Country entry guide · Oceania
Traveling to New Zealand with your dog
New Zealand welcomes dogs, but as a rabies-free island nation it runs one of the strictest biosecurity schemes in the world — set by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), not the EU. Dogs can only be imported from countries MPI has approved, grouped into three categories by rabies status. Every dog except those from Australia needs an import permit, and almost every dog must spend a minimum of 10 days in an MPI-approved quarantine facility on arrival. Dogs from rabies-controlled countries also need a rabies antibody blood test and several parasite and disease treatments. A few breeds are banned from import outright. This guide explains each category so you know exactly what to prepare — usually several months — before you book.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes — from approved countries only |
| Microchip | Required |
| Rabies vaccination | Required — Category 3 origins |
| Rabies antibody test | Required — Category 3 (not rabies-free) |
| Import permit | Required (except Australia) |
| Veterinary certificate | Required |
| Quarantine | Required — min 10 days (Australia exempt) |
⏱️ 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 New Zealand
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact procedure depends on three things — New Zealand (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — New Zealand★★★★★
New Zealand applies MPI's Import Health Standard for cats and dogs: an import permit, microchip, veterinary certification, parasite and disease treatments and a minimum 10-day quarantine are the backbone for almost every dog.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
Whether your dog leaves from Australia (Category 1), a rabies-free country (Category 2) or a rabies-controlled country (Category 3) decides whether a permit, a rabies antibody test and quarantine apply. Dogs from non-approved countries cannot be imported directly at all.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
A recent stay in a non-approved or higher-risk country can change your dog's category or block import until it has spent enough time in an approved country. It is your dog's real origin and history that count — not only the last airport.
So read the requirements below as New Zealand's framework, then confirm your dog's exact category and history with your vet and MPI.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Required | Must uniquely identify the dog and be scanned and recorded on the veterinary certificate. | The microchip must be verified before every test and treatment is certified. | MPI Import Health Standard CATDOG.GEN |
| Import permit | Required (except Australia) | Apply to MPI online a minimum of 30 working days before you need the permit; required for all cats and dogs except those from Australia. | Category 1 (Australia, including Norfolk Island): no import permit — notify an official vet instead. | MPI — Step-by-step guide to bringing cats and dogs to NZ |
| Rabies vaccination | Category 3 origins | Dog vaccinated against rabies when at least 3 months old, before the rabies antibody test. | Not required from Category 1 (Australia) or Category 2 (rabies-free) countries. | MPI IHS — Category 3 Model Veterinary Certificate A |
| Rabies antibody test | Category 3 origins | Blood collected at least 3 weeks after vaccination, tested in an approved laboratory, result ≥0.5 IU/ml; a waiting period applies before travel. | If the result is below 0.5 IU/ml the dog must be revaccinated and retested. Not required from Category 1 or Category 2 countries. | MPI IHS — Category 3 Model Veterinary Certificate A |
| Veterinary certificate | Required | MPI model veterinary certificate completed and endorsed by an official government vet in the exporting country before shipment. | The certificate model differs by category (A for Category 3, B for Category 2, and the Australia certificate for Category 1). | MPI IHS — Model Veterinary Certificates |
| External & internal parasite treatment | Required | Treated twice against ticks and fleas (second treatment within 2 days of shipment) and treated with registered products against internal parasites. | The dog must be certified free of external parasites at treatment. | MPI IHS — parasite treatment schedule |
| Leptospirosis & Brucella (disease tests/treatments) | Category 2 & 3 dogs | Leptospirosis: doxycycline for 14 consecutive days or a negative MAT test before shipment. Brucella canis: a dog testing positive is not eligible for import. | Exact test and treatment list is set by the dog's category in the IHS; confirm with your vet and MPI. | MPI IHS CATDOG.GEN — Category 2 & 3 requirements |
| Quarantine | Required — min 10 days | Book an MPI-approved quarantine facility in advance; the dog is transferred there on arrival (Auckland or Christchurch) for a minimum of 10 days. | Category 1 (Australia) dogs are exempt — cleared directly at the airport rather than sent to quarantine. | MPI — Quarantine facilities for cats and dogs |
| Puppies / minimum age | Effectively several months | Category 3 rabies vaccination is only valid from 3 months of age, and the antibody test and waiting period push the earliest travel date well beyond that. | There is no reduced quarantine or permit exemption for young puppies from Categories 2 or 3. | MPI IHS CATDOG.GEN |
| Prohibited breeds / hybrids | Import prohibited | Dogs belonging entirely or predominantly to a banned breed cannot be imported; hybrids (crossed with another species) are not eligible. | See the restricted breeds section below for the full list. | Dog Control Act 1996; MPI IHS CATDOG.GEN |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Category 1 — Australia (simplest)
A dog coming from Australia (including Norfolk Island) needs no import permit and no quarantine. It must still be microchipped, meet the treatment rules and travel with the correct veterinary certificate; you notify an official vet in New Zealand and it is cleared at Auckland or Christchurch airport.
Category 2 — rabies-free countries
From an MPI-approved rabies-free country, your dog needs an import permit (apply at least 30 working days ahead), microchip, the required disease tests and treatments, an endorsed veterinary certificate and a minimum 10-day stay in an MPI-approved quarantine facility. No rabies antibody test is required because the country is rabies-free.
Category 3 — rabies absent/controlled
From an approved country where rabies is absent or well-controlled (such as the United States, United Kingdom-origin routes, most of Europe), add a rabies vaccination and an antibody test (blood ≥3 weeks after vaccination, result ≥0.5 IU/ml) with a waiting period, on top of the import permit, treatments, endorsed certificate and 10-day quarantine. Dogs from countries MPI has not approved cannot be imported directly.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches New Zealand depends on its category and is tightly controlled by MPI.
- Dogs must arrive at Auckland or Christchurch international airport, where MPI biosecurity officers verify documents and identity.
- From Australia (Category 1): the dog is inspected and cleared at the airport — no quarantine — provided all rules are met.
- From all other approved countries: the dog is transferred to a pre-booked MPI-approved quarantine facility for a minimum of 10 days.
- Carry the original endorsed veterinary certificate, laboratory reports and the import permit — copies are not accepted.
- If requirements are not met, MPI may extend quarantine, order re-export at the owner's cost, or in the worst case euthanasia.
- Prohibited breeds are refused entry; a dog from a non-approved country cannot be landed at all.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
New Zealand bans the import of certain dog breeds under the Dog Control Act 1996, on top of MPI's biosecurity rules. The ban applies to any dog belonging entirely or predominantly to a listed breed or type.
Prohibited from import (cannot enter New Zealand): American Pit Bull Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Brazilian Fila, Japanese Tosa and Perro de Presa Canario. Dogs belonging entirely or predominantly to these breeds or types are refused importation under the Dog Control Act 1996.
Hybrids — the offspring of a dog crossed with another species — are also not eligible for import. Separately, breeds classified as 'menacing' under New Zealand law face domestic controls (such as muzzling in public and neutering) for dogs already in the country.
A dog that merely resembles a listed breed is assessed on whether it belongs entirely or predominantly to that breed or type. Confirm your dog's eligibility with MPI before making any travel arrangements.
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in New Zealand
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Confirm your dog's country is MPI-approved and identify its category (1, 2 or 3)
- ☐Confirm your dog is not a prohibited breed or a hybrid
- ☐ISO microchip implanted and recorded before tests and treatments
- ☐Rabies vaccination and antibody test ≥0.5 IU/ml — Category 3 only
- ☐Apply for the MPI import permit at least 30 working days ahead (except Australia)
- ☐Complete the required parasite, leptospirosis and other disease treatments/tests
- ☐Endorsed model veterinary certificate signed by an official government vet
- ☐Book an MPI-approved quarantine facility (min 10 days) before travel
- ☐Fly into Auckland or Christchurch with original documents (not copies)
📚 Official sources
- MPI — Step-by-step guide to bringing cats and dogs to NZ
- MPI — Cats and dogs Import Health Standard (CATDOG.GEN)
- MPI — Cats and dogs Import Health Standard Guidance Document
- MPI — Bringing your dog to New Zealand (Category 3 support document)
- MPI — Quarantine facilities for importing cats and dogs
- MPI — Requirement documents for bringing pets to NZ