Country entry guide · Europe (EU)
Traveling to Romania with your dog
Romania welcomes dogs, but what you need to prepare depends mainly on the country your dog is travelling from — not only on Romania itself. As an EU member, Romania 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. Romania also has its own dangerous-dog law, so check your dog's breed before you travel. 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 Romania |
| Quarantine | Normally not required |
| Restricted breeds | Some banned / restricted |
⏱️ 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 Romania
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Romania (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Romania★★★★★
Romania applies the EU pet-movement framework: an ISO microchip and a valid rabies vaccination are always required, and no tapeworm treatment is needed to enter Romania. Romania's own dangerous-dog law adds breed restrictions.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
Whether your dog leaves from an EU country, a listed non-EU country or a non-listed country decides whether an antibody test and a health certificate are required.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
A recent stay in a rabies-risk country can trigger an antibody test even if you fly in from an exempt country. It is your dog's real origin and history that count — not only the last airport.
So read the requirements below as Romania's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history with your vet.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Required | Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. | A legible tattoo is accepted only if done before 3 July 2011. | EU Reg. 576/2013; ansvsa.ro |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | Dog at least 12 weeks old at the shot; valid from 21 days after the primary vaccination. | The microchip must already be in place; otherwise re-vaccination is needed. | EU Reg. 576/2013, Annex III |
| 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. | Not required from the EU or from listed countries (US, Canada, UK, Switzerland, Japan, Australia…). | EU Reg. 2020/692; ansvsa.ro |
| EU pet passport | EU origins | Issued by an EU vet; records the microchip and rabies vaccination. | Replaced by an animal health certificate for non-EU origins. | EU Reg. 577/2013 |
| EU animal health certificate | Non-EU origins | Issued/endorsed by an official vet before departure; valid 10 days to entry, then up to 4 months for onward EU travel. | 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 Romania. | ANSVSA — non-commercial pet movement |
| Advance notification / import permit | Not required (adults) | Puppies under 3 months not yet vaccinated against rabies need prior approval from Romania's central veterinary authority (ANSVSA). | No general import permit or prior customs appointment for a vaccinated adult dog. | ANSVSA — non-commercial pet movement; EU Reg. 576/2013 |
| Border check (documents & identity) | Non-EU arrivals | At a designated travellers' point of entry; present yourself to the veterinary/customs authorities on the spot. | No systematic check for intra-EU (Schengen) arrivals. | EU Reg. 576/2013; Romanian Customs |
| Puppies / minimum age | Effectively ≥15 weeks | 12-week rabies shot + 21-day wait (listed); about 7 months from a non-listed country. | Puppies under 3 months, unvaccinated, may enter only with prior ANSVSA approval and under strict conditions. | ANSVSA; EU Reg. 576/2013 |
| Restricted / dangerous breeds | Category I banned | Pit Bull, Boerbull, Bandog types and their crosses cannot be imported; Category II breeds carry ownership obligations. | Importing a Category I dog is a criminal offence (see Restricted dogs section). | OUG 55/2002 (Law 60/2003), art. 1, 8, 13 |
| 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; ANSVSA |
🌍 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.
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; enter Romania via a designated travellers' point of entry and present yourself to the authorities there.
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.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Romania 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 to the veterinary and customs authorities for documentary and identity checks.
- For a vaccinated adult dog, no import permit is issued and no prior appointment is needed; puppies under 3 months require prior ANSVSA approval.
- Carry original documents (not copies); a certificate in a language other than Romanian should be 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.
- Category I dogs (Pit Bull, Boerbull, Bandog types and crosses) are banned from import — do not attempt to bring one in, including in transit.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Romania regulates dangerous dogs under Emergency Ordinance OUG 55/2002 (approved and amended by Law 60/2003), which splits them into two categories. Animal protection is further governed by Law 205/2004. Category assessment is made by the Romanian Kennel Association (AChR).
Category I — fighting and attack dogs assimilated by morphology to Pit Bull, Boerbull (Boerboel) and Bandog types and their crosses. Their import and sale are prohibited: bringing one into Romania is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment and confiscation (OUG 55/2002 art. 8 and 13). Existing Category I dogs must be neutered, covered by third-party liability insurance, and muzzled and leashed on public roads; they are banned from public premises and public transport.
Category II — American Staffordshire Terrier, Tosa, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Mastino Napoletano, Fila Brasileiro, Mastiff, Caucasian Shepherd, Cane Corso and their crosses. Import is allowed, but the owner must be at least 18, register the dog with the Romanian Kennel Association, declare it to the local police (identification, rabies vaccination), and keep it muzzled and on a lead in public places.
Beyond the two categories, breeds such as the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Dobermann, Presa Canario, Central Asian Shepherd, Komondor, Kuvasz and Giant Schnauzer and their crosses must also wear a muzzle and lead in public. Only an AChR assessment decides a dog's category — confirm your dog's status before travelling.
🛂 Airports in Romania
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Microchip (ISO) implanted before the rabies vaccination
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (dog ≥12 weeks at the shot, +21 days)
- ☐Rabies antibody test — non-listed countries only
- ☐EU pet passport (EU origin) or endorsed EU health certificate (non-EU origin)
- ☐Original documents; certificate officially translated into Romanian if needed
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option
- ☐Suitable IATA crate if travelling in the hold
- ☐Confirm your dog is not a Category I breed (banned from import)
📚 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)
- ANSVSA — Non-commercial movement of pets to and from Romania
- ANSVSA — Non-commercial transport of animals
- Romanian Customs — Travellers' entry points for pets from third countries
- OUG 55/2002 on the keeping of dangerous or aggressive dogs (Portal Legislativ)