France
Germany
Moving with a dog or cat between France and Germany
The veterinary paperwork between France and Germany is the standard EU set: microchip, rabies vaccination and EU pet passport. What catches people out is German dog law: four breeds are barred from entering at federal level, including from France, each Land keeps its own lists, and settling in comes with a municipal dog tax and, in some Länder, a register and compulsory insurance.
Updated · official sources at the bottom of the page
At a glance
| Item | France → Germany | Germany → France |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Movement between two EU Member States | Movement between two EU Member States |
| Document | EU pet passport | EU pet passport issued in Germany |
| Rabies titre test | No | No |
| Minimum age | About 15 weeks (no exemption for young animals) | About 15 weeks (no exemption for young animals) |
| Watch out for | Pit Bull, American Staffordshire, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier and their crosses banned under federal law; Länder lists | Category 1 dogs banned, even in transit; keeping permit for category 2 |
| After arrival | Register for the municipal dog tax (Hundesteuer); register and insurance depending on the Land | I-CAD registration within 7 days for stays of 3 months or more |
Germany → France
Bringing a pet from Germany to France
A dog, cat or ferret living in Germany enters France on its EU pet passport, issued in the country where its owner lives. There is no titre test, no health certificate and no designated point of entry: what matters is the microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and a correctly completed passport signed by the owner.
The general non-commercial rules apply: at most five pets, travelling with their owner or with a person the owner has authorised in writing, within five days before or after the owner.
A dog kept legally in Germany can still be banned in France. The two countries do not classify the same dogs. A dog of American Staffordshire Terrier or Mastiff (Boerboel) type without registration in a recognised pedigree book is a category 1 dog in France: it cannot enter, not even in transit, even if the Land authorised it in Germany. With a recognised pedigree, an American Staffordshire Terrier is category 2, like the Rottweiler: it can enter, but keeping it in France requires a permit from the town hall. See bringing a dog to France.
A pet settling in France for three months or more must be registered in the national I-CAD database within 7 days of arrival, by a vet who copies the passport details. The German microchip is kept as long as an ISO reader can read it.
France → Germany
Moving to Germany with a dog or cat
Germany's Federal Ministry of Agriculture (BMLEH) sums up the conditions for a pet coming from another Member State: a microchip, a valid EU pet passport, a valid rabies vaccination, and no more than five animals per vehicle. No tapeworm treatment is needed for Germany. For a cat, that is about it. For a dog, the next questions are its breed and the Land you are moving to.
Four breeds banned by federal law, including from France
The federal act restricting the movement and import of dangerous dogs (HundVerbrEinfG) expressly covers dogs brought in "from another Member State of the European Union", so it applies to a dog arriving from France. The following may not be brought into Germany:
- Pit Bull Terriers;
- American Staffordshire Terriers;
- Staffordshire Bull Terriers;
- Bull Terriers;
- and crosses of these breeds.
On top of that, breeds listed by the Land where the dog is to be kept cannot be brought into that Land. Breaking the ban carries up to two years' imprisonment.
The implementing ordinance (HundVerbrEinfVO) allows a few exceptions: service dogs, guide and assistance dogs, rescue dogs, dogs returning to the place where they are lawfully kept and, most relevant here, dogs accompanying a visitor who does not live in Germany, for up to four weeks. The visitor must carry:
- the dog's official identity documents or confirmation of its microchip;
- an official certificate that the dog "has not so far come to notice as dangerous";
- proof that the stay is temporary;
- an officially certified German translation of any document in another language.
None of these exceptions covers a house move: a Staffordshire Bull Terrier or Bull Terrier living in France cannot follow its family to a new home in Germany. This is the main trap on the route, because neither breed is classified in France.
Länder lists
Each Land keeps its own lists of dogs presumed dangerous, with different consequences: a ban, a keeping permit or a temperament test. German customs publish an overview dated March 2019. It names, for example, the Bandog and Tosa Inu in Bavaria (plus a presumption list that includes the Cane Corso and Rottweiler), the American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Kangal, Caucasian Shepherd and Rottweiler in Hesse, and the Kangal and Rottweiler in Hamburg. These lists are not an absolute import ban: the authority that issues the keeping permit can grant one. Because the overview is several years old, we check the list in force in your Land and municipality.
After arrival: tax, register, insurance
German dog law is made by the Länder and municipalities. Two examples read on official sites:
- Berlin: a central dog register (Hunderegister), a general leash rule unless the keeper holds a certificate of competence (Sachkunde), and dog liability insurance of at least €1 million per claim, tourists included.
- Lower Saxony: a certificate of competence for first-time owners, entry in the central register, and insurance cover of at least €500,000 for personal injury and €250,000 for property damage. For a dog on holiday, Lower Saxony asks for a microchip and liability insurance, but no certificate of competence.
Dogs are also subject to the dog tax (Hundesteuer), set by the municipality and due from the start: register within two weeks in Munich, within one month in Berlin.
Identification and vaccination
In both directions, the pet must be identified with an ISO-standard microchip (or a clearly readable tattoo applied before 3 July 2011) and then vaccinated against rabies. Microchip first, vaccine afterwards (or on the same day). The primary vaccination must be at least 21 days old on the day of travel; a booster given before the previous vaccine expired is valid immediately.
Puppies and kittens: neither France nor Germany accepts young unvaccinated animals. The rabies vaccine can be given from 12 weeks, plus the 21-day wait, so a pet cannot cross the border before about 15 weeks of age, in either direction.
Documents to prepare
- From France: the EU pet passport, signed by the owner, with a valid rabies vaccination. Passports issued before 22 April 2026 remain valid: the BMLEH says an old passport need not be replaced as long as rabies protection is uninterrupted. The new model is only compulsory for passports issued from 1 January 2028.
- A visit of under four weeks with a banned breed: the documents for the visitor exception, with their certified German translation.
- From Germany: the EU pet passport issued in Germany. For a category 2 dog, its registration papers from a recognised pedigree book (except for the Rottweiler type) for the keeping permit. For a dog that resembles a classified breed without being one, a detailed vet statement.
- Authorised person: if the pet is not travelling with its owner, the owner's signed written authorisation.
Rabies antibody titre test
Not required in either direction: between two EU Member States, the microchip, vaccination and passport are enough. A titre test only comes in if the pet spent time in an unlisted non-EU country before coming to France; that country of origin then sets the rules. See bringing a pet into France.
Typical timeline
-
Check the breed, the Land and the municipality as soon as the destination is known
Federal list, Land list, any permit needed; for a move to France, the dog's category and pedigree.
-
Microchip and rabies vaccine at least 21 days before departure
Nothing to repeat if the vaccination is up to date and recorded in the passport.
-
Dog liability insurance before arrival
Compulsory in Berlin and Lower Saxony, holiday stays included.
-
Travel
At most five pets per vehicle, with the owner or an authorised person.
-
After arrival 2 weeks (Munich) · 1 month (Berlin) · 7 days (France)
Dog tax registration and register entry in Germany; I-CAD registration in France for stays of three months or more.
Ways to travel
Driving remains the simplest option: the pet travels in the family car, up to five animals. The federal ban applies on the road too, though: a dog of a banned breed crossing Germany must fall under one of the exceptions.
Rail is a real alternative for a small pet. Conditions published by the operators as of 19 October 2026:
| Operator | Small pet | Larger dog |
|---|---|---|
| Eurostar (France ⇄ Germany) | Under 6 kg, in a carrier of up to 45 × 30 × 25 cm: free | €30 "dog" fare from the train manager; leashed and muzzled; dangerous dogs refused |
| TGV INOUI (SNCF) | In a bag of up to 45 × 30 × 25 cm: from €10 per train | Leashed and muzzled: from €10 per train |
| Deutsche Bahn (as summarised by SNCF Connect) | In a container under the seat (up to cat size): free | Leashed and muzzled, with a paid ticket |
For flights, each airline sets its own conditions (cabin weight, crate, fee, minimum age): we check them for your flight at booking time.
Border crossings, airports and checks
Between two EU Member States, a pet does not have to use a designated point of entry: any road crossing or airport will do. Documents and microchip can still be checked, so keep the passport to hand. The German federal ban applies wherever you cross. In the other direction, the French ban on category 1 dogs also covers a dog that is only passing through France, for example on the way to Spain.
What affects the cost
Cost depends on what is left to do at the vet, how the pet travels (your own car, the train, or transport arranged through a partner, subject to availability) and any steps specific to your dog. In Germany, several official charges set by municipalities and Länder come on top (amounts checked on 19 October 2026):
- Dog tax: in Berlin, €120 a year for the first dog and €180 for each further dog; in Munich, €100 a year per dog (€800 for a dog classed as dangerous), rising to €144 (€1,200) from 2027.
- Berlin dog register: €17.50 per dog online, €26.50 in writing or by phone.
- Liability insurance: the premium depends on the insurer; the Land only sets the minimum cover.
- Certified translations for the visitor exception, where needed.
Back in France, the I-CAD registration fee is set by the body that runs it. Our quote lists each item separately.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a Staffordshire Bull Terrier is fine because France does not classify it: German federal law bars it from entering, along with the Bull Terrier.
- Going on holiday with a banned breed without the exception documents, especially the certified German translation.
- Arriving in Berlin or Lower Saxony without dog liability insurance.
- Forgetting to register for the dog tax with the municipality after moving.
- Moving to France with an American Staffordshire-type dog without a recognised pedigree: legal in Germany with a permit, category 1 in France.
- Travelling with a puppy under 15 weeks: neither country allows an exemption.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take my Staffordshire Bull Terrier on holiday to Germany?
Yes, for up to four weeks, if you do not live in Germany and carry the required documents: the dog's identification, an official certificate that it has not come to notice as dangerous, proof that the stay is temporary and a certified German translation. The rules of the Land you visit (leash, muzzle, insurance) apply on top. The official certificate still has to be obtained in France: we check for your case which authority can issue it.
Can we move to Germany with a Bull Terrier?
The exceptions in the federal rules do not cover a house move. Talk to us before committing to a home or a date: this is the first thing we check for a dog of these breeds.
Does my dog need tapeworm treatment for Germany?
No. That treatment only applies to dogs going to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway.
Does my cat's EU passport need replacing with the new model?
No. Passports issued before 22 April 2026 remain valid as long as the rabies vaccination is kept up without a gap. The new model only applies to passports issued from 1 January 2028.
Do the German tax and registers apply to my cat?
The dog tax, registers and insurance described here concern dogs. For a cat, a microchip, the EU passport and a valid rabies vaccination are enough to enter Germany.
Would you rather have help?
On this route, we can take care of:
- Checking your dog's breed against federal law, the Land's list and the French rules
- Preparing the visitor-exception documents and arranging their translation
- Planning vet appointments and the moving timeline
- Reminding you of the steps after arrival (dog tax, register, insurance, I-CAD)
Some services (road transport, arrival assistance) go through partners and depend on availability: every quote states who does what.
Official sources
The rules above come from the texts and pages of these authorities. Last checked: .
- Règlement délégué (UE) 2026/131 — mouvements non commerciaux d’animaux de compagnie (art. 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11)
- Commission européenne — Jeunes animaux : position de chaque État
- BMLEH — Reisen mit Hunden, Katzen, Frettchen (24 juillet 2026)
- BMLEH — EU-Heimtierausweis
- Hundeverbringungs- und -einfuhrbeschränkungsgesetz (HundVerbrEinfG), §§ 1, 2, 5
- Hundeverbringungs- und -einfuhrbeschränkungsverordnung (HundVerbrEinfVO), §§ 2, 3
- Zoll — Regelungen der Bundesländer zu gefährlichen Hunden (état mars 2019)
- Berlin — Hunderegister
- Berlin — Hundesteuer (FAQ de l’administration des finances)
- Ville de Munich — Hundesteuer
- LAVES Niedersachsen — FAQ zum NHundG (avril 2026)
- Eurostar — Voyager avec votre animal
- SNCF Connect — Voyager avec un animal
- Ministère de l’Agriculture — Les chiens de catégorie 1 et 2 et les chiens dangereux
- Arrêté du 9 novembre 2023 relatif à l’identification des chiens, chats et furets (art. 15)
Rules change. Before anything is booked, we reconfirm every requirement with the authorities, the airline and the vet for your pet and your itinerary.
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More destinations: Europe
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Planning a move between France and Germany?
Tell us your dog's or cat's breed, the Land and city you're moving to and the date you have in mind: we check the rules that apply and send you an itemised quote.