🇳🇿Country requirements

New Zealand pet travel requirements

New Zealand accepts cats and dogs only from MPI-approved category 1, 2 or 3 countries or regions. The 2026 standard has applied since 1 July 2026, but a complete 2021-standard route remains available for arrivals before 1 April 2027; choose the whole applicable route with the exporting authority. From 1 April 2027 all arrivals must meet the 2026 standard. Ordinary category-1 air arrivals can clear at the border; categories 2 and 3 need an import permit and normally at least 10 days in approved quarantine. Category 3 also requires rabies vaccination and a passing antibody test. Identification, test and treatment windows differ between the two standards. Rabbits are accepted only from Australia; ferrets cannot be imported.

Latest check recorded: Nov 12, 2026Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand By the CollarPass team

Pet

Browse destination requirements by pet. Conditions can differ by origin, travel history and entry option.

Pet travel at a glance — free

Start with the destination's requirements for this pet. Documents and preparation vary by origin and other conditions; read the full guidance and any unverified details below.

Documents to check

Official forms and document links

Preparation lead times

The current 2021-route vaccination must be within twelve months before shipment
Primary vaccination or restarted cover must precede shipment by at least six calendar months
2021 RNATT sample: three to twenty-four calendar months before shipment

Full preparation requirements

Which pets can enter

Dog: Some requirements need confirmation
Cat: Some requirements need confirmation
Rabbit: Depends on the conditions below
Ferret: Not permitted as a pet

Read species and route restrictions

Vaccination requirements

Read the official guidance

Details to confirm with the authority

These information gaps concern specific cases. Read their conditions and linked official sources before relying on them.

The 2026 requirements are included, but this planner does not collect the complete official identity-scan record, previous New Zealand export/return evidence, residence periods or all dog medical-history facts needed to choose every internal certification route. Babesia test alternatives also depend on age at sampling and the selected series. The authority must check the applicable branch and its dated evidence in the listed steps. The calculated dates do not by themselves prove these history-dependent conditions or a special return exemption.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands / Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

The current 2021 category-1 A/B models expressly name Australia including Norfolk Island; they do not name Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Cocos is explicitly covered by the separate 2026 category-1 model. Do not infer an accepted 2021 Cocos certificate from the new category list; obtain MPI/exporting-authority confirmation or choose the fully verified 2026 route.

Dogs / Cats · Departure countries/regions: CC · Arriving before Apr 1, 2027 · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

The complete currently linked 2021 category models are verified, including Australian country-disease equivalents, age thresholds and two-day final examination. The planner still does not collect full continuous-residence/return documentation, desexing, every earlier disease result, a selected multi-sample or multi-day treatment course, or proof of a valid sustained heartworm injection. The veterinarian must confirm these alternatives, any special short-return certificate and their dated evidence. Generic blank MPI models do not guarantee that every exporting authority can issue the required national certificate.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands / Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Arriving before Apr 1, 2027 · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

CFIA's current notice says the new New Zealand certificates and documentation are still being negotiated. For arrivals from 1 April 2027, export from Canada may not be possible if agreement is not reached, even if identification and all preparations are completed. CFIA will post the documents only if negotiations succeed. Obtain confirmation that CFIA can issue the accepted certificate before committing to travel; an MPI blank 2026 model is not a Canadian issuance commitment.

Dogs / Cats · Departure countries/regions: CA · Arriving on or after Apr 1, 2027 · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Current US APHIS instructions say updated health certificates for arrivals from 1 April 2027 will be negotiated and posted when available. The currently posted export certificates are for arrivals before that date. Confirm that APHIS can issue the new agreed national certificate before committing to travel; completing the identity-check process or finding an MPI blank 2026 model does not establish US health-certificate availability.

Dogs / Cats · Departure countries/regions: US, PR, VI, MP, US-HI, GU, AS · Arriving on or after Apr 1, 2027 · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: USDA APHIS · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Country groups used by this destination

The current MPI-STD-SAA Schedule 9 lists approved category-1/2/3 origins. Country names and regions are mapped only where the official listing is explicit: the Dutch Caribbean islands have their individual ISO codes; Spanish Balearic and Canary Islands remain within ES. Hawaii is listed in both category 2 and category 3 in the SAA; MPI guidance specifically treats Hawaii as category 2, which is used here. Other origins cannot export directly under the ordinary route. Move to an approved origin and satisfy the applicable residence, identification, vaccination, testing and certification requirements there; the 2026 standard allows qualifying rabies preparation in any categorised country or New Zealand, rather than demanding every act be repeated in the final exporting country. The 2021 transition and 2026 routes must not be mixed.

Documents, tests and permits can vary by country group, travel history and vaccination records. Check each requirement's conditions and the official guidance.

Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Australia, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Norfolk Island

Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins

American Samoa, Bahrain, Barbados, Christmas Island, Cook Islands, Falkland Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn Islands, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis & Futuna, Samoa

Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins

Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Bahamas, Belgium, Bermuda, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Guernsey, Jersey, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Aruba, Caribbean Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Isle of Man, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, South Korea, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Réunion, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, U.S. Virgin Islands

Other departure countries: Not categorised: move to a category 1/2/3 country first

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Entering New Zealand

Reference requirements for this pet. Read each item's conditions: different origins, histories and entry options can require different steps. Each item links to its official source and check date.

Before you travel

Customs clearance with NZCS 231 and supporting documents

For a private pet import, complete NZCS 231 and send it with supporting documents to New Zealand Customs or the agent handling clearance, before arrival if possible. Include photo identification, ownership or purchase evidence if available, the Air Waybill or other shipping documents and the veterinary certificates required by MPI. The June 2026 form also asks people moving to New Zealand for the passport bio-page and visa or visa confirmation. Customs clearance and MPI biosecurity clearance are separate; the animal can be collected only when both are completed.

Dogs / Cats / Rabbits

Animals imported for sale, breeding, showing or on behalf of a business require a customs broker rather than this private-owner process. Customs assesses any applicable taxes and levies for the individual circumstances.

NZCS 231: Bring a pet or other animal into New Zealand

Source: New Zealand Customs Service · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Identify the cat or dog by microchip

Use an approved, readable microchip and make sure every record identifies the same animal. Under the 2026 standard ISO 11784/11785 chips or another chip readable by an ISO reader are accepted, but numbers starting 999 are not. The veterinarian reads and records the chip at the examinations, tests, vaccinations and treatments required by the chosen certificate.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands / Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Check pregnancy, residence and disease eligibility

The animal must not be more than 42 days pregnant at shipment (the 2026 rule uses arrival for sea travel). Verify its residence and source-country eligibility with the exporting authority before starting preparation. A prior Babesia gibsoni diagnosis (and, under the 2026 models, Babesia conradae) prevents dog import; the 2026 route also excludes confirmed Leishmania infection and infected entire dogs under its Brucella rules. An infected pet cannot simply be treated and assumed eligible.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands / Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: residence and original New Zealand export evidence

Except for Australia, the animal must have lived in the exporting country for at least the six months immediately before shipment or since birth. A pet imported directly from New Zealand and continuously resident there can use the specific return exemption with its original NZ export evidence and, for a rabies-controlled origin, the pre-departure vaccination/RNATT evidence specified in section 1.1.1(5). Under the 2021 route only domestic cats/dogs and qualifying Bengal cats are eligible; Bengals require five generations of domestic ancestry evidence and other wild hybrids are not eligible under that route.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: category-3 rabies vaccination

Primary vaccination must be given at age at least three calendar months and between six and twelve calendar months before shipment. A booster can be within twelve months before shipment when the preceding cover stayed continuous. Provide both previous and latest records for the booster route, and keep cover current from RNATT sampling through shipment. A continuously valid booster does not restart the six-month primary wait.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

The six-calendar-month wait applies to a primary course or restarted cover, not every booster; the certificate must confirm which case applies.

If continuous-booster evidence is not confirmed, this plan conservatively treats the recorded vaccine as primary or restarted cover and applies the linked six-calendar-month wait. Select continuous-booster status only with the complete evidence; it does not waive the remaining RNATT, age, manufacturer-validity or certification requirements.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: wait six calendar months after primary or restarted rabies vaccination

Primary rabies vaccination or vaccination after a break in continuous cover must be at least six and not more than twelve calendar months before shipment under the 2021 route. This waiting step links the recorded vaccination date to shipment using calendar months. Unless documented continuous-booster cover is confirmed, the planner conservatively treats the current vaccination as primary or restarted and applies this wait. A valid continuous booster uses the separate vaccine-record requirement and does not restart the primary six-month wait.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Not: Documented continuous rabies cover with a booster before the previous vaccination expired · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Only confirm continuous-booster status when the prior and current records show that rabies cover never expired between doses. If this is unknown, the six-month primary/restart assumption is applied conservatively.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: RNATT sample 3–24 months before shipment

A passing rabies antibody sample must be taken between three and twenty-four calendar months before shipment and reach at least 0.5 IU/mL. Use an approved laboratory and the test accepted by the exporting authority and matching 2021 certificate. The 2021 IHS does not impose a universal thirty-day vaccination-to-sample interval in this clause.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: first external parasite treatment

A veterinarian gives the first of two topical tick-and-flea treatments at the manufacturer dose, checks the animal is free from external parasites, and records the product and microchip. This is within thirty days before shipment and at least fourteen days before the second treatment. Use the category certificate: an officially agreed equivalent certificate can vary the ordinary IHS measures.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: second external parasite treatment

The veterinarian gives the second topical tick-and-flea treatment and certifies no external parasites. It must be at least fourteen days after the first and within two days before shipment.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: first internal parasite treatment

Give a registered treatment or combination effective against nematodes and cestodes at the manufacturer dose, within thirty days before shipment and at least fourteen days before the second dose.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: second internal parasite treatment

The second nematode-and-cestode treatment is at least fourteen days after the first and within four days before shipment. This is the 2021 four-day window, not the 2026 five-day window.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: twenty-one-day respiratory health declaration

For at least twenty-one days before shipment the cat or dog must not be kept where cats or dogs show infectious respiratory disease, and must not show such signs itself. The 2021 IHS does not add the 2026 country-specific CIV vaccine/PCR requirement.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 final health examination within two days before shipment

All three currently published 2021 category B certificates require examination within two days before shipment: healthy and fit to travel, free of external parasites and clinical infectious disease. Check the matching category A pregnancy/age and preparation declarations. For an entire dog, examine the external genitalia, including the extruded penis, and certify no visible TVT lesions. Category A permits no more than forty-two days of pregnancy at shipment.

Do not infer one universal certificate-validity or final-exam window for every exporting country from the 2026 standard.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: officially endorsed original certificate and reports

Carry the correct 2021 veterinary certificate, original laboratory reports or official-endorsed copies, permit where required, and dog breed declaration. All identify the chip, are in English or clearly translated, and are endorsed page-by-page by the official veterinarian or have the approved alternative security features. Send document copies to the NZ port veterinarian at least seventy-two hours before import. Use an officially agreed exporting-country model if applicable.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: arrival notice and document copies at least 72 hours ahead

Notify the port and send copies of required documents to its New Zealand official veterinarian at least seventy-two hours before the scheduled arrival. The 2021 IHS uses seventy-two hours; any extra working-day arrangements in the applicable port or certificate must also be confirmed. For exports from Australia, the current Micor cat/dog market pages additionally require at least five working days' notification; that earlier deadline is included here. Working-day calculations exclude weekends only: public holidays and port hours may require earlier action.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Source: Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: MPI import permit for non-Australian origins

Obtain a single-consignment MPI permit for the non-Australian ordinary route before import. Include the identity, exporter/importer, number and description of animals, arrival itinerary and the approved transitional facility. Book quarantine first. Australia normally does not require a permit, but equivalent-measure and sea-travel cases require authority confirmation.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 route: cargo, approved transit and government crate seal

Ordinary air imports travel as cargo in a clean IATA-compliant container, with only animals eligible for Australia or New Zealand on the aircraft/vessel, and transit only in approved countries. The category-2/3 models ordinarily require a government-approved secure door seal, intact on arrival or officially resealed. Current APHIS confirms an agreed exception: cats/dogs from mainland US, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands or Northern Mariana Islands arriving from 1 March 2026 do not need crate seals. Category-2 Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa still require seals under the US procedure. Do not impose the generic seal rule on the confirmed exempt route. Straw/hay are prohibited; bedding/toys/clothes may be destroyed. Assistance and sea arrivals have separate schedules.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

Source: USDA APHIS · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: source-country residence and NZ-origin evidence

The animal must be released from quarantine restrictions before shipment. Category 1 exports directly from a category-1 origin. Category 2 needs residence since birth or direct import from NZ, or at least six calendar months before shipment unless the category-3 rabies requirements are met. NZ-origin animals carry the original NZ veterinary export certificate or Animal Welfare Export Certificate; this evidence is also required for the special return routes. Bengals are eligible; another wild hybrid may be a new organism requiring EPA approval before import, rather than being automatically treated as a domestic pet.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: official category-2 ID scan six months ahead

For a non-NZ-origin category-2 pet at least six months old on shipment, an official veterinarian in the exporting country scans and verifies its microchip at least six calendar months before shipment. The competent authority communicates the check directly to MPI. A NZ-origin animal carrying its original NZ export evidence does not need this pre-export official identification check.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins · Except when all of these apply: (Younger than 6 months on departure) · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

NZ-origin evidence changes this rule; the planner does not yet take that return-origin fact as an input. Confirm the return route before using these ordinary-import dates.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: official category-2 ID for an animal under six months

If under six months on shipment and not of NZ origin, the official veterinarian checks the chip before all required import tests, vaccination and treatment; the authority communicates directly with MPI. There is no six-month-before-shipment scan requirement for this young-animal branch.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins · Younger than 6 months on departure · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: category-3 official ID scan before RNATT

For a non-NZ-origin category-3 animal, an official veterinarian in a categorised country scans before the RNATT sample. A sample six to twelve calendar months before shipment needs that one scan; a sample at least three but less than six months before shipment needs two scans, the first at least six months before shipment and the second before sampling. The authority communicates the checks directly to MPI. A same-day scan before sampling is allowed. NZ-origin animals with original export evidence use the exemption.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Choose the RNATT 6–12-month option or arrange the extra six-month scan for a 3–<6-month sample. The planner does not automatically select between those two official-ID subroutes.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: rabies vaccination from twelve weeks old

A veterinarian vaccinates with an SAA-approved inactivated or recombinant vaccine at age at least twelve weeks, reads and records the microchip, and keeps the vaccination continuously valid through shipment. A primary vaccination or restarted cover is at least six calendar months before shipment; a continuously valid booster does not restart that wait. Duration follows the manufacturer, not a blanket annual expiry.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: wait six calendar months after primary or restarted rabies vaccination

A primary rabies vaccination or vaccination after a break in continuous cover must be given at least six calendar months before shipment under the 2026 route. Unless documented continuous-booster cover is confirmed, the planner conservatively treats the current vaccination as primary or restarted and applies this wait from the recorded vaccination date. A valid continuously covered booster does not restart the six-month primary wait. The authority must separately review any NZ-origin special-return route before relying on its different vaccination/RNATT conditions.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: RNATT sample 3–12 months before shipment

Take an approved FAVN or RFFIT sample in a categorised country or NZ between three and twelve calendar months before shipment; the result is at least 0.5 IU/mL. The vet verifies and records the chip at sampling. Waiting three to four weeks after vaccination is immune-response advice, not a universal mandatory thirty-day interval. Meet the selected one-scan/two-scan official-ID route before sampling. NZ-origin return evidence can support the section 2.1.4 alternative.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: cat external parasite treatment within sixteen days

A veterinarian treats the cat with an SAA-listed product within sixteen days before shipment, with continuous tick/flea protection through shipment according to the manufacturer. It is free of visible external parasites at treatment and the final examination within two days before shipment. Use a cat-safe approved product; dog-only products are not interchangeable.

Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands / Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: first internal parasite treatment

Treat with an SAA-listed product or combination effective against nematodes and cestodes, including Echinococcus, within thirty days before shipment. The second treatment must be at least fourteen days later.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: second internal parasite treatment within five days

Give the second approved internal treatment at least fourteen days after the first and within five days before shipment. This is the 2026 five-day window; the 2021 route uses four days.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: twenty-one-day respiratory declaration

The owner declares that for at least twenty-one days before shipment the animal has not been kept where cats or dogs show infectious respiratory disease, and has shown no such clinical signs itself. This applies to cats and dogs from all approved categories.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: final veterinary examination within two days

A veterinarian examines every cat or dog within two days before the date of shipment: healthy and fit to travel, no visible external parasites, dirt, insects or seeds, and no clinical signs of the specified infectious diseases including rabies. Dogs also have no evidence of recent bites. Entire dogs need the external-genitalia TVT examination (including the extruded penis for males) both before shipment and on NZ arrival. This is a calendar two-day window, not an invented universal forty-eight-hour certificate validity.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: correct category certificate and official endorsement

Obtain the 2026 category-1/2/3 model certificate or accepted negotiated certificate, with official certification of Part 1 and the applicable Part 2 measures. Carry originals or approved secure electronic documents, matching chip identification, English or clear translations, laboratory reports, product and vaccination details, declarations, permit and NZ-origin evidence where applicable. The official vet endorses the pages or approved security features; accepted electronic documents go directly from the authority through an MPI-approved system. The standard does not give every certificate an invented uniform ten- or thirty-day validity. The cat/dog must travel with the required lifetime mainland-Africa declaration and twenty-one-day respiratory declaration; the official certificate records any desexing evidence, breeding declaration and vaccine-dependent testing alternatives.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: permit before arrival and quarantine booking first

Category-2/3 pets, including assistance dogs, require an MPI import permit. Category 2 supplies the signed quarantine booking; category 3 additionally supplies vaccination records, RNATT results and the Category 3 Rabies Certification Form. All categories arriving by sea also need a permit. MPI recommends applying at least eight weeks before the permit is needed and allowing thirty working days after a complete application; eight weeks is advice, not a universal legal deadline.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: category-1 arrival notice five working days ahead

For a category-1 cat or dog, provide the Application for Veterinary Inspection and arrange the MPI arrival inspection at least five working days before scheduled arrival. Assistance dogs also need their special advance arrangements. For sea travel obtain the separate permit and approved-facility holding arrangement.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: cargo, approved arrival airport and crate conditions

Ordinary cats and dogs travel as manifested cargo and land at Auckland or Christchurch; qualifying assistance dogs have a special route. Use a clean IATA-compliant container and eligible accompanying animals. Category-2 crates need a government-approved seal; direct category-1 and category-3 crates do not need that particular seal under the 2026 standard. Transit, sea journeys and assistance-dog clearance need the corresponding official arrangements.

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

An unapproved origin cannot export directly

A cat or dog from an origin absent from the MPI-approved list cannot export directly under the ordinary IHS route. Move it to an approved category-1/2/3 origin and satisfy the chosen complete residence, identification, vaccination, tests and certification route there. Do not book a direct journey from the unapproved origin based on a rough six-month estimate.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Not categorised: move to a category 1/2/3 country first

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: category-2 certificate requires twelve weeks of age

The official 2026 category-2 model certificate requires the cat or dog to be at least twelve weeks old on the date of shipment. The young-animal official ID branch does not waive this certificate requirement. The IHS guidance only gives approximate minimum ages for other categories; this twelve-week requirement is supported directly by category-2 certificate Part 2 clause 1(c).

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: category-1 official model certificate

Use the official 2026 category-1 model linked here, unless MPI and the exporting competent authority accept a country-specific negotiated equivalent. This is an official blank model, not a locally generated substitute; the veterinarian and official authority complete the applicable alternatives and endorse the records.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

2026 model veterinary certificate: category 1

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: category-2 official model certificate

Use the official 2026 category-2 model linked here, unless MPI and the exporting competent authority accept a country-specific negotiated equivalent. This is an official blank model, not a locally generated substitute; the veterinarian and official authority complete the applicable alternatives and endorse the records.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

2026 model veterinary certificate: category 2

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: category-3 official model certificate

Use the official 2026 category-3 model linked here, unless MPI and the exporting competent authority accept a country-specific negotiated equivalent. This is an official blank model, not a locally generated substitute; the veterinarian and official authority complete the applicable alternatives and endorse the records.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2026 standard: required from 1 April 2027

2026 model veterinary certificate: category 3

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2026 route: check whether an NZ-origin return or assistance route applies

An NZ-origin animal with original NZ export evidence may qualify for different ID and rabies rules. An NZ-origin trip overseas for thirty days or less has the separate official short-stay model: prior-NZ-departure external treatment and continuous protection, a return external treatment within sixteen days unless the original dose already meets it, one internal treatment within five days, and the specific dog disease return clauses. Qualifying assistance dogs have separate permit and border-inspection arrangements. These alternatives require evidence and authority confirmation; ordinary-import dates in this plan must be reviewed before being used for such a return.

2026 model veterinary certificate: NZ-origin short stay

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 Australia/Norfolk: government country-freedom assurance

Certificate B is completed by the Australian official veterinarian. It certifies no Australian cases of canine brucellosis or rabies diagnosed in the preceding twelve months and, to the official's knowledge, no reported Leptospira interrogans serovar canicola in that period. The currently accepted category-1 A/B model has no individual Brucella or leptospira test/treatment block; do not copy the category-2/3 individual tests into this route. This does not waive the other dog tests in Certificate A.

Dogs / Cats · Departure countries/regions: AU, NF · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 category 1: strictly older than eight weeks at shipment

The current category-1 Certificate A says the animal must be more than eight weeks old at shipment. This eligibility milestone places the age threshold at least one calendar day before departure, so equality at the threshold is not accepted by the day-based plan. Supply the date of birth; an estimated plan without it cannot establish eligibility.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands · Departure countries/regions: AU, NF · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 category 1: arrange both complete certificates A and B

Use both category-matched certificates A and B, completed by the authorised preparing and government veterinarians as specified in the model. Each page and linked laboratory report must be officially signed/stamped or secured by an MPI-approved alternative. These are current blank official models, not proof that every origin can issue a negotiated national certificate. Confirm the exporting authority's accepted version; do not mix these 2021 parts with 2026 requirements.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands · Departure countries/regions: AU, NF · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

2021 model veterinary certificate A: category 1 2021 model veterinary certificate B: category 1

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 category 2: strictly older than twelve weeks at shipment

The current category-2 Certificate A says the animal must be more than twelve weeks old at shipment. This eligibility milestone places the age threshold at least one calendar day before departure, so equality at the threshold is not accepted by the day-based plan. Supply the date of birth; an estimated plan without it cannot establish eligibility.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 category 2: arrange both complete certificates A and B

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

2021 model veterinary certificate A: category 2 2021 model veterinary certificate B: category 2

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 category 3: strictly older than nine calendar months at shipment

The current category-3 Certificate A says the animal must be more than nine calendar months old at shipment. This eligibility milestone places the age threshold at least one calendar day before departure, so equality at the threshold is not accepted by the day-based plan. Supply the date of birth; an estimated plan without it cannot establish eligibility.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

2021 category 3: arrange both complete certificates A and B

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins · Entry pathway: 2021 standard: arrival before 1 April 2027

2021 model veterinary certificate A: category 3 2021 model veterinary certificate B: category 3

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

On arrival

Book approved quarantine and complete at least 10 days

For an ordinary category-2/3 pet, book an MPI-approved transitional facility before the permit application. It travels directly to the facility named on the permit and remains for at least 10 days and until all clearance conditions are met. The 2026 route includes an MPI examination within 72 hours of entering the facility and a completion examination. Release timing can extend the stay beyond 10 days; qualifying assistance dogs have a separate approval route.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 2: MPI-approved rabies-free origins / Category 3: MPI-approved rabies absent or controlled origins

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

MPI arrival inspection for a category-1 air import

A compliant category-1 pet arriving by air is inspected and its documents verified before biosecurity release. Arrange a working-day inspection. Non-compliance or unavailable inspection can require holding in an approved facility; sea arrivals have different permit and holding rules.

Dogs / Cats · Origin group: Category 1: Australia, Norfolk and Cocos (Keeling) Islands

Source: Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand · Checked Nov 12, 2026

How many pets can you bring?

Caps recorded for New Zealand can depend on the species, origin and entry conditions. Your airline can set a lower limit.

No pet cap recorded

We have not recorded a per-person or per-entry pet cap for New Zealand. Check the official sources before booking.

Official forms and documents

Links go to the issuing authority. We do not sell, fill in or issue official documents.

Open the official page to download or complete the form. Requirements can change; confirm with the authority before you travel.

Official sources

Every rule above is checked against these pages. Dates show our last check, not the page's own update.

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: Cats and Dogs 2026 Import Health Standard

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: Specified Approvals for Animal Import Health Standards (MPI-STD-SAA)

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: Bringing pets to NZ other than cats and dogs

Checked Oct 26, 2026

USDA APHIS: Pet travel from the US to New Zealand

Checked Nov 12, 2026

New Zealand Customs Service: Bringing pets and animals into New Zealand

Checked Nov 12, 2026

New Zealand Customs Service: NZCS 231: Bring a pet or other animal into New Zealand (June 2026)

Checked Nov 12, 2026

New Zealand Customs Service: Exempting Statutory Declaration by or on behalf of importer of dog (Dog Control Act 1996 section 30A)

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: Bringing cats and dogs to NZ: current standard and implementation timeframe

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: MPI: 2021 import health standard transitional process

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: Cats and Dogs Import Health Standard (7 April 2021): transitional route

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2026 model veterinary certificate: category 1

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2026 model veterinary certificate: category 2

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2026 model veterinary certificate: category 3

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2026 model veterinary certificate: NZ-origin short stay

Checked Nov 12, 2026

New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries: Bringing pets to NZ other than cats and dogs - current rabbit guide

Checked Nov 12, 2026

New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries: Domestic rabbits from Australia - RABDOMIC.AUS with CTO 2016 065 direction

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: Forms and templates for bringing pets to NZ: current 2021 and 2026 certificate catalogues

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2021 category 1 model veterinary certificate A: currently linked transitional model

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2021 category 1 model veterinary certificate B: currently linked transitional model

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2021 category 2 model veterinary certificate A: currently linked transitional model

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2021 category 2 model veterinary certificate B: currently linked transitional model

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2021 category 3 model veterinary certificate A: currently linked transitional model

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), New Zealand: 2021 category 3 model veterinary certificate B: currently linked transitional model

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF): Micor: New Zealand cats import conditions and certification

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF): Micor: New Zealand dogs import conditions and certification

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): CFIA export of dogs and cats to New Zealand: 2027 certificate negotiations

Checked Nov 12, 2026

Recent rule changes

Sourced entries that affect this country.

Nov 2, 2026

Second data batch: entry rules for Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and the six EU countries Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands (the EU six extend the shared EU base); US and China exit coverage for these routes; new airlines Condor, Aer Lingus, ITA Airways, Iberia, TAP, Virgin Australia and Air New Zealand; and new/updated transit files for Munich, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Lisbon, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland.

All rule updates

Nov 12, 2026

Expanded destination-specific pet requirements, including origin-country branches, young-animal exemptions, official documents and entry options. Known unverified details remain clearly marked; free country summaries and personal trip reports use the same rules.

All rule updates

Nov 12, 2026

Checked current Australian group-specific and returning-pet guides, the live New Zealand rabbit-to-Australia case, and New Zealand 2021/2026 transition and certificate models. Added species-specific preparation, reciprocal rabbit procedures and explicit entry options; corrected calendar-month and laboratory-receipt waits and CDC domestic-journey handling. Known source conflicts and history-dependent checks remain marked. Also checked Australian dog/cat export procedures for New Zealand and the Canadian US-bound cat/ferret endorsement exemption; unverified export species remain explicit gaps.

All rule updates

Nov 12, 2026

Personal reports now focus on dogs and cats; other pets keep free checked summaries and official links. Updated current China and Korea source branches, European country lists and Italian guidance; represented Japan's Kyrgyzstan suspension without incorrectly keeping Uzbekistan suspended. Vaccination expiry uses the actual certificate where required, with documented continuous-booster exemptions and explicit remaining evidence gaps.

All rule updates

Pet travel at a glance — free

Documents to check

Preparation lead times

Which pets can enter

Vaccination requirements

Details to confirm with the authority

Country groups used by this destination

Entering New Zealand

Before you travel

Customs clearance with NZCS 231 and supporting documents

Identify the cat or dog by microchip

Check pregnancy, residence and disease eligibility

2021 route: residence and original New Zealand export evidence

2021 route: category-3 rabies vaccination

2021 route: wait six calendar months after primary or restarted rabies vaccination

2021 route: RNATT sample 3–24 months before shipment

2021 route: first external parasite treatment

2021 route: second external parasite treatment

2021 route: first internal parasite treatment

2021 route: second internal parasite treatment

2021 route: twenty-one-day respiratory health declaration

2021 final health examination within two days before shipment

2021 route: officially endorsed original certificate and reports

2021 route: arrival notice and document copies at least 72 hours ahead

2021 route: MPI import permit for non-Australian origins

2021 route: cargo, approved transit and government crate seal

2026 route: source-country residence and NZ-origin evidence

2026 route: official category-2 ID scan six months ahead

2026 route: official category-2 ID for an animal under six months

2026 route: category-3 official ID scan before RNATT

2026 route: rabies vaccination from twelve weeks old

2026 route: wait six calendar months after primary or restarted rabies vaccination

2026 route: RNATT sample 3–12 months before shipment

2026 route: cat external parasite treatment within sixteen days

2026 route: first internal parasite treatment

2026 route: second internal parasite treatment within five days

2026 route: twenty-one-day respiratory declaration

2026 route: final veterinary examination within two days

2026 route: correct category certificate and official endorsement

2026 route: permit before arrival and quarantine booking first

2026 route: category-1 arrival notice five working days ahead

2026 route: cargo, approved arrival airport and crate conditions

An unapproved origin cannot export directly

2026 route: category-2 certificate requires twelve weeks of age

2026 route: category-1 official model certificate

2026 route: category-2 official model certificate

2026 route: category-3 official model certificate

2026 route: check whether an NZ-origin return or assistance route applies

2021 Australia/Norfolk: government country-freedom assurance

2021 category 1: strictly older than eight weeks at shipment

2021 category 1: arrange both complete certificates A and B

2021 category 2: strictly older than twelve weeks at shipment

2021 category 2: arrange both complete certificates A and B

2021 category 3: strictly older than nine calendar months at shipment

2021 category 3: arrange both complete certificates A and B

On arrival

Book approved quarantine and complete at least 10 days

MPI arrival inspection for a category-1 air import

How many pets can you bring?

Official forms and documents

Official sources

Understand the paperwork and plan your next step

Recent rule changes

Get every step on a calendar