General information, not veterinary advice. Requirements are set by the destination authority and can change: confirm with the official authority, your accredited vet and your airline.
If you are relocating from the UK to Dubai, Abu Dhabi or another emirate, the rules work in your favor. The UK is on the UAE's low-risk list, so your pet needs no rabies titer test and there is no long waiting period. What matters is a handful of short deadlines before the flight.
Two authorities set the rules. In the UAE, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) issues the import permit. In the UK, an Official Veterinarian (OV) signs export health certificate EHC 3926.
What the UK's low-risk status means
MOCCAE requires the titer test only for imports from countries outside its low-risk list. The United Kingdom is on that list, and EHC 3926 contains no titer clause.
Check eligibility first
Banned breeds. MOCCAE lists these dogs, including their mixes: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, Tibetan Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Bully Kutta, Perro de Presa Canario and Japanese Tosa. Your OV must confirm your dog is not a listed breed or cross, after asking you and receiving your written declaration.
Age. MOCCAE accepts pets from 12 weeks of age from low-risk countries, but EHC 3926 requires cats and dogs to be at least 15 weeks old at export. The certificate is what your OV can sign, so 15 weeks is your real minimum.
Number of pets. One person may import at most two pets per year.
Cats. Bengal and Serval cats need a fifth-generation pedigree certificate.
Step 1: the MOCCAE import permit
Apply for the import permit before your pet travels, through a MOCCAE digital services account. MOCCAE states that no special supporting documents are needed for a pet cat or dog. The permit number goes onto Section I of your EHC 3926, and the certificate is checked against it.
MOCCAE's page states the permit is valid for 90 days from issue. The USDA APHIS page for US exports states 30 days. That page is not about the UK, but the two official sources disagree, so plan your arrival within 30 days of the permit's issue date and you stay safe under either figure.
The permit fee is AED 200 per animal, paid by credit card. MOCCAE's page prints the amount without a currency, so check it on the payment screen.
Step 2: health requirements on EHC 3926
- Microchip. Normally ISO 11784 or ISO 11785 Annex A. Any other type needs prior notification. The OV records the number, implant date and scanner used.
- Rabies vaccination. The vaccine must be started at 12 weeks of age or older, and the initial vaccination given more than 21 days before export.
- Other vaccines. Dogs: distemper, parvovirus, infectious hepatitis and leptospirosis. Cats: panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus. The UK guidance notes say vaccination certificates must travel with your pet into the UAE.
- Parasite treatments. One internal and one external treatment, each less than 14 days before shipping, as described in the certificate wording. Your vet handles the product choice.
Step 3: the final days before the flight
The OV must examine your pet within 24 hours of export, then sign and stamp EHC 3926 in ink other than black. The certificate is valid for 10 days.
| When | What | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| No more than 30 days before arrival | Import permit issued | Satisfies both permit validity figures |
| More than 21 days before export | Initial rabies vaccination done | EHC 3926 |
| Less than 14 days before shipping | Internal and external parasite treatments | EHC 3926 |
| Within 24 hours of export | OV exam, EHC 3926 signed | EHC 3926 |
| Before the certificate expires | Arrival in the UAE | 10-day certificate validity |
In England, Scotland and Wales you apply for EHC 3926 online through APHA's export health certificate service. In Northern Ireland, applications go through DAERA DECS. Book the OV visit early: the 24-hour window leaves no room.
Arrival and release in the UAE
On arrival, MOCCAE issues a release permit. It requires a customs declaration or bill of lading for the shipment, your pet's vaccination record or passport, and the certified health certificate. The release fee is AED 500 per dog and AED 250 per cat.
MOCCAE's listed entry points include Dubai Cargo Village, Dubai Airport Free Zone, Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Airport and Ras Al Khaimah Airport.
Choosing an airline
MOCCAE states that pets are shipped under IATA live animal rules, directly from the exporting country. At the time of writing:
- Emirates' page states that cats and dogs are not permitted in the cabin, and that itineraries ending in Dubai travel as cargo through Emirates SkyCargo.
- Etihad's page describes cabin travel for small dogs and cats into Abu Dhabi, from 16 weeks old and up to 8 kg with the carrier. Its banned list is broader than MOCCAE's and adds Rottweilers, Dobermans and Boxers. It adds that pets arriving in Abu Dhabi need an Abu Dhabi Customs Bill of Entry.
Confirm your pet's travel mode in writing with the airline before you book.
Plan it with the kit
The UK to UAE kit sets these short windows against your own flight date. It contains a user guide, a timeline workbook that computes every date from the flight date, a vet visit brief, a document and airline checklist, and letter templates.
UK to UAE pet move kit
The UAE from the UK: MOCCAE permit, 2-pet limit, no titer from the UK, 14-day treatments and EHC 3926 with its 24-hour exam, all dated from your flight.
See the kit