General

The dog must be identified by means of a microchip and must have a European passport.

Vaccinations

The dog must be vaccinated against rabies. The first vaccination must be given at least 21 days before departure, and must be repeated within the validity period. A vaccination after this period is considered a first vaccination and is only valid again after 21 days.

A puppy must be at least 12 weeks old when receiving its first rabies vaccination, which means a puppy can only cross the border from the age of 15 weeks.

Exceptions for specific breeds

In France, there are two categories of "dangerous" dogs. Owners must have a special permit, including training and behavioral assessment of the dog. Category 1 dogs (attack dogs) are more strictly regulated than Category 2 dogs (guard and defense dogs). You can find more information about this here.

Traveling with more than 5 dogs

When traveling with more than five dogs, they must undergo a clinical examination, and their passport must include an additional certificate issued by the official veterinarian of the country of departure. The dogs will then be subject to commercial transportation regulations.

The non-commercial transportation rules still apply when transporting more than five animals for participation in competitions, exhibitions, sporting events, or training, as long as the animals are older than 6 months and the owner can provide written proof of participation.