Country entry guide · Europe (EU)
Traveling to Italy with your dog
Italy welcomes dogs, but what you need to prepare depends mainly on the country your dog is travelling from — not only on Italy itself. As an EU member, Italy applies the 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 Italy |
| 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 Italy
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
- 1 Country of destination — Italy★★★★★
- 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; salute.gov.it |
| 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; salute.gov.it |
| 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 Italy. | European Commission — pet travel |
| Advance notification / import permit | Not required | Italy issues no import permit for a pet travelling with its owner and requires no prior customs appointment; up to 5 pets per traveller. | salute.gov.it; Agenzia delle Dogane |
| Border check (documents & identity) | Non-EU arrivals | No systematic check for intra-EU (Schengen) arrivals. | EU Reg. 576/2013; Agenzia delle Dogane |
| Puppies / minimum age | Effectively ≥15 weeks | Puppies under 12 weeks cannot be vaccinated, so cannot enter from outside the EU. | EU Reg. 576/2013; salute.gov.it |
| Quarantine | Not required | Only if rules are breached — authorities may then order re-export, isolation or other measures. | salute.gov.it |
🗓 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)At a designated travellers' point of entry; present yourself spontaneously to customs.
- 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; present yourself to customs at a travellers' point of entry.
⏱ ~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 Italy 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: enter via a designated travellers' point of entry and present yourself spontaneously to the Italian customs (Agenzia delle Dogane) for documentary and identity checks.
- A traveller may bring up to five pets; no import permit is issued and no prior appointment with customs is needed.
- Carry original documents (not copies), in Italian, bilingual or officially translated.
- If documents are missing or invalid, authorities may order re-export, isolation or other measures — at the owner's expense.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Italy has no national list of dangerous or banned dog breeds. The 2006 list of 17 breeds was abolished by the March 2009 ordinance signed by Under-Secretary Francesca Martini, on the scientific ground that a dog's breed does not predict aggressiveness. Responsibility is owner-based: every dog is subject to the same rules regardless of breed.
No banned-breed category exists: no breed is prohibited from being imported into, kept in or transiting Italy. A dog is never classified as dangerous by its breed or appearance.
Owner obligations apply to every dog under the public-safety ordinance (ordinanza sulla tutela dell'incolumità pubblica dall'aggressione dei cani): a lead no longer than 1.5 m in urban and public areas, and a muzzle (rigid or soft) always carried and applied on request or when there is potential danger. Dogs entered in the register of at-risk dogs after an incident must also hold third-party liability insurance and, where a behavioural assessment is required, the owner completes a training course (patentino).
Only owner behaviour and, where ordered, a veterinary/ASL behavioural assessment matter — not breed. Import into Italy carries no breed restriction. Confirm current details with the Ministero della Salute.
✈️ Airlines flying to Italy 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.
+69 more documented airlines accept dogs to this country. 4 carriers serving this country are not listed here: refusal or undocumented pet policy. See all airlines →
🛂 Airports in Italy
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
Italy with a dog: common questions
Italy: What does my dog need to enter?
Italy requires: ISO microchip, Rabies vaccination.
Italy: Is a rabies antibody test required?
Italy — 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.
Italy: Are any dog breeds banned?
Italy has no national list of dangerous or banned dog breeds. The 2006 list of 17 breeds was abolished by the March 2009 ordinance signed by Under-Secretary Francesca Martini, on the scientific ground that a dog's breed does not predict aggressiveness.…
Italy: 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.
Italy: Is it difficult to travel there with a dog?
Italy — 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 Italy and your vet before booking.
📚 Official sources
- European Commission — Bringing a pet into the EU from a non-EU country
- European Commission — Travelling with a pet within the EU
- European Commission — Listing of non-EU countries (antibody-test exemption)
- Ministero della Salute — Pets: travelling with our animals
- Ministero della Salute — Pets: travelling to/from third countries
- Ministero della Salute — Protection against dog attacks (public-safety ordinance)
- Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli — Traveller's customs charter