The post-Brexit travel rules for trips between Italy and the UK

Since Brexit, changes to European Pet Passport access mean a different process for many dogs, cats and ferrets travelling between Italy and the UK.

Since the end of the Brexit transition period at the start of 2021, the UK has no longer been part of the EU-created Pet Passport scheme.

And new EES border checks that should be operative at all Italian airports by April 10th, 2026 mean the rules may be strictly enforced than they have been in the past.

Here’s what this means if you are travelling with a dog, cat or a ferret.

You live in Italy

If you live in Italy and your pet’s passport was issued by your vet in Italy, then nothing changed with Brexit.

You can continue to use the Italian-issued passport on trips to the UK and to countries within the EU.

If you’ve relocated to Italy and only have a UK-issued Pet Passport, you need to get your Italian vet to issue you a new one.

In order for this to happen, your pet must be registered with your regional anagrafe degli animali d’affezione or pet registry (this is a legal requirement for dogs even if you don’t plan on travelling).

You live in the UK

For people who live in the UK, however, Brexit brought big changes.

The EU says: “From January 1st 2021, EU pet passports issued to a pet owner resident in Great Britain are no longer valid for travel with pets from Great Britain to an EU country or Northern Ireland.”

However, the UK was granted ‘listed’ status by the EU, which means things are not as complicated as they might have been.

Instead of a Pet Passport, dogs, cats and ferrets need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) – the big difference between this and the passport is that the AHC is only valid for one trip, so you will need a new certificate in advance of each trip to Italy.

Vets in the UK have been issuing AHCs since December 2020. To get one you need:

Proof of your pet’s microchipping history

Your pet’s vaccination record

A certificate for a rabies vaccination that was carried out at least 21 days before the date of travel

The cost of a certificate tends to start at around £100 but can rise to over £200 depending on which provider you use. A single certificate can cover up to five animals.

Once you have the certificate, it is valid for entry to the EU for just 10 days – so your appointment needs to be close to your date of travel. The certificate can only be used for one entry to the EU.

Once you are in Italy, the certificate is valid for onward travel to other countries within the EU for four months and for re-entry to the UK for four months. If you intend to stay longer than four months in Italy, you will need to get a new certificate in order to re-enter the UK.

The rules state that arrivals from a non-EU country should also have a written declaration that their pet’s relocation is for non-commercial reasons, although this can be in the form of a simple letter.

Second-home owners

The situation for second-home owners is less clear-cut.

Anecdotally, pet owners report that some Italian vets and local health authority (ASL) offices have been happy to issue certificates with only proof of an address in Italy (e.g. a utility bill).

Official EU rules say that the EU Pet Passport is “only issued to pet owners who are resident in the EU”, though they doesn’t say what counts as being resident.

UK pets’ owners will normally require a visa if they want to stay in Italy for more than three months at a time (unless they have dual nationality with an EU country) – find full details on the rules on this HERE.

Border control changes

The Pet Passport rules have been in place since the end of the Brexit transition period in 2021, and nothing has changed since then.

However, tighter border control rules for humans mean that it’s more important than ever that the animals and the humans in the group have matching statuses.

The EU’s new EES passport controls – being introduced gradually at the UK-Italy border in 2026 – mean that stays in Italy are automatically tracked for non-residents.

It is therefore clear at the border whether you are an Italy resident, and how long you have been in Italy. As a result, non-residents arriving with a pet that has an EU Pet Passport are more likely to be flagged.

The post-Brexit travel rules for trips between Italy and the UK

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