SHORT ANSWER
Moving a dog or cat from the United States to France with Starwood Pet Travel starts at $3,695 for one pet, $4,595 for two, $5,895 for three, $7,495 for four, and $8,995 for five, with custom quotes for six or more. On top of transport, you will pay your own vet for a microchip (if your pet needs one), a rabies vaccine, and the EU health certificate exam, plus a USDA endorsement fee that is currently $101 per certificate for pets that need no lab tests. France does not require a rabies titer test or quarantine for pets coming from the U.S. that meet EU rules, which keeps it one of the more affordable international moves.
Here is what a Starwood move to France starts at, based on the number of pets traveling together:
*Starting costs are the total for all pets traveling together. Your final quote depends on your pets' size and crate requirements, your departure city, travel dates, and the service tier you choose.
Each tier builds on the last. Our Economy service includes a dedicated Pet Travel Coordinator, airline booking through our Operations Team, pickup at your home or a meet and greet at the airport, airport check-in, airfare to France, and customs clearance and import at the destination airport. Business adds document support, where our team pre-fills the health certificate for your vet, plus delivery to your new residence. Premium adds the final vet check at one of our USDA-accredited partner clinics near the export airport, boarding while USDA endorsement is pending, and all USDA endorsement and FedEx fees. You can compare every inclusion on our international pet relocation costs page.
Transport is the largest single cost, but it is not the only one. Here are the required steps and where the money goes.
ISO-compliant microchip. The USDA APHIS France page states that your pet must have a working microchip before its rabies vaccination for EU travel, and that ISO-compliant chips are usually 15 digits long and meet ISO 11784 and 11785. If your pet's chip is not ISO-compliant, you either travel with a scanner that reads it or have your vet implant a second chip. Your vet sets the price.
Rabies vaccination. APHIS notes that for pets vaccinated in the U.S., a primary rabies vaccination is valid for only one year for EU travel, even if your pet received a three-year vaccine. After a primary shot, your pet must wait at least 21 days (or the manufacturer's recommended immunity period) before traveling. A vaccine given before the microchip, or without scanning the chip first, does not count under EU rules, which means paying for it again.
EU health certificate exam. A USDA-accredited veterinarian completes the EU health certificate and submits it through VEHCS for endorsement. This appointment is often the biggest vet bill in the process because of the time involved, and prices vary widely by clinic and region.
USDA endorsement. According to the APHIS endorsement fee schedule, the fee is $101 per certificate when zero lab tests are required, regardless of the number of pets on it. Fees rise when tests are needed, starting at $160 for one or two pets with one test. Since France does not require a titer test or other lab work for U.S. dogs and cats, most families pay the $101 rate. These fees do not include what your accredited vet charges.
Under EU rules described on the European Commission's Your Europe pet travel page, pets entering from most non-EU countries need a rabies antibody titration test, but some countries are exempt. The APHIS France requirements for U.S. dogs and cats list a microchip, rabies vaccination, and the EU health certificate, with no titer test.
That matters for your budget and your calendar. A titer test adds a lab fee, a higher USDA endorsement tier, and often a long waiting period. France also has no quarantine for compliant pets, so you avoid quarantine facility fees entirely. For a family that plans well, the paperwork side of a move to France can be wrapped up in a matter of weeks rather than months.
This is where small timing errors turn into real expenses. APHIS states that for the non-commercial EU health certificate, USDA must endorse the completed certificate within 10 days of your pet's arrival in the EU, and the certificate itself is valid for 30 days after your vet issues it. If your flight is delayed past that window, you may need a new vet exam and a new endorsement, which means paying both fees twice.
APHIS also warns that pets that do not meet EU rabies requirements "may be refused entry or quarantined upon arrival at the owner's expense." The European Commission adds that pets failing compliance checks may be returned to the country of departure or placed in quarantine. Either outcome costs far more than getting the paperwork right the first time.
One more note: new EU health certificate formats took effect October 1, 2026 for non-commercial pet moves, so confirm your vet is using the current version.
"When families ask me what it really costs to move a pet to France, I tell them the government fees are the easy part. The USDA endorsement is a fixed number, and the vet visits are predictable. What I see blow up budgets is timing. A rabies booster that lapsed by a few days, or an endorsement that lands on day 11 instead of day 10, can mean paying for the same appointment twice and rebooking flights. I would much rather spend a few minutes upfront building the right calendar with you than watch you pay for that mistake later."
Georgiana Strait, Marketing Manager, Starwood Pet Travel
Most families moving to France use the non-commercial health certificate. APHIS says it applies when the owner travels on the same flight, or when a designated person travels with the pet no later than 5 days after the owner, and five or fewer pets are moving together.
If you cannot travel within that window, you are moving six or more pets, or the pet is changing owners, the commercial certificate applies. That version requires a vet inspection within 48 hours of departure and USDA endorsement within 48 hours of the certificate being issued. The tighter timeline adds coordination and can add cost, which is one reason our pricing for six or more pets is quoted individually. If you are moving a larger household of animals, our guide on how many pets you can bring to France explains the limits in detail.
Before you spend anything, confirm your dog's breed status. France's official administration site, Service Public, states that importing a Category 1 attack dog into metropolitan France is an offense punishable by 6 months in prison and a €15,000 fine. Category 1 dogs are non-pedigree dogs resembling American Staffordshire Terriers (commonly called pit bulls), Mastiffs (commonly called Boerbulls), or Tosas.
Category 2 guard and defense dogs, which include pedigreed American Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers, and Tosas, can live in France, but owners face extra obligations, including a detention permit, a behavioral evaluation, and mandatory liability insurance. Budget for those costs after arrival. Service Public also notes that only a veterinarian can determine a dog's breed type and recommends carrying a vet attestation if there is any doubt.
Real-world vet bills vary more than any other line item. In an r/AmerExit thread breaking down USDA vet appointment costs, one pet owner shared: "USDA Certificate Appt at the Vet: $375/pet. Plus a one-time charge of $101 for the USDA endorsement" (r/AmerExit discussion).
Other owners in r/pettravel have reported much higher EU certificate appointment fees in high-cost metro areas, so it pays to call two or three USDA-accredited clinics and ask for the price of an EU health certificate specifically before you book.
The simplest way to estimate your total is to add three numbers: your Starwood quote, your vet fees for the microchip, rabies vaccine, and certificate exam, and the $101 USDA endorsement. Then build in a cushion for the unexpected, such as a flight change that pushes you outside the 10-day window.
For the full picture of entry requirements, airport details, and timelines, visit our France destination page, or request a free quote to get pricing tailored to your pets and your move date.