Pet Travel Documents France to UK: The 2026 Checklist
Microchip, rabies, AHC or EU passport, tapeworm timing - the exact document set for bringing a dog or cat from France into the UK.
In this guide
The core trio: chip, jab, certificate
Every dog or cat entering the UK from France needs three things in order: an ISO microchip (implanted before or on the day of the rabies vaccination), a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old, and either an EU pet passport issued in an EU country or an Animal Health Certificate issued within 10 days of travel.
The tapeworm rule that catches people out
Dogs - not cats - must receive an echinococcus tapeworm treatment from a vet no less than 24 and no more than 120 hours before arriving in the UK, recorded in the passport or AHC. Many French vets know the rule well; book the appointment before you travel, not on the day.
Checking in at the tunnel
At Coquelles, staff scan the microchip and verify every entry. A mismatch - an expired vaccination, a missing tapeworm line - means the pet cannot board. This is why we review your documents before departure: problems are fixed at home, not at the terminal.
The 10-day AHC window, explained with dates
The Animal Health Certificate must be issued no more than 10 days before you enter the EU - but once you are in, it stays valid for onward travel and your return to Great Britain for four months, provided the rabies vaccination stays in date. Example: vet appointment on the 3rd, earliest France entry the 13th... actually the certificate is valid immediately - the 10-day limit is on when it is issued before travel. We send every client a dated timeline so nothing is left to memory.
What the vet must record (and where trips fail)
The microchip must be scanned and recorded before the rabies jab - a vaccination given before chipping does not count and is the single most common paperwork failure. For the UK return, the tapeworm treatment must show the product name, the date and the exact time, and it must be administered by a vet, not yourself. Check the certificate before you leave the practice: a missing stamp or a transposed chip number is a Calais problem, not a five-minute fix.
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