Country entry guide · Asia
Traveling to South Korea with your dog
South Korea welcomes dogs, but what you must prepare depends mainly on the country your dog is travelling from — not only on Korea itself. Korea runs its own scheme through the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA): an ISO microchip is always required. If your dog comes from a country APQA designates as rabies-free, you mainly need a microchip and a government veterinary health certificate. If your dog comes from a country that is NOT designated rabies-free, you must add a rabies vaccination and a rabies antibody test showing at least 0.5 IU/ml. A dog that meets every condition clears the quarantine inspection and is normally released on the day of arrival; otherwise it can be detained. 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 from non-rabies-free origins |
| Rabies antibody test (≥0.5 IU/ml) | Conditional — non-rabies-free origins only |
| Government veterinary certificate | Required |
| Quarantine | Same-day release if compliant; detention if not |
⏱️ Estimated preparation time
Times are indicative. The rabies antibody test alone adds a fixed 3-month wait.
⚠️ 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 South Korea
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — South Korea (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — South Korea★★★★★
Korea applies its own APQA scheme: an ISO microchip is always required, and whether a rabies vaccination and antibody test are needed depends on the rabies status of the origin.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
Whether your dog departs from a country APQA designates as rabies-free decides whether a rabies vaccination and a ≥0.5 IU/ml antibody test are required before travel.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
A recent stay in a rabies-risk country can trigger the vaccination and antibody test even if you fly in from a rabies-free country. It is your dog's real origin and history that count — not only the last airport.
So read the requirements below as Korea's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history with your vet and the APQA rabies-free list.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Required | For dogs 90 days or older; ISO 11784/11785; implant before the rabies vaccination and blood sampling. The number must be recorded on the health certificate. | If the chip is not ISO 11784/11785, the owner must bring a compatible reader. | APQA — Import requirements for dogs and cats |
| Rabies vaccination | Non-rabies-free origins | Required for dogs from countries not designated rabies-free; it is the basis for the antibody test. | Not required from a designated rabies-free country, nor for dogs 90 days old or younger. | APQA — Bring a dog or cat to Korea (FAQ) |
| Rabies antibody test | Conditional | Non-rabies-free origins, dogs ≥90 days: result ≥0.5 IU/ml, at an internationally approved laboratory or the exporting country's competent authority, valid within 24 months of blood collection. | Not required from designated rabies-free countries, nor for dogs 90 days old or younger (microchip still required). | APQA — Import requirements / FAQ |
| Government veterinary health certificate | Required | Issued by the government agency of the exporting country; must state the microchip number, the antibody test result and the animal's age, plus a health/no-disease statement. | For EU member states, an EU pet passport may replace the health certificate. | APQA — Bring a dog or cat to Korea (FAQ) |
| EU pet passport | EU origins | Accepted in place of the government health certificate when the exporting country is an EU member state. | Non-EU origins must use the government health certificate. | APQA — Bring a dog or cat to Korea (FAQ) |
| Nipah/Hendra virus certification | Specific origins only | Dogs from Malaysia need certification that the region was free of the virus, or a blood test within 14 days and 60 days in a virus-free area before export. | Without certification, isolation for 21 days at the quarantine office; not relevant for most origins. | APQA — Bring a dog or cat to Korea (FAQ) |
| Advance notification / import permit | Not required | — | Korea issues no import permit and requires no prior customs appointment for a pet dog. | APQA — Import requirements for dogs and cats |
| Quarantine border inspection | Required | At the port of entry an APQA quarantine officer verifies the documents and performs a clinical inspection. If compliant, the dog is released on the day of arrival. | No exemption — every imported dog is inspected. | APQA — Bring a dog or cat to Korea (FAQ) |
| Puppies / minimum age | Titre exempt if ≤90 days | Dogs 90 days old or younger are exempt from the rabies antibody test but must have a microchip; the certificate must state the age. | Age must be verifiable on the exporting country's health certificate. | APQA — Import requirements for dogs and cats |
| Extended detention | Conditional | If the microchip is missing or does not match, or the titre is absent or below 0.5 IU/ml, the dog is detained until the microchip and a titre ≥0.5 IU/ml are confirmed — at the owner's expense. | Avoided entirely when all conditions are met before travel. | APQA — Bring a dog or cat to Korea (FAQ) |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
EU departures — passport may replace the certificate
When your dog leaves from an EU member state, an EU pet passport is accepted in place of the government health certificate. The rabies-status rule still applies: most of the EU is treated as rabies-free, so usually only a microchip and the passport are needed, but confirm your country's status on the APQA list.
Rabies-free origin — no titre
From a country APQA designates as rabies-free, your dog needs a microchip and a government veterinary health certificate stating the microchip number and age. No rabies antibody test is required, and a compliant dog is normally released on the day of arrival.
Not rabies-free — vaccination + titre
From a country not designated rabies-free, add a rabies vaccination and a rabies antibody test showing ≥0.5 IU/ml, done at an internationally approved laboratory or the exporting country's competent authority and valid within 24 months of the blood draw. The government health certificate must record the microchip number and the antibody-test result. A dog without a valid antibody test can be detained.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Korea depends on whether every condition is met.
- At the port of entry (e.g. Incheon International Airport) an APQA animal quarantine officer checks the documents and inspects your dog.
- If the microchip matches the certificate, any required antibody test is ≥0.5 IU/ml and the clinical inspection is normal, the dog is released on the day of arrival.
- If the microchip is missing or mismatched, or a required antibody test is absent or below 0.5 IU/ml, the dog is detained until it can be identified and its antibody test confirmed — at the owner's expense.
- Korea-side fees apply where the agency acts: about 110,000 KRW per animal for a rabies antibody titration and 10,000 KRW to issue a health certificate.
- Carry the original government certificate (or EU pet passport for EU origins), not copies.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
South Korea does not ban the import of any dog breed, but it designates certain fighting/guard breeds as 'fierce dogs' (맹견) under the Animal Protection Act, with strict ownership conditions after arrival. Only official designation applies.
The designated fierce breeds are the Tosa (Japanese Mastiff), American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Rottweiler, together with their crossbreeds. There is no outright import ban on these breeds.
Owning a fierce dog in Korea requires a permit from the city or provincial government, plus liability insurance and neutering, under the revised Animal Protection Act (in force since 27 April 2024). In public these dogs must wear a leash and muzzle and are barred from children's facilities.
Breeds sometimes listed elsewhere (e.g. Dogo Argentino) are not on Korea's official fierce-dog list. The list can change — verify the current designation and permit rules with MAFRA before you travel.
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in South Korea
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐ISO 11784/11785 microchip implanted before vaccination and blood sampling
- ☐Rabies vaccination — required from non-rabies-free countries
- ☐Rabies antibody test ≥0.5 IU/ml (approved lab, valid within 24 months) — non-rabies-free origins
- ☐Government veterinary health certificate stating microchip, antibody-test result and age (or EU pet passport for EU origins)
- ☐Check your origin against APQA's rabies-free country list close to travel
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option
- ☐Suitable IATA crate if travelling in the hold
- ☐If your dog is a designated fierce breed, plan the Korean ownership permit and insurance