Bringing a Dog or Cat to Thailand: Import Permit, Rabies Rules and Airlines

Published 2 October 2026 · By the Visit-Thailand editorial team · Editor: Terje Moy

You can bring a dog or cat to Thailand if you apply for an import permit from the Department of Livestock Development 7 to 60 days before you fly, have the pet vaccinated against rabies and the other required diseases, carry an officially endorsed health certificate, and land at one of six airports with an Animal Quarantine Station. On arrival you pay 500 baht per animal for the import licence (rules as of October 2026).

The process is mostly paperwork and timing. Thailand does not list a rabies blood test for pets coming in, and it bans no dog breeds. What trips people up is the order of the steps: vaccines that are too recent, a health certificate that expires before landing, or an airline that will not board a pet without the Thai permit already in hand.

This page follows the official instructions from the Office of Agricultural Affairs at the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington (revised 30 January 2025) and the Department of Livestock Development's (DLD) requirement sheet. Your own country's export rules come on top, so check with your national veterinary authority as well. Animals are handled by the livestock department, not under the duty-free allowances in our guide to Thai customs rules.

Step 1: vaccinations and the microchip, months before you fly

Start with the vet, not the airline. The import permit application needs a microchip number and vaccination certificates in English, so these have to be in place first.

The required vaccines are rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis for dogs, and rabies and feline panleukopenia for cats. Rabbits need a rabies vaccine and treatment for internal parasites at least 7 days before export. A first (primary) rabies vaccine is only accepted if the animal was at least 12 weeks old when it was given.

The waiting time is the detail that catches people. After any primary vaccine, you must wait 21 days before you even apply for the import permit. Booster shots have no waiting period, but you must send the earlier vaccination records too. A puppy or kitten therefore needs at least about three and a half months before the paperwork can begin.

Leptospirosis is the one vaccine with an alternative. A dog without a valid leptospirosis vaccination, or one vaccinated too recently, can instead have a leptospirosis test with a negative result taken within 30 days before departure.

The vaccination certificate must show the pet's breed, sex, date of birth, color and microchip number, and the vet's full name, licence number and signature. A microchip implantation certificate goes with the application.

Step 2: the import permit from the Animal Quarantine Station

The import permit is issued by the AQS at the airport where you will land. You apply by e-mail, at least 7 and no more than 60 days before departure. The embassy recommends applying about 30 days ahead. Processing takes 5 to 7 Thai business days once all documents are in, and the permit is valid for 60 days from issue.

The application consists of:

1. Form R1/1, with your name, your address in Thailand and in your home country, and the pet's details including the microchip number.
2. The microchip implantation certificate.
3. A copy of your flight confirmation.
4. A copy of your passport.
5. A color photo of the pet with its face clearly visible.
6. The vaccination certificates in English.

Thai business days exclude weekends and public holidays, so allow extra time around Songkran and the New Year; the holiday calendar shows which days the offices close. The AQS e-mail addresses for each airport are on the embassy's instruction page linked in the sources below.

Step 3: the health certificate and its short validity

Once you have the import permit, a vet issues the official health certificate, and your country's government veterinary authority endorses it. The DLD's requirement sheet says the certificate must be in English and signed or endorsed by a full-time government veterinary official of the exporting country. It certifies that the animal is healthy, free from signs of infectious disease and parasites, and fit to travel.

Timing is tight. For pets leaving the United States, the certificate endorsed by USDA/APHIS is valid for only 10 days from endorsement, so the pet must arrive in Thailand within that window. Other countries' authorities set their own procedures; ask yours how long its endorsement is accepted and book the vet appointment backwards from your flight date. Only originals are accepted, not scans.

Arriving: the six airports and the 500-baht licence

Pets can only enter at airports with an AQS listed in the official instructions: Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui and Krabi (handled by the Trang AQS). A pet flying with you is checked at the AQS, which is open 24 hours a day at all six. At Suvarnabhumi it is next to baggage carousel 8; our guide to Thailand's airports helps if you are choosing where to land.

Bring these originals for the inspection: your passport, the pet's passport or vaccination records, the endorsed health certificate and the printed import permit. The AQS then issues a Notice of Import Approval (Form R-6) and an Import Licence (Form R-7). The fee is 500 baht per animal, and the licence stays valid until the pet leaves Thailand. Have some baht ready for the fee and for the taxi; the Suvarnabhumi transfer options are set out in a separate guide, though not every taxi or ride-hailing driver will take an animal.

Pets shipped as air cargo are different. At Suvarnabhumi the cargo AQS is in the Free Zone CE-1 building and works Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 16:30. Cargo pets can only be collected during business hours on weekdays, not at weekends or on Thai holidays, so a Friday-night cargo arrival can mean a weekend in the cargo area.

Quarantine: what the two official sources say

This is where official sources disagree, and we will not pick one silently. The DLD's undated requirement sheet, linked from Thai embassies in Europe, says imported dogs and cats are subject to quarantine "at approved premises" for at least 30 days after arrival, at the owner's expense. The import form asks for a "quarantine at" address, which suggests the approved premises can be your own home.

The 2025 instructions from the Washington embassy describe the import licence being issued at the airport AQS and mention no quarantine period for pets that meet all requirements. Ask the AQS at your arrival airport, in writing, whether a quarantine period applies to your pet and where it must be spent, and keep the answer with your documents.

Choosing a flight and an airline

Thailand's rules say nothing about how the pet travels. The airline decides whether your pet can go in the cabin, as checked baggage or only as cargo, and many airlines refuse some breeds or restrict travel in hot months. The Thai instructions note that although no breeds are banned from import, airlines may have their own restrictions.

Ask the airline before you book your own ticket. Useful questions are whether it accepts pets on the whole route, including any transit stop, what crate size it requires, and whether it needs the Thai import permit at check-in. The DLD requires a crate that is nose-proof and paw-proof, and a pet in transit must not leave the airport except into an approved transit quarantine area. A direct flight avoids most of these problems.

Living with a pet in Thailand

Some condos and apartment buildings do not allow pets, and those that do may ask for a larger deposit. Ask about the pet rule at the first viewing and get it written into the lease; the general rules on deposits are in our tenant's guide. Houses in gated estates are often easier for dog owners.

Heat is the other everyday issue. Short-nosed breeds can find the humid heat hard, and walks are best in the early morning and evening. Rabies is present in Thailand, so keep your pet's vaccination current and keep it away from street dogs; our guide to animal bites and rabies explains what to do if you or your pet is bitten. The heat advice on our page about coping with heat and sun applies to animals as much as to people. Vet care and pet food belong in your monthly budget; see our overview of the cost of living for residents. The other paperwork of a move, from visas to bank accounts, is gathered in our section for residents.

Taking the pet home again: plan the return now

Bringing a pet back from Thailand is usually harder than bringing it in. Great Britain, for example, does not include Thailand on its list of countries with simpler rules. According to GOV.UK, a pet coming from such a country needs a rabies blood test taken at least 30 days after vaccination, analyzed by an EU-approved laboratory, and must then wait three months from the date of the blood sample before it can travel. The wait does not apply if the pet was vaccinated, blood tested and issued a pet passport or Great Britain health certificate in the EU before going to Thailand.

Many other countries have similar rules. If you might take the pet home one day, ask your vet about doing the blood test before you leave, while you still have easy access to an approved laboratory. Exporting a pet from Thailand also needs paperwork from the Thai side; ask the AQS about export requirements well before you book.

Frequently asked questions

Does a dog need to go into quarantine in Thailand?

The sources conflict. The DLD's older requirement sheet speaks of at least 30 days at approved premises, while the embassy's 2025 instructions describe a licence issued at the airport with no quarantine for pets that meet the rules. Confirm with the AQS at your arrival airport before you travel.

Does Thailand require a rabies titre test for dogs and cats?

No titre test appears in Thailand's import requirements. The rabies vaccine itself is required, given at 12 weeks of age or older, with 21 days after a first vaccination before you apply for the permit. Your home country may require a titre test when the pet returns.

How far in advance should I apply for a Thai pet import permit?

You can apply between 60 and 7 days before departure, and the embassy recommends about 30 days. Processing takes 5 to 7 Thai business days, and the permit is valid for 60 days, so apply early enough to fix any missing document.

Which airports can I fly my pet into in Thailand?

Only airports with an Animal Quarantine Station listed in the official instructions: Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui and Krabi. Land and sea border crossings are not on that list, so check with the DLD before planning to drive in with a pet.

Are any dog breeds banned in Thailand?

The official instructions state that no dog breeds are banned from import into Thailand. Airlines often have their own breed restrictions, especially for short-nosed dogs and cats, so check with the airline before you book.

Sources

• Royal Thai Embassy, Washington D.C. (Office of Agricultural Affairs) – Bringing pets into Thailand (instructions revised 30 January 2025) (checked October 2026)
• Department of Livestock Development – Requirements for the importation of dogs and cats into the Kingdom of Thailand (checked October 2026)
• Royal Thai Embassy, Brussels – Bringing pets into Thailand (checked October 2026)
• GOV.UK – Bring your pet to Great Britain: blood tests for rabies (checked October 2026)
• GOV.UK – Bring your pet to Great Britain: listed and not listed countries (checked October 2026)