Rules for travelling with animals to Portugal will change

Rules for travelling with animals to Portugal will change

From 22 April 2026, new European Union rules on the movement of pets will come into effect, replacing the system in place since 2013.

According to the new Delegated Regulation of the European Commission, although the basic requirements — such as microchipping and rabies vaccination — remain, there will be a significant reinforcement of inspection and traceability. For dogs, cats and ferrets, the limit for non-commercial movements remains five animals per trip, with any number exceeding this treated under the stricter rules of professional trade, except for duly proven sporting events or competitions.

The new rules, published in official documents of the Council of the European Union, focus particularly on controlling entries from outside the EU. In these cases, the health certificate issued by authorised veterinarians carries added weight and must confirm the absence of rabies cases at the origin within the 30 days prior to travel. Regarding pet birds, regulations become stricter to prevent avian influenza, requiring individual identification by alphanumeric code and, in certain cases, periods of isolation or laboratory testing before entry into European territory.

One of the most anticipated changes concerns the transition to digital technology. Although the new regulation does not yet make digital pre-registration mandatory for all routine travel within the EU, it sets the political direction for Brussels to combat illegal trafficking.

The creation of a traceability system at the European level is foreseen, which may require registering the trip up to 5 days before arrival. For residents and tourists in Portugal, national authorities are expected to issue specific guidelines soon, integrating these rules into existing customs procedures to ensure the safe, transparent movement of animals under the "One Health" approach.