How to Move Your Dog or Cat from the US to France: A Complete Timeline and Guide

SHORT ANSWER

To move a dog or cat from the United States to France, your pet needs an ISO-compliant microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the microchip is scanned, and an EU health certificate issued by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and endorsed by USDA. A first (primary) rabies vaccine must be at least 21 days old before your pet arrives, and the non-commercial health certificate must be endorsed by USDA within 10 days of arrival in the EU. France does not require a titer test or quarantine for pets coming from the U.S., but it does ban the import of Category 1 "attack" dogs. The legal minimum timeline is about 21 days, but a realistic plan for the pet portion of the move is six months, and the full family relocation works best with 12 to 18 months of lead time.

How Long Does It Take to Move a Pet from the US to France?

The shortest legally possible timeline is roughly 21 days. That is the waiting period after a primary rabies vaccination, and it is the reason a pet with no microchip and no current rabies vaccine can still technically fly within a month. But "possible" and "advisable" are different things.

On our Pet Travel Insider podcast episode on moving to France, Adam Melton, VP of Strategic Initiatives at Starwood Pet Travel, explained the gap: "The 21 days is when we're in crisis recovery mode... 21 days is kind of the legal, the veterinarian minimum, because the rabies vaccine has to be at least 21 days old. Six months is a very healthy pace at which to start planning."

Cécile Gallet, founder and CEO of Haven in France, recommends an even longer runway for the overall move. "I would say that the ideal one is 18 months. If you really want to prepare absolutely perfectly, 18 months is very important. Obviously, we can do it in 6 months, but then it's more of a rush than anything else."

Here is how those timelines fit together.

12 to 18 Months Out: Make Your Pet Part of the Relocation Plan From Day One

The most common mistake families make is treating the pet as the last item on the list. Housing, schooling, visas, and banking get planned first, and the pet gets squeezed in at the end. Cécile's advice on the podcast was direct: "Put your pet on page one of your relocation plan, not page 20. Before you choose the exact home or moving date, understand what your pet needs and what the journey requires."

In practice, that means asking pet questions early when you look at rentals (lease terms, stairs for an older dog, outdoor space, building rules), knowing that the French rental system is not simply the American model translated into French, and getting quotes from pet transport companies while you still have flexibility on dates.

Check France's Dangerous Dog Categories Before You Book Anything

France classifies certain dogs into two regulated categories, according to the French government's official Service Public guide to categorized dogs:

• Category 1 ("chiens d'attaque" or attack dogs): dogs without a pedigree whose physical characteristics resemble the American Staffordshire Terrier (commonly called pit bulls), the Mastiff (commonly called Boerboels), or the Tosa.
• Category 2 ("chiens de garde et de défense" or guard and defense dogs): pedigreed American Staffordshire Terriers, Rottweilers, and Tosas, plus unpedigreed dogs that resemble Rottweilers.

Importing a Category 1 dog into metropolitan France is a criminal offense punishable by six months in prison and a €15,000 fine. Category 2 dogs can be imported, but owners must meet ongoing obligations in France, including a detention permit and a behavioral evaluation.

Mixed breeds deserve extra attention. As Adam put it on the podcast, "If the pet looks too much like one of these banned breeds, regardless of what the documentation says, that can create a conflict and an issue either at acceptance by the airline or on arrival." The Service Public guide notes that only a veterinarian is qualified to determine a dog's breed type, and it recommends carrying a veterinary attestation if there is any doubt.

Microchip First, Then Rabies: The Step-by-Step Vaccine Sequence for France

According to the USDA APHIS page for pet travel from the United States to France, your pet must have a working microchip before getting the rabies vaccination that counts for EU travel, and your veterinarian must scan the chip before giving the vaccine.

ISO-compliant microchips meet ISO standards 11784 and 11785 and are usually 15 digits long. If your pet has a working chip that is not ISO-compliant, you can either travel with a scanner that reads it or have your vet implant a second, ISO-compliant chip, with both numbers listed on the health certificate.

Next comes the rabies vaccine, which must be given by an authorized veterinarian. These requirements come from Annex III of EU Regulation 576/2013, and pets that don't meet them may be refused entry or quarantined at the owner's expense.

The 21-Day Rule and Why Your Pet's 3-Year Rabies Vaccine Counts as One Year

After a primary rabies vaccination, your pet must wait at least 21 days (or the manufacturer's recommended immunity period, which is sometimes 30 days) before entering the EU. A primary vaccination is the first rabies shot after microchipping or after any lapse in coverage.

Here is the detail that surprises many American pet owners. For pets vaccinated in the U.S., APHIS states that a primary rabies vaccination is valid for only one year for EU travel, even if your pet is an adult and received a three-year vaccine. A booster given within 12 months of the primary vaccine can be valid for one to three years depending on the manufacturer, and pets can travel immediately after a booster as long as the primary vaccination is also listed on the health certificate.

APHIS also offers a practical shortcut: ask your vet to give a fresh one-year rabies vaccine, after scanning the microchip, at least 21 days but less than one year before your trip. Doing this ideally three to six months before travel means you only need one vaccination certificate, which simplifies the USDA endorsement review.

Within 10 Days of Arrival: The EU Health Certificate and USDA Endorsement

The final paperwork window is the tightest part of the timeline. A USDA-accredited veterinarian issues the EU health certificate and submits it through the Veterinary Export Health Certification System (VEHCS). USDA then ink-signs and embosses it. For the non-commercial certificate, USDA endorsement must happen within 10 days of your pet's arrival in the EU, and the certificate must arrive with your pet at the port of entry. The final page includes an owner declaration that must be signed and travel with the pet.

APHIS notes that new EU health certificate formats took effect for non-commercial pet movements on October 1, 2026, so make sure your veterinarian is using the current version.

Non-Commercial vs. Commercial Health Certificate: Which One Applies to Your Move?

The right certificate depends on who is traveling and when, per APHIS:

• Non-commercial: you travel on the same flight as your pet, or a designated person you authorize travels with the pet no later than five days after you, and five or fewer pets are moving together.
• Commercial: neither you nor a designated person can travel with the pet, you're moving six or more pets, or the pet is changing owners on arrival. Pets on a commercial certificate must be inspected by an accredited vet within 48 hours of departure, and USDA endorsement must happen within 48 hours of the certificate being issued.

If your pet is flying separately from you on a different date, confirm early which certificate applies, because it changes your vet appointment timing.

Flying Into France: Cabin, Cargo, and Customs at Charles de Gaulle

Many first-timers assume they can book a flight, bring the pet in the cabin, and call it a day. In reality, not every airline allows pets in the cabin, larger pets need to fly as cargo, and not all airlines let private individuals book cargo directly, which is where a pet transport company or broker comes in. Each airline also sets its own rules, including breed and crate restrictions, so check with your carrier directly. Our breakdown of Air France pet policies is a good place to start.

On the podcast about moving pets to France, Adam noted that most direct flights from the U.S. arrive at Paris-Charles de Gaulle, where the full EU import process takes place. Pets bound for cities like Nice usually connect through another European hub, where much of the EU clearance happens at that first port of entry. He also recommended using a professional customs broker in France, since clearance can involve taking documents to multiple offices at the airport.

Your First Week in France: Vet Visit, I-CAD Registration, and the EU Pet Passport

Once your pet lands, three tasks matter most.

Book a French vet appointment. Cécile advises clients to see a local vet shortly after arrival so the vet can verify the microchip and documentation. If you need help choosing one, see our guide to finding a vet in France.

Register with I-CAD. I-CAD is France's national identification file for dogs, cats, and ferrets. If your pet is ever lost, whoever finds it can use the registration to reach you. I-CAD announced in June 2026 that certain procedures, including importation, can now be finalized online with electronic payment.

Get an EU pet passport if you plan to travel. The EU pet passport is not required to bring your pet into France. It is issued after arrival by an EU veterinarian and makes future travel between EU member states easier.

What Pet Owners Are Saying

In an r/Expats_In_France thread about moving a pet from the US to France, one owner summed up the experience: "You do need the health certificate... It was nerve wracking." That mix of clear rules and high stakes is exactly why the timeline matters.

"The families who struggle are rarely the ones who skipped a rule on purpose," says Georgiana Strait, Marketing Manager at Starwood Pet Travel. "They're the ones who found out about the microchip-before-rabies sequence or the 10-day endorsement window two weeks before their flight. When the pet is planned first, France is one of the more straightforward European moves. When it's planned last, every deadline turns into a scramble."

If you're starting to plan, our France pet relocation page outlines how Starwood handles every step from the U.S. to your new home.

Frequently Asked Questions