Restrictions
The limits people find out about last: how many animals one person may bring, the minimum age and which breeds are turned away at the border.
Quarantine
Always: 10 days
+
What the quarantine depends on:
- Cannot be reduced: for Group 2 the quarantine is fixed at 10 days
Banned breeds
6 breeds
+
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- Pit Bull Terrier
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
- Tosa Inu
- Dogo Canario
Australia bans five dog breeds from import: American pit bull terrier (pit bull terrier), dogo Argentino, fila Brasileiro, Japanese tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. The ban comes from customs law, not biosecurity. Mixed-breed dogs are allowed if all other conditions are met — but if a dog is identified on arrival as possibly a prohibited breed, the Department of Home Affairs will investigate.
Pets per person
Not stated
Minimum age
no limit; vaccination from 12 weeks
Points of entry
1 airports
+
Transhipment (changing aircraft) is allowed only in Group 1 and 2 countries or in six Group 3 cities: Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, London, Dubai, Hong Kong. Transit without unloading is possible anywhere. During transhipment the pet stays in the international zone under veterinary supervision; checking whether the airport accepts transiting animals is the owner's responsibility.
If the permit conditions are not met, DAFF may extend quarantine, order additional testing, export the animal back or euthanise it. The owner bears all costs. This is not a theoretical clause: documents are checked on arrival, and a mismatched microchip number or an amended laboratory report is enough.
Export is not possible while the animal is under quarantine restrictions, more than 30 days pregnant, or nursing. A pregnant dog is accepted only up to 30 days of gestation, and for intact animals there is a separate rule: no mating within 21 days before the Brucella blood sampling and none after it.
What you need to enter Australia
The full list of documents and procedures for entering Australia. Every item carries its official source and last-checked date, and is marked as always required or required only from some departure countries.
Identification
Microchipdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
ISO-compliant microchip — 10 or 15 digits. Chips whose number starts with 999 and 9-digit AVID chips are not accepted. The chip is implanted BEFORE every other step; the vet scans it at each visit and before every blood sampling. If the chip cannot be read or the number differs across documents, the pet will not be admitted.
«Your dog must be implanted with a microchip that is ISO compliant. Generally, microchips with 10 or 15 digits are ISO compliant. Microchip numbers starting with 999 are not accepted because they are not unique. AVID microchips that are 9 digits long are not acceptable because they are not ISO compatible.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Vaccination
Additional vaccinationdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Leptospirosis is mandatory for ALL dogs, by one of two routes: vaccination (a primary course of two doses 2–4 weeks apart, with the final dose or the annual booster given between 12 months and 14 days before export) OR a negative MAT test taken no earlier than 45 days before export. Does not apply to cats.
«All dogs coming to Australia from a Group 2 country must meet the leptospirosis requirement. Your dog must meet one of the following options: Option 1: Vaccination pathway. For previously unvaccinated dogs, the primary course must be completed at least 14 days before export to Australia.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Rabies vaccinationdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Rabies vaccination with an approved vaccine, given no earlier than 84 days (12 weeks) of age. Wait 3–4 weeks between the vaccination and the titre blood sampling. The vaccination must stay valid CONTINUOUSLY from the date of the titre test until the day of export: if it lapses, the titre is void and the 180-day waiting period restarts.
«The government approved veterinarian must use an approved rabies vaccine. This vaccine must be: given when the dog was at least 84 days old, valid continuously from the RNATT up to and including the date of export. Wait 3-4 weeks between the rabies vaccination and the date a blood sample is taken for the RNATT.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Tests and treatments
Parasite treatmentdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Internal parasites: TWO treatments against nematodes and cestodes within the 45 days before export, at least 14 days apart, the second one no earlier than 5 days before export. The owner may not administer it — only a vet. The second treatment may be combined with the final clinical examination.
«Your dog must be treated twice within 45 days before export. The two treatments must be spaced at least 14 days apart. The second treatment must be given within 5 days before the export date.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Rabies antibody titre testdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Rabies neutralising antibody titre test (RNATT) by FAVN or RFFIT, result ≥0.5 IU/ml. After the sample reaches the laboratory, a 180-day waiting period applies with no exceptions. The titre is valid for 365 days from the sampling date and the flight must fall inside that window: the sample is taken no earlier than 12 months and no later than 180 days before export.
«Your dog cannot be exported to Australia for at least 180 days after the RNATT sample arrives at the laboratory. There are no exceptions to this mandatory 180-day waiting period. The testing laboratory must use either: fluorescent antibody virus neutralisation (FAVN) test, or a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test (RFFIT). A result of 0.5 IU/ml or more is acceptable. An RNATT is valid for 12 mo»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Documents
Veterinary health certificatedepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Veterinary health certificate under the standard conditions. All procedures are done by a veterinarian listed by New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), working at a listed practice. No import permit is required when the standard conditions are met, and there is no quarantine. External parasite treatment is by a contact product within 5 days before export; oral products generally do not qualify.
«Cats and dogs from New Zealand do not need an import permit if they meet the standard health certificate conditions. There is no quarantine period for cats and dogs from New Zealand that meet standard conditions.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Import declarationdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
Verification of the pet's identity by the government veterinary service of the country of export — a mandatory FIRST step, before anything else. An official vet completes the form and sends it directly to DAFF. Import is possible only 180 days after verification. A pet passport, vaccination card or microchip certificate is NOT accepted as an equivalent document.
«Your dog's identity must be verified by the competent authority in the export country. This step is required to import your dog to Australia. You must complete this step before starting any other pre-export preparations. Your dog will be eligible for import to Australia 180 days after its identity has been verified. Pet passports, vaccination cards, or microchip certificates are not accepted as eq»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
Import permitdepends on origin+
Not required from every departure country — checking your own route gives the exact answer.
BICON import permit. Apply after the pet's identity has been verified. DAFF asks you to allow at least 6 months for the whole process.
«Allow at least 6 months to complete health checks, tests and paperwork. You must also meet all import conditions on your dog's unique import permit.»
Source ↗Rules checked: August 15, 2026government
The order of preparation
The order matters more than the list: a step done too early has to be repeated. The intervals come from the same rule fields the engine uses for the earliest departure date.
-
Microchip
depends on origin
before the rabies vaccination
-
Rabies vaccination
depends on origin
pet at least 12 weeks oldvalid after 21 days
-
Rabies antibody titre test
depends on origin
no earlier than 21 days after the vaccinationentry 180 days after the blood draw
-
Parasite treatment
depends on origin
-
Additional vaccination
depends on origin
-
Import permit
depends on origin
-
Veterinary health certificate
depends on origin
no earlier than 5 days before entry
-
Import declaration
depends on origin
Steps marked “depends on origin” are not needed by everyone — see the table above or check your own route.
Compared by departure country
Lapaport's engine on six examples, counted from zero: a dog of no particular breed with nothing done yet — no microchip, no vaccination, no tests — starting preparation today. Columns marked “always” are required from anywhere.
| From | Microchip | Other vaccines | Rabies jab | Treatment | Titre test | Health certificate | Declaration | Import permit | Earliest departurepreparing from scratch | |
|---|
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | April 15, 2027 |
Plan → |
| 🇫🇷 France |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | April 15, 2027 |
Plan → |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | direct import not allowed |
Plan → |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | April 15, 2027 |
Plan → |
| 🇨🇳 China |
— | — | — | — | — | — | ✓ | — | direct import not allowed |
Plan → |
| 🇺🇸 United States |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | April 15, 2027 |
Plan → |
If the microchip and vaccination are already done, the wait is shorter: the clock runs from the vaccination date, not from today. Breed, weight and connections change the answer too — check your own route with the form above.
Arrival airports
Pets may not enter through just any airport. Below: where direct flights go and whether animals are accepted.
On the list of entry points1
MELMelbourne
Not on the list of entry points11
SYDSydney (Mascot)
BNEBrisbane
PERPerth
ADLAdelaide
OOLGold Coast
CNSCairns
DRWDarwin
MCYMaroochydore
CBRCanberra
BWUBankstown
JADJandakot