Pet Import Requirements: Thailand (2026) | Dogs & Cats

TLDR: Dogs and cats moving to Thailand need a microchip, current rabies vaccination, and an ink-endorsed USDA health certificate valid for only 10 days from endorsement, the tightest certificate window in the Asia curriculum. An import permit must be secured 7 to 60 days before departure; applying on arrival risks the airline denying boarding. Dogs need a negative Leptospirosis test if their vaccine is missing or too recent. No breed bans apply, and no mandatory quarantine awaits healthy, documented pets.

Thailand moves succeed or fail on one thing: getting the ink-endorsed health certificate into your hands before its 10-day window closes. Everything else in the process, from the import permit to the vaccine schedule, exists to support that certificate arriving on time. Here's exactly what your dog or cat needs.

Microchip

Thailand requires your pet to have a microchip, and the number must match across the vaccination certificates and the permit application. An ISO 11784 or 11785 compliant chip is the safe standard. If your pet has a non ISO microchip, confirm Thailand can read it or ask your vet about adding a second ISO chip.

Implant the chip before any vaccinations.

Age and Vaccinations

Your pet must be at least 4 months old to enter Thailand. The minimum age for a primary rabies vaccination is 12 weeks.

Dogs need five vaccines: Rabies, Canine Distemper, Canine Hepatitis, Canine Parvovirus, and Leptospirosis. Cats need two: Rabies and Feline Panleukopenia. Vaccination certificates must be in English and list the pet's breed, sex, date of birth, color, and microchip number, along with the vet's full name, license number, and signature.

The 21-Day Wait Before Applying

For any primary vaccine, your pet must wait 21 days after vaccination before you can submit the import permit application. Booster shots don't require this wait, but you'll need to submit previous vaccination records with the application. If your pet just received a primary vaccine, build this 21-day wait into your timeline from day one, since it delays when the permit clock can even start.

The Leptospirosis Test Trap

This one catches dog owners off guard. If your dog doesn't have a valid Leptospirosis vaccine, or the Leptospirosis vaccine was given less than 21 days before your permit application, your dog needs a negative Leptospirosis test dated within 30 days before departure. A test older than 30 days doesn't satisfy this requirement. This applies to dogs only; cats aren't subject to it. Check your dog's Leptospirosis status on day one of planning, not during final document assembly.

No Breed Bans

No dog breeds are banned from entering Thailand. Airlines may impose their own breed restrictions independently of Thailand's import rules, so check with your specific carrier.

Health Certificate: Ink Endorsement and the 10-Day Window

Thailand requires an original ink signature and embossed USDA stamp on your pet's health certificate. Electronic copies are explicitly not valid, even a printed VEHCS PDF doesn't satisfy this requirement.

The certificate is valid for only 10 days from the date of USDA endorsement, the tightest window anywhere in the Asia curriculum. Your vet's exam, the USDA submission, the physical ink endorsement, the mailing back to you, and your pet's actual departure all have to fit inside those 10 days. Schedule the vet appointment and USDA submission as early as possible within the window rather than assuming the mailing return will complete in time.

Import Permit

Apply for your import permit at least 7 days and no more than 60 days before departure. The Thai Consulate recommends applying around 30 days out to leave comfortable processing time. Applications fewer than 7 days before departure may not process in time, and applications more than 60 days out fall outside the accepted window.

Once issued, the import permit is valid for 60 days. Since you apply 7 to 60 days before departure, a permit approved in that window will still be valid on your travel date.

Submit by email to the Animal Quarantine Station (AQS) at your actual port of entry, not automatically Bangkok. Each airport has its own AQS email address. Processing takes roughly 5 to 7 Thailand business days after they receive your complete documents.

Your application needs:

• Form R1/1, with the traveler's full name, Thailand address and country-of-origin address, pet details (breed, sex, date of birth, color, microchip number), microchip implantation certificate, and flight itinerary
• Copy of the traveler's passport
• Color photo of your pet with the face clearly shown
• English-language vaccination certificates

If your pet is traveling as cargo without you on the same flight, you'll also need the US shipping address, the Thailand address where your pet will stay, and copies of both the shipper's and pickup person's passports.

Do Not Plan Around Applying on Arrival

Thai Customs and the Consulate both technically allow applying for the import permit on arrival, but only if you already have the original endorsed health certificate and all other required documents in hand at that point. Even then, airlines may deny your pet boarding in the US without a pre-approved permit, so this isn't a safe planning option. Secure your permit 7 to 60 days ahead every time; don't rely on the on-arrival path.

Ports of Entry

Thailand accepts pet imports at six airports, each with its own AQS: Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok), Don Mueang (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Phuket, Samui, and Krabi (handled via the Trang AQS). If you're shipping your pet as cargo rather than hand-carrying, note that cargo pickup at Suvarnabhumi's AQS is only available Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm, closed weekends and Thai holidays, even though the hand-carry AQS there operates 24 hours.

Arrival and Quarantine

There's no mandatory quarantine facility stay for healthy pets with complete documents. On arrival, take your pet and all documents to the Animal Quarantine Station for document inspection, then proceed to Customs at the Goods to Declare channel, since living animals are treated as restricted goods and personal pets aren't exempt from duty.

At the AQS, you'll be issued a Notice of Import Approval (Form R-6) and an Import License (Form R-7), along with a 500 Baht per-animal fee. The Import License is valid until your pet departs Thailand.

Governing Authority

Thailand's Department of Livestock Development (DLD) oversees pet imports. Visit dld.go.th for additional information.

How PetRelocation Can Help

Thailand's 10-day certificate window is the single tightest deadline in our entire Asia caseload, and it doesn't forgive a slow start. PetRelocation has coordinated Thailand moves for over 20 years and knows how to sequence the vaccine timing, the permit application, and the ink-endorsement mailing so nothing runs out the clock.

Complete Support covers full coordination of your pet's vaccination schedule, Leptospirosis screening, permit application, and health certificate timing. Vet Paperwork Support focuses on the health certificate and Leptospirosis documentation while you manage the permit application yourself. Consultation gives you direct access to a coordinator to map out whether your timeline realistically supports the 10-day certificate window before you commit to a departure date.

Get a free quote from PetRelocation and a relocation manager will walk you through your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Thailand's health certificate window so tight?
The certificate is valid for only 10 days from USDA endorsement, the shortest window in the Asia curriculum. The vet exam, USDA submission, physical ink endorsement, mailing, and your pet's departure all have to happen inside that 10-day span.

Does my dog need a Leptospirosis test?
Only if your dog doesn't have a valid Leptospirosis vaccine, or the vaccine was given less than 21 days before your permit application. In that case, a negative test dated within 30 days before departure is required. This applies to dogs only.

Are any dog breeds banned from Thailand?
No. Thailand doesn't ban any dog breeds from import, though individual airlines may have their own breed restrictions.

Can I apply for the import permit after I arrive in Thailand?
Technically yes, but only if you already have the endorsed health certificate and all other documents in hand. Airlines may deny boarding in the US without a pre-approved permit, so this isn't a safe planning option. Secure the permit 7 to 60 days before departure instead.

Will my pet need to be quarantined in Thailand?
Not if your pet is healthy and your documents are complete. There's no mandatory quarantine facility stay; your pet goes through document inspection at the Animal Quarantine Station, then Customs.