Country entry guide · Asia
Traveling to Thailand with your dog
Thailand welcomes dogs, but it runs its own import scheme through the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) — not the EU framework. The single most important step is to obtain an Import Permit before you fly: you apply by email to the Animal Quarantine Station (AQS) at your airport of entry between 60 and 7 days before departure, using application Form R1/1. Your dog needs an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and core vaccinations (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis), plus a government-endorsed veterinary health certificate issued shortly before travel. A rabies antibody test is not routinely required from rabies-controlled countries, but the DLD can request it for higher-risk origins. On arrival the AQS issues the Import License (Form R-7). Meet every condition and there is no quarantine.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes |
| Import permit (DLD, in advance) | Required |
| Microchip (ISO) | Required |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Not routine — may be requested for high-risk origins |
| Other vaccinations (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis) | Required |
| Government veterinary health certificate | Required |
| Quarantine | Not required if compliant (officer may detain) |
⏱️ 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 and Thailand's Department of Livestock Development (DLD) can confirm the exact procedure for your individual dog.
- The import permit must be obtained before departure — some airlines will not board a pet without it.
- 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 Thailand
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact steps depend on three things — Thailand (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Thailand★★★★★
Thailand runs its own DLD scheme: an advance import permit (Form R1/1), an ISO microchip, a valid rabies vaccination, core vaccinations and a government-endorsed health certificate. It does not use the EU pet-passport system.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The exporting country decides whose official veterinary authority endorses your health certificate, and whether the DLD may request a rabies antibody test — routinely waived for rabies-controlled countries such as the USA, Canada and the UK.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
A recent stay in a high-rabies-risk country can prompt the DLD to require a rabies antibody test, and quarantine officers may detain any animal that raises a disease concern regardless of the last airport.
So read the requirements below as Thailand's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin, history and timeline with your vet and the DLD before you book.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Import permit (DLD) | Required | Apply by email to the AQS at your airport of entry between 60 and 7 days before departure, using Form R1/1 with passport copy, pet photo, flight itinerary, vaccination records (in English) and microchip certificate. Processing ~3-7 business days; permit valid 60 days. | The permit is not the import licence: it authorises the shipment. Some airlines require the permit before boarding. | DLD — Importation of animals; Form R1/1 |
| ISO microchip | Required | ISO 11784/11785 microchip (15-digit code); the number must match every vaccination record and the health certificate. | If the microchip number on the documents does not match the animal, entry can be refused. | DLD — Import requirements (microchip) |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | Dog at least 12 weeks (3 months / 84 days) old at vaccination. For a primary vaccination, wait at least 21 days before departure; a valid booster needs no waiting period if the previous record is attached. | Vaccination records must be in English and show the veterinarian's name, licence number and signature. | DLD — Import requirements (rabies) |
| Rabies antibody test | Not routine — conditional | Not routinely required from rabies-controlled countries (USA, Canada, UK, EU and others); the DLD reserves the right to request it, especially for dogs from high-rabies-risk origins. | Confirm with the AQS at your port of entry whether a titre applies to your dog's origin before you book. | DLD — Import requirements (rabies serology) |
| Other vaccinations (dogs) | Required | Dogs must be vaccinated against canine distemper, canine hepatitis, canine parvovirus and leptospirosis, in addition to rabies; records in English. | For all primary vaccinations, allow at least 21 days before departure. | DLD — Import requirements (vaccinations) |
| Leptospirosis test | Conditional | A negative leptospirosis test within 30 days before departure is required if the dog does not have a valid leptospirosis vaccine or does not meet the 21-day rule. | Not required for a dog with a valid leptospirosis vaccination. | DLD — Import requirements (leptospirosis) |
| Government veterinary health certificate | Required | Official health certificate issued shortly before travel and endorsed/stamped by the exporting country's government veterinary authority; original only, in English. From the USA it is valid 10 days from USDA endorsement. | Electronic or copied certificates are not accepted; issue it inside the import permit's 60-day validity. | DLD — Official Health Certificate (endorsement) |
| Import licence on arrival (Forms R-6 / R-7) | Required | At the AQS on arrival the vet checks documents and the microchip, then issues a Notice of Import Approval (Form R-6) and the Import License (Form R-7). Fee 500 baht per animal; the licence is valid until the pet leaves Thailand. | Present the animal and Form R-7 to Customs at the Goods to Declare channel and pay any applicable duties. | Thai Customs — Importing pets (Hand Carried), Form R.7 |
| Number of pets per traveller | Per-animal permit | Each dog needs its own import permit, its own health certificate and a separate 500-baht import-licence fee. | The DLD documents reviewed do not publish a fixed maximum number of pets per traveller — confirm with the AQS at your port of entry. | DLD — Import requirements; AQS |
| Puppies / minimum age | Effectively ≥4 months | The rabies vaccine is valid only from 12 weeks of age, with a 21-day wait for a primary dose; pets are generally accepted only from about 4 months old. | A rabies dose given before 12 weeks is not valid. | DLD — Import requirements (age) |
| Quarantine | Not required if compliant | Compliant dogs are released without quarantine; a quarantine officer may detain any animal (typically at least 30 days) for tests or treatment if a disease risk is suspected. | If requirements are not met or the microchip does not match, the animal may be returned to the exporting country or detained — all costs borne by the importer. | DLD — Import requirements (quarantine) |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
Up-to-date dog (valid boosters) — fastest path
A dog whose rabies and core vaccinations are current on valid boosters follows the shortest path: apply for the DLD import permit (Form R1/1) 60 to 7 days before departure, then have an official government veterinarian issue and endorse the health certificate shortly before travel. No 21-day waiting period applies when the previous vaccination records are attached, and no quarantine is imposed if every condition is met.
Primary or lapsed vaccination — 21-day wait
If the rabies or core vaccinations are a first (primary) dose or have lapsed, the dog must be vaccinated at least 21 days before departure. If it has no valid leptospirosis vaccine, add a negative leptospirosis test within 30 days before departure. The import permit and endorsed health certificate are still required, and the dog must be at least 12 weeks old at vaccination.
High-risk origin or non-compliant arrival
For a dog from a high-rabies-risk country, the DLD may additionally require a rabies antibody test — plan several extra months. A dog that arrives without a valid import permit, a matching microchip, or the required vaccinations and certificate can be detained for quarantine, returned to the exporting country, or held for tests and treatment, entirely at the owner's expense.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Thailand depends on whether every condition was completed before departure.
- Dogs enter through airports with an Animal Quarantine Station (Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui and Krabi/Trang); hand-carried pets clear at the AQS next to baggage carousel #8 at Suvarnabhumi.
- Present your passport, the original endorsed health certificate, vaccination records and the printed import permit to the AQS veterinary officer, who checks the documents and the microchip.
- The AQS then issues a Notice of Import Approval (Form R-6) and the Import License (Form R-7); a fee of 500 baht per animal is charged and a receipt provided.
- Take the animal and Form R-7 to Customs at the Goods to Declare channel, pay any applicable duties or taxes, and keep the official receipt.
- For pets shipped as air cargo, the AQS cargo office is open Monday to Friday only — plan your arrival on a working day.
- If documents are missing or invalid, or the microchip does not match, the animal may be returned to the exporting country or detained for quarantine, tests and treatment at the owner's expense.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Thailand's Department of Livestock Development does not ban any dog breed from importation: no breed is prohibited from entering the country, and the import requirements are the same for every breed.
There is no national breed-specific import ban. Breeds restricted in some other countries (pit-bull types, Tosa, Rottweiler and similar) are not prohibited from entering Thailand by the DLD.
Restrictions come instead from airlines and local rules: many carriers refuse or restrict snub-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds in the hold, and city ordinances (for example Bangkok's BMA) limit how many dogs a household or condominium may keep once resident. These are not import bans.
Because airline breed policies are stricter than Thai import law, confirm your dog's breed is accepted by your carrier before booking, and check local keeping rules for where you will live.
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in Thailand
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Import permit applied for by email to the AQS (Form R1/1), 60-7 days before departure
- ☐ISO 11784/11785 microchip; number matches every document
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination (dog ≥12 weeks at the shot; +21 days for a primary dose)
- ☐Core vaccinations: distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus and leptospirosis (records in English)
- ☐Negative leptospirosis test within 30 days if no valid leptospirosis vaccine
- ☐Rabies antibody test only if the DLD requests it for your origin
- ☐Original government-endorsed health certificate (issued shortly before travel)
- ☐Printed import permit and passport ready for the AQS; budget 500 baht per animal
- ☐IATA-compliant crate; confirm your dog's breed is accepted by the airline
📚 Official sources
- Department of Livestock Development (DLD) — Importation of animals and animal products
- DLD / Office of Agricultural Affairs — Instructions for importation of dogs, cats and rabbits into Thailand
- Royal Thai Government (DLD) — Requirements for importation of dogs/cats/rabbits (Forms R1/1, R-6, R-7)
- Thai Customs — Importing pets accompanied by passengers (Hand Carried), Form R.7
- Thai Customs Department — official website