Country entry guide · Africa
Traveling to Tunisia with your dog
Tunisia welcomes pet dogs, but entry runs through the country's own scheme managed by the Ministry of Agriculture's veterinary authority (Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires, DGSV), not the EU framework. A dog travelling with its owner as a personal pet needs a valid rabies vaccination and an original official veterinary health certificate (certificat sanitaire) issued shortly before departure by a government vet of the country of origin, plus the animal's health booklet. On arrival, your dog is checked by the border veterinary services alongside customs. A short list of dangerous breeds is banned outright. This guide explains the certificate, the rabies rule, the border check and the banned breeds so you know exactly what to prepare before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes (non-banned breeds) |
| Identification (microchip) | Recommended — confirm with DGSV |
| Rabies vaccination | Required |
| Rabies antibody test | Not part of published rules |
| Veterinary health certificate | Required (original) |
| Border veterinary check | Required |
| Quarantine | Not required if compliant |
| Banned breeds | Pit-bull, Rottweiler, Tosa, Mastiff/Boerbull |
⏱️ 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 Tunisia
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Tunisia (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Tunisia★★★★★
Tunisia runs its own DGSV scheme: a valid rabies vaccination and an original official veterinary health certificate are always required, and your dog is checked by the border veterinary services on arrival. Certain dangerous breeds are banned outright.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
The health certificate is issued by an official vet in the country of departure, using that country's official model. The country of departure decides who signs your certificate and shapes the rabies-vaccination evidence the Tunisian border expects.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
Your dog's rabies history and recent country of residence matter to the veterinary services, not only the last airport. A stay in a rabies-risk country can affect what the border vet asks for, so confirm your dog's full history with your vet and the DGSV.
So read the requirements below as Tunisia's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history with your vet and the DGSV before booking.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification (microchip) | Recommended | An ISO microchip is the standard way to identify the animal on the health certificate and is needed for a later return to the EU; place it before the rabies vaccination. | The Tunisian customs portal lists the certificate and health booklet but does not publish a separate microchip rule — confirm with the DGSV. | Douane Tunisienne — Animaux de compagnie |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | The dog must be vaccinated against rabies; the vaccination is recorded in the health booklet and referenced on the certificate. It is commonly applied as valid from at least 30 days and less than 12 months after the injection — confirm the exact window with the DGSV. | If the dog is under 3 months old, its mother must have been vaccinated against rabies. | Douane Tunisienne — Animaux de compagnie |
| Rabies antibody test | Not published | Tunisia's published pet-import rules do not mention a rabies antibody test for personal pets, and it is generally not requested from listed origins. | Unknown for specific cases — confirm with the DGSV, as requirements can differ by the dog's origin and rabies history. | Douane Tunisienne — Animaux de compagnie; DGSV |
| Veterinary health certificate (certificat sanitaire) | Required (original) | The original certificate must be issued by the official veterinary services of the country of origin and presented at the Tunisian point of entry; it is issued shortly before travel. | None — an original official certificate must accompany every dog (copies are not accepted). | Douane Tunisienne — Animaux de compagnie |
| Animal health booklet | Required | Carry the animal's health booklet (livret / carnet sanitaire) recording identification and vaccinations, including rabies. | None. | Douane Tunisienne — Animaux de compagnie |
| Non-commercial (personal pet) movement | Applies to a limited number of pets | A traveller's own dog accompanying them counts as a non-commercial personal pet. A larger number of animals is treated as a commercial import with heavier requirements and prior authorisation from the Ministry of Agriculture. | The exact non-commercial pet limit is not published on the customs portal — confirm with the DGSV / customs. | Douane Tunisienne — Animaux de compagnie; Loi n° 99-24 |
| Advance notification / import permit | Not required (personal pet) | A traveller's pet dog needs no prior import permit, but it is subject to veterinary sanitary inspection at the border. | Transit and commercial movements require prior approval from the Ministry of Agriculture. | Idaraty / SICAD — contrôle sanitaire vétérinaire à l'importation |
| Border veterinary inspection & customs check | Required | On arrival, present your dog and its documents to the border veterinary services alongside customs; a sanitary check is carried out at the point of entry. | None for a live dog entering the territory. | Loi n° 99-24 (1999); Décret n° 2002-668 (2002) |
| Minimum age / puppies | Linked to rabies vaccination | A puppy is expected to be vaccinated against rabies; a dog under 3 months old is admitted only if its mother was vaccinated against rabies. | No separate stand-alone minimum age is published beyond the rabies rule — confirm with the DGSV. | Douane Tunisienne — Animaux de compagnie |
| Quarantine | Not required if compliant | — | Non-compliant animals may be refused, returned or held under veterinary control at the owner's expense. | Loi n° 99-24 (1999); Décret n° 2002-668 (2002) |
| Banned / dangerous breeds | Prohibited | Import of dangerous, fierce dogs is prohibited for the pit-bull, Rottweiler, Tosa and Mastiff (Boerbull) types, and generally their crossbreeds. | None published — the ban is set by the Ministry of Agriculture (DGSV) and applies at the border. | Ministère de l'Agriculture / DGSV — races de chiens interdites à l'importation |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
From the European Union
For a dog leaving the EU, an official EU vet issues the veterinary health certificate for Tunisia shortly before departure. Your dog needs a valid rabies vaccination (recorded in the passport / health booklet) and, in practice, an ISO microchip. No rabies antibody test is published as a requirement. On arrival in Tunisia, the border veterinary services check the dog and its documents with customs.
From any other country
From a non-EU country, the core requirements are the same: a valid rabies vaccination and an original official veterinary health certificate issued by the government veterinary services of the country of origin, plus the animal's health booklet. Use your country's official export certificate model and have it signed by an official vet close to departure.
Rabies history & special cases
Tunisia does not publish a separate at-risk-country track or a rabies antibody test for personal pets, but the border veterinary services take the dog's rabies history and recent residence into account. If your dog has stayed in a high-risk country, confirm directly with the DGSV what evidence the border will require before you travel.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Tunisia depends on your documents and your dog's breed.
- At the Tunisian point of entry, your dog is checked by the border veterinary services together with customs.
- Present the originals: the official veterinary health certificate, the animal's health booklet and proof of the rabies vaccination.
- Copies are not accepted in place of the original certificate.
- If documents are missing or invalid, or the breed is banned, the animal may be refused entry, returned or held under veterinary control — at the owner's expense.
- Pit-bull, Rottweiler, Tosa and Mastiff (Boerbull) type dogs are refused entry.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Tunisia prohibits the import of dogs considered dangerous and fierce. The list is set by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries — Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires (DGSV) — and applies at the border; it does not depend on an individual behavioural assessment.
Banned from import: pit-bull, Rottweiler, Tosa and Mastiff (Boerbull) types. The customs portal describes each type by its morphology (build, chest girth, weight and height at the withers) to identify prohibited dogs at the border.
There is no lighter 'permitted with conditions' category for these breeds at the border: their import is refused outright, and crossbreeds involving a banned type are generally affected too.
Because a dog that resembles a listed type risks refusal on morphology alone, confirm your dog's breed and any cross before you travel, and check the current DGSV notice.
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in Tunisia
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Valid rabies vaccination recorded in the health booklet (mother vaccinated if the pup is under 3 months)
- ☐ISO microchip in place before vaccination (standard identification; needed for an EU return)
- ☐Original official veterinary health certificate issued shortly before departure
- ☐Animal health booklet (livret / carnet sanitaire) carried with you
- ☐Original documents ready for the border veterinary check and customs
- ☐Confirm your dog is not a banned breed (pit-bull, Rottweiler, Tosa, Mastiff/Boerbull)
- ☐Check any special requirement for your dog's origin and rabies history with the DGSV
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and suitable IATA crate
📚 Official sources
- Tunisian Customs (Douane) — Pets (Animaux de compagnie)
- Tunisian Customs (Douane) — Prohibitions and restrictions
- Ministry of Agriculture / DGSV — Dog breeds banned from import into Tunisia (notice)
- Tunisian Customs (Douane) — Traveller's Guide (PDF)
- Ministry of Agriculture (Direction Générale des Services Vétérinaires)