Country entry guide · Asia
Traveling to Taiwan with your dog
Taiwan welcomes dogs, but it runs its own strict, rabies-focused entry scheme managed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (APHIA). What you must prepare depends mainly on whether your dog is coming from a country Taiwan recognises as rabies-free (such as Japan, the United Kingdom, Australia or Singapore) or from a rabies-infected country — which is how most of the world is classified. Every dog needs an ISO microchip, an inactivated rabies vaccination and an import permit applied for in advance. Dogs from rabies-infected countries also need a rabies antibody test and, in most cases, a post-arrival quarantine at a designated facility. This guide explains each path so you know exactly what to prepare before you book your flight.
📋 At a glance
| Dogs allowed | Yes (some breeds banned) |
| Microchip | Required |
| Rabies vaccination | Required (inactivated vaccine) |
| Rabies antibody test | Required from rabies-infected countries |
| Import permit | Required in advance |
| Veterinary certificate | Required (official export certificate) |
| Quarantine | Required — min 7 days from rabies-infected countries |
⏱️ 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 Taiwan
🧭 How your dog's entry requirements are decided
The exact documents depend on three things — Taiwan (your destination) is only the first.
- 1 Country of destination — Taiwan★★★★★
Taiwan applies its own APHIA scheme: an ISO microchip, an inactivated rabies vaccination and an advance import permit are always required, and modified-live rabies vaccines are never accepted.
- 2 Country of departure★★★★★
Whether your dog leaves from a country Taiwan recognises as rabies-free or from a rabies-infected country decides whether a rabies antibody test and a post-arrival quarantine are required.
- 3 Countries your dog recently stayed in★★★★☆
A stay in or transit through a rabies-infected country can cancel the rabies-free treatment 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 Taiwan's framework, then confirm your dog's exact origin and history with your vet and the APHIA branch office at your port of entry.
✅ Entry requirements
| Requirement | Required? | When | Exceptions | Official reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO microchip | Required | Must be implanted and readable before the rabies vaccination and blood test. | Ensure the microchip can be scanned and is functional on arrival. | APHIA — Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Dogs and Cats |
| Rabies vaccination | Required | Inactivated (killed) vaccine only, given 30 days to 1 year before entry; dog at least 90 days old at vaccination. | Modified-live (MLV) rabies vaccines are not accepted, even those approved by the USDA. | APHIA — Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Dogs and Cats |
| Rabies antibody test | Conditional | Rabies-infected origins only: tested at a WOAH reference or APHIA-designated lab, result ≥0.5 IU/ml, blood sampled at least 90 days before entry (180 days to 1 year to qualify for a quarantine waiver). | Not required from countries/zones Taiwan recognises as rabies-free (Japan, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Estonia, Czech Republic, plus Hawaii and Guam). Blood cannot be sampled in Taiwan. | APHIA — Quarantine Requirements; FAQ (2026-03-10) |
| Import permit | Required | Apply online at least 20 days before entry (at least 120 days if seeking a quarantine waiver); the permit is free. | Arriving without an import permit means the dog is re-exported or destroyed. | APHIA — Online Application System for Dog/Cat Import Permit |
| Veterinary (health) certificate | Required | Original certificate from the exporting country's government veterinary authority: APHIA Form 001 (rabies-free) or Form 002 (rabies-infected), in Chinese or English. | Without the original certificate the dog is re-exported or destroyed. | APHIA Form 001 / Form 002 — Veterinary Certificate for the Export of Dogs/Cats to Taiwan |
| Post-entry quarantine | Required (rabies-infected origins) | Minimum 7 days at a designated quarantine facility; the space is reserved when the import permit is issued. | Waivable under strict conditions (early antibody test + advance filing, or direct lab reporting); not required from rabies-free countries. | APHIA — Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Dogs and Cats |
| Advance quarantine reservation | Included in the permit | No separate booking — issuance of the import permit confirms the reserved quarantine space; check availability in the online system. | Any change of date or port of entry must be applied for at least 10 days ahead. | APHIA — FAQ, Quarantine Requirements (2026-03-10) |
| Minimum age / puppies | At least 90 days | Dog must be at least 90 days old to be shipped and at vaccination; in practice older because of the waiting periods. | Puppies under 90 days cannot be vaccinated, so cannot be imported. | APHIA — Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Dogs and Cats |
| Prohibited breeds | Import banned | American Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull and American Staffordshire Terrier cannot be imported or bred. | Ban effective 1 March 2022 (Ministry of Agriculture). | Ministry of Agriculture — Announcement GL000084 |
🌍 Rules according to your dog's origin
From a rabies-free country or zone
If your dog comes from a country/zone Taiwan recognises as rabies-free (Japan, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Sweden, Iceland, Norway excluding Svalbard, Estonia, Czech Republic, and Hawaii and Guam), it needs an ISO microchip, an inactivated rabies vaccination and an advance import permit. The dog must also have been kept in that rabies-free country continuously for at least 180 days (or since birth if under 180 days old). No antibody test and no quarantine are required.
From a rabies-infected country — standard (7-day quarantine)
Most of the world is classified as rabies-infected. Your dog needs a microchip, an inactivated rabies vaccination, an advance import permit and a rabies antibody test (≥0.5 IU/ml) at a WOAH reference or APHIA-designated laboratory, with blood drawn at least 90 days before entry. On arrival the dog undergoes a minimum 7-day quarantine at a designated facility, with the space reserved through the permit.
From a rabies-infected country — quarantine waiver
The 7-day quarantine can be waived only if the antibody-test blood was drawn 180 days to 1 year before entry and either the permit is filed at least 120 days ahead, or the testing laboratory / exporting authority sends the report directly to APHIA. A dog re-entering within 1 year of a passed pre-export Taiwan test is also exempt. All other conditions (microchip, inactivated vaccine, import permit, official certificate) still apply.
🛬 Arrival
What happens when your dog reaches Taiwan depends on its origin and on the documents you present at the port of entry.
- Apply for the import permit online (pet-epermit.aphia.gov.tw) at least 20 days before travel — 120 days if you want to waive the quarantine.
- On arrival, submit the original export veterinary certificate, a copy of the import permit, and the airway bill (cargo) or customs declaration (accompanied) at the animal quarantine counter.
- Dogs from rabies-infected countries are transported to a designated quarantine facility (e.g. near Taoyuan or Kaohsiung) for a minimum 7-day quarantine; the owner pays transport and quarantine costs.
- A computer processing fee (NTD 100) and other fees are payable in cash in New Taiwan Dollars on arrival.
- A dog arriving without an import permit, or without the original export veterinary certificate, is re-exported or destroyed at the owner's expense.
- Prohibited breeds (American Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull, American Staffordshire Terrier) are refused import.
🧳 Real traveller experience
No reliable documented traveller feedback available.
🚫 Restricted dogs
Taiwan does not operate a graded dangerous-dog category system like some European countries; instead the Ministry of Agriculture bans specific pit-bull-type breeds from import and breeding.
Prohibited breeds: the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull and American Staffordshire Terrier cannot be imported into or bred in Taiwan. The ban has applied since 1 March 2022 under a Ministry of Agriculture announcement (formerly Council of Agriculture).
No other dog breeds are banned from import for entry-quarantine purposes. Ownership of a controlled dog within Taiwan may carry separate local muzzle-and-leash rules, which are outside the import scheme.
Bengal (leopard) cats have separate hybrid-generation rules, but these do not affect dogs. Confirm your dog's breed status with the APHIA branch office at your intended port of entry before booking.
✈️ National airlines
Carriers registered in this country that accept dogs — see each airline's MyDogCanFly fiche.
🛂 Airports in Taiwan
Check where your dog can relieve itself at each airport — and whether it's before or after security.
🧾 Preparation checklist
- ☐Microchip (ISO) implanted and readable before vaccination and testing
- ☐Inactivated rabies vaccination (dog ≥90 days old, 30 days to 1 year before entry)
- ☐Rabies antibody test ≥0.5 IU/ml at a WOAH/APHIA lab — rabies-infected countries only
- ☐Import permit applied for online (≥20 days ahead; ≥120 days for a quarantine waiver)
- ☐Original export veterinary certificate (APHIA Form 001 or 002)
- ☐Quarantine space confirmed through the permit (rabies-infected origins)
- ☐Airline reservation confirming your dog's travel option and IATA crate
- ☐Confirm your dog is not a prohibited pit-bull-type breed
📚 Official sources
- APHIA — Quarantine for Dogs & Cats (forms and requirements)
- APHIA — FAQ, Quarantine Requirements for the Importation of Dogs and Cats (2026-03-10)
- APHIA Kaohsiung Branch — Importation of Dogs or Cats into Taiwan FAQ
- APHIA — Online Application System for Dog/Cat Import Permit
- Ministry of Agriculture — Prohibited pit-bull-type breeds (Announcement GL000084)
- APHIA — Animal and Plant Health Inspection Agency (English home)