Country entry guide · Europe (EU)
Traveling to Austria with your dog
Austria welcomes dogs, but what you need to prepare depends mainly on the country your dog is travelling from — not only on Austria itself. As an EU member, Austria applies the shared EU pet-movement rules: an ISO microchip and a valid rabies vaccination are always required. A dog coming from another EU country simply needs an EU pet passport. A dog from a listed non-EU country (such as the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom) needs an EU animal health certificate but no blood test. A dog from a non-listed country faces the longest path, including a rabies antibody test and a three-month wait. This guide explains each case so you know exactly what to prepare before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Microchip | Required |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Conditional — non-listed origins only |
| Veterinary certificate | Conditional — non-EU origins |
| Tapeworm treatment | Not required for Austria |
| Quarantine | Normally not required |
⚠️ Important
- MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
- Only a veterinarian can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
- Requirements depend on: the country of origin, previous travel history, identification, vaccinations, the itinerary and the travel date.
Always consult your veterinarian before booking your trip.
Find a flight to Austria
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
- 1 Country of destination — Austria★★★★★
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Required | A legible tattoo is accepted only if done before 3 July 2011. | EU Reg. 576/2013; oesterreich.gv.at |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | The microchip must already be in place; otherwise re-vaccination is needed. | EU Reg. 576/2013, Annex III |
| Rabies antibody test | Conditional | Not required from the EU or from listed countries (US, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Japan, Australia…). | EU Reg. 2020/692; bavg.gv.at |
| EU pet passport | EU origins | Replaced by an animal health certificate for non-EU origins. | EU Reg. 577/2013 |
| EU animal health certificate | Non-EU origins | Not needed for EU origins (passport instead). | EU Reg. 577/2013, Annex IV |
| Tapeworm (Echinococcus) treatment | Not required | Only Finland, Ireland, Malta, N. Ireland and Norway require it — not Austria. | European Commission — pet travel; bmf.gv.at (Zoll) |
| Advance notification / import permit | Not required | Austria issues no import permit and requires no prior customs appointment for private pet travel. | bavg.gv.at (FAQ) |
| Border check (documents & identity) | Non-EU arrivals | No systematic check for intra-EU (Schengen) arrivals. | EU Reg. 576/2013; bmf.gv.at (Zoll) |
| Puppies / minimum age | Effectively ≥15 weeks | Puppies under 12 weeks cannot be vaccinated, so cannot enter from outside the EU. | EU Reg. 576/2013; bavg.gv.at |
| Quarantine | Not required | Only if rules are breached — authorities may then order re-export, quarantine or, in the worst case, euthanasia. | EU Reg. 576/2013; bavg.gv.at |
🗓 In what order, and when
Some steps only count once the previous one is done — check each deadline against the official reference above.
- ISO microchipMust be implanted before the rabies vaccination.
- Rabies vaccinationDog at least 12 weeks old at the shot; valid from 21 days after the primary vaccination.
- Rabies antibody testNon-listed origins only: blood ≥30 days after vaccination, ≥3 months before entry, result ≥0.5 IU/ml, EU-designated lab.
- EU pet passportIssued by an EU vet; records the microchip and rabies vaccination.
- EU animal health certificateIssued/endorsed by an official vet before departure; valid 10 days to entry, then up to 4 months for onward EU travel.
- Border check (documents & identity)Declare the dog to customs at a designated point of entry (red exit); a border vet decides at the EU external border.
- Puppies / minimum age12-week rabies shot + 21-day wait (listed); about 7 months from a non-listed country.
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Simplified — EU pet passport
A dog coming from another EU country needs an EU pet passport showing a valid ISO microchip and an in-date rabies vaccination. No antibody test, no health certificate and normally no border check.
⏱ A few days if the passport is up to date, up to ~3 weeks if the first rabies shot is still needed.
Health certificate, no blood test
From a listed non-EU country (United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and others), your dog needs a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU animal health certificate endorsed by an official vet before departure. No antibody test is required; declare your dog to customs on arrival.
⏱ ~3–4 weeks: 21-day wait after the rabies shot, plus a health certificate valid 10 days.
Antibody test + 3-month wait
From a non-listed (at-risk) country, add a rabies antibody test: blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, result ≥0.5 IU/ml at an EU-designated laboratory, then a compulsory 3-month wait before entry. An endorsed EU animal health certificate is also required.
⏱ ~4–7 months: antibody test at least 30 days after vaccination, then a compulsory 3-month wait.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Austria depends on where you flew from.
- From another EU country: no systematic border check — keep the EU pet passport with you.
- From outside the EU: declare your dog to Austrian customs at a designated point of entry (use the red exit, e.g. at Vienna-Schwechat); at the EU external border an official vet decides on admissibility.
- No import permit is issued and no prior appointment with customs is needed for private pet travel.
- Carry original documents (not copies), in German or English, or officially translated.
- If documents are missing or invalid, authorities may order re-export, quarantine or, in the worst case, euthanasia — at the owner's expense.
- There is no national breed import ban, but if you settle with your dog, the dog-keeping rules of the destination Land (state) may apply.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Austria has no uniform national breed ban and no national breed-based import prohibition. Dangerous-dog rules are set at the level of the Bundesländer (the nine federal states), so the rules depend on where in Austria you keep the dog.
Only Vienna, Lower Austria (Niederösterreich) and Vorarlberg maintain official 'Listenhunde' lists (breeds such as American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Tosa Inu, Pit Bull Terrier, Mastino/Mastiff types and their crosses). Other states regulate dangerous dogs case-by-case rather than by a breed list.
Obligations differ by state: in Vienna the owner of a listed dog aged 6 months or more must pass a dog-licence test (Hundeführerschein), with muzzle and leash in public; in Lower Austria keeping a listed dog must be reported to the municipality without delay; in Vorarlberg keeping a listed dog is subject to authorisation. Muzzle and leash duties commonly apply.
There is no single Austrian breed law — always check the rules of the destination Land (state) and municipality before travelling or settling with a listed breed.
✈️ Airlines flying to Austria with a dog
Carriers we document that serve this country and accept dogs. The verdict is the airline's general policy — it does not prejudge your breed, your crate or your exact route.
+43 more documented airlines accept dogs to this country. 2 carriers serving this country are not listed here: refusal or undocumented pet policy. See all airlines →
🛂 Airports in Austria
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
Austria with a dog: common questions
Austria: What does my dog need to enter?
Austria requires: ISO microchip, Rabies vaccination.
Austria: Is a rabies antibody test required?
Austria — Rabies antibody test: Conditional. Non-listed origins only: blood ≥30 days after vaccination, ≥3 months before entry, result ≥0.5 IU/ml, EU-designated lab.
Austria: Are any dog breeds banned?
Austria has no uniform national breed ban and no national breed-based import prohibition. Dangerous-dog rules are set at the level of the Bundesländer (the nine federal states), so the rules depend on where in Austria you keep the dog.
Austria: How long does it take to prepare a dog?
A few days if the passport is up to date, up to ~3 weeks if the first rabies shot is still needed. ~4–7 months: antibody test at least 30 days after vaccination, then a compulsory 3-month wait.
Austria: Is it difficult to travel there with a dog?
Austria — Easy to difficult (depends on origin). MyDogCanFly provides general information — not veterinary or legal advice.
Answers drawn from the official sources listed below; entry information last verified 8 August 2026. Rules change — confirm with the authorities of Austria and your vet before booking.
📚 Official sources
- oesterreich.gv.at — Travelling with pets in the EU/EEA (pet passport)
- BAVG (Federal Office for Consumer Health) — Import of dogs, cats and ferrets from third countries
- BAVG — Travel with pets (Reiseverkehr)
- Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (BMSGPK) — Pet travel within the EU (dogs, cats, ferrets)
- Austrian Customs (BMF/Zoll) — Travelling with animals
- oesterreich.gv.at — Keeping listed dogs ('Kampfhunde') in Austria (state rules)
- European Commission — Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country