breakdown, with every government fee linked to the authority that publishes it, see our full cost breakdown for this route.
What crate does my pet need to fly to the UK?
Airlines require a secure, correctly sized crate that follows live animal transport standards, so your pet can stand, turn, and lie down comfortably. We help confirm crate sizing and setup before travel. You can read more about live animal standards at IATA.
How can Pet Travel Advisors help with a USA to UK move?
Book any part of it alone: the flight on an approved route, a travel crate, the health certificate prepared and checked before APHIS sees it, your pet’s check-in at the US airport, and collection once it clears at the UK end with delivery to your new home. Taken together they are a door-to-door move. More on our services, or contact us.
How do I take my dog to the UK from the US?
The chip goes in first, the rabies vaccination follows it, and the Great Britain pet health certificate your vet completes and APHIS endorses comes near the end, with a tapeworm treatment in the days before the dog lands. It flies as cargo, since gov.uk allows a dog in the cabin only as an assistance dog or on a private charter.
Ready to start?
Book door-to-door pet relocation, or only the parts you need.