Traveling with Pets to Portugal

Want to take your best friend with you on your next trip to Portugal? We’re talking about your pet! Whether you’re looking to fully relocate or just spend a weekend in the capital of Lisbon, you can bring your dog, cat, or ferret into Portugal, and TAP, the Portuguese airline, will fly dogs and cats with you in the cabin or the hold. Take a look at this detailed guide, updated for the new EU pet travel rules that came into force in 2026, to find out how to do so. From required documents to whether your dog can travel in the cabin with you, we don’t leave any questions unanswered.

(Updated October 2026)

Pet Travel Documents & Requirements for Portugal

First of all, you can only travel to Portugal without quarantining your animal if it is a dog, cat, or ferret. Portugal has set up a number of requirements that you need to make sure you follow, and they differ depending on whether you’re arriving from inside or outside the EU.

New EU pet travel rules (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/131) have applied since April 22, 2026, replacing the old Regulation 576/2013. A new health certificate format became mandatory on October 1, 2026. Old-format certificates are only accepted until March 31, 2027, and only if they were issued before October 1, 2026. Always ask your vet to use the current form.

Traveling from another EU country

You will need an EU Pet Passport, issued by your vet, that also tracks vaccinations.

Traveling from outside the EU, including the UK

You cannot use an EU pet passport. Instead, you will need an official animal health certificate issued by an authorized vet. It must be issued within 10 days before your pet arrives in the EU. UK residents should note that, since April 22, 2026, they can no longer travel on an EU pet passport, even one issued in an EU country, and pets traveling on one may be refused entry. UK pets need a new Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for every trip, which is valid for up to six months for onward travel in the EU and for returning to Great Britain as long as the rabies vaccination stays valid.

Your pet needs to be vaccinated against rabies, either with the one, two, or three-year vaccine. Rabies vaccines must be administered at the same time or after your pet is microchipped. This is another requirement. The microchip must be ISO-compliant (ISO 11784/11785)! Pets must also wait at least 21 days after their first rabies vaccine before arriving in Portugal. There are no other mandatory vaccinations, and cats do not need tapeworm treatment.

If you’re flying in from outside the EU and Portugal is your final destination, you must also send the DGAV arrival notification form to the Traveller Entry Point (PEV) at your arrival airport no later than 48 hours before landing. When you arrive, a government vet will check your pet’s documents and microchip at the PEV. The check costs €42.25 for one animal and €84.50 for two or more, and is free for assistance dogs. Pets from countries with a higher rabies risk also need a rabies antibody blood test, so check the DGAV website for your country of origin.

In addition, the rabies vaccine can only be given from 12 weeks of age, and the 21-day wait applies after it. In practice, this means puppies and kittens can’t enter Portugal until they are about 15 weeks old! You can bring a maximum of five pets per person under the non-commercial rules.

Let’s recap!

To travel to Portugal you will need:

• An ISO-compliant microchip, implanted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccine
• A valid rabies vaccination, given at least 21 days before arrival
• An EU Pet Passport (from an EU country) or an official animal health certificate in the current 2026 format (from outside the EU, including the UK)
• The DGAV arrival notification, sent at least 48 hours before arrival (from outside the EU)
• A rabies antibody test, if you’re coming from a higher-risk country
• A pet at least about 15 weeks old

Cabin or Hold: Where Will My Pet Travel

Knowing that your pet needs to travel in the hold, rather than in the cabin with you, can be stressful. This will depend on the airline, but on TAP, dogs and cats can travel in the cabin in a soft carrier if the pet and carrier together weigh no more than 8 kilograms. The carrier can be no bigger than 45 x 30 x 23 cm and must fit under the seat in front of you. Pets aren’t allowed in Business Class on long-haul flights. If your pet is an assistance dog, they can travel with you in the cabin at any weight.

Larger pets travel in the hold in a sturdy crate suitable for transporting animals. On TAP, the limit is 45 kilograms (pet plus crate), or 32 kilograms on flights to, from, or via the US, Hungary, France, and the Netherlands. Heavier pets have to fly as cargo.

Keep in mind that short-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds can’t travel in TAP’s hold because of the breathing risk. This includes dogs such as Boxers, Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Chihuahuas, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and cats such as Persians, Himalayans, and Scottish Folds. TAP also doesn’t fly pets from London Gatwick or carry pets on flights to the UK apart from assistance animals.

Tips for Traveling with Pets to Portugal

Traveling with a pet can be stressful. There are plenty of things to consider from required documentation to the comfort of your pet. Here are our top tips for traveling with pets to Portugal:

• First, talk to your vet to make sure your pet is in good health to travel.
• If your dog or cat is traveling in the hold, make sure to purchase a suitable hard crate. If your pet and crate weigh more than 45 kilograms (or 32 kilograms on some routes), they will need to fly as cargo. Add their favorite toys and blankets to make them feel comfortable. However, do not overdo it by taking up what little room your pet already has in a crate.
• Make sure you have all the necessary paperwork, in the current 2026 format, and that vaccinations are up to date.
• Vets suggest not feeding your pet on the day of travel. We know, this is tough, but stress diarrhea is a common occurrence, as well as motion sickness.
• Hydrate your pet! Depending on the airline, you should include a bowl with water to the inside of the crate. TAP requires food and water containers attached to the crate door so staff can reach them from outside.
• Check whether there are restrictions on your pet’s breed. Portugal classes seven breeds as potentially dangerous: Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Rottweiler, and Tosa Inu. These dogs can enter Portugal, but you’ll need an extra declaration at the airport, and living here with one requires a special license, liability insurance, and a leash and muzzle in public. On TAP, these breeds need a reinforced CR82 wooden or metal crate in the hold from six months old.
• Book your pet’s ticket in advance (TAP requires at least 24 hours’ notice, but cabin pet spaces are limited, so earlier is better) and check out the airline’s website for information on traveling with pets.
• Let your pet get used to the crate at home by feeding them inside it for weeks before the flight.
• DO NOT give your pet a tranquilizer, this can be dangerous as it can interfere with a pet’s ability to control body heat at high altitudes.

Is Portugal Pet-Friendly?

Portugal is definitely a pet-friendly country with more than half of Portuguese households owning a pet. The abundance of public parks and beaches are perfect for taking dogs on walks and allowing them to explore nature, without being stuck in an apartment. Some shops and restaurants are even marked as “pet friendly,” allowing you to bring your pet in on a leash. However, most restaurants do not allow pets inside, but due to the warm weather, you can also enjoy a meal alongside your pet on a terrace. There are a number of pet-friendly hotels in Portugal. Pets are not allowed on specific beaches during the summer, but you will always find beaches where this is not the case.

Pets can also ride most public transport, but there are rules. Small pets travel in a closed carrier you can hold, and they can’t sit on the seats. On the Lisbon Metro, dogs can ride outside a carrier if they’re on a leash and muzzled. On CP trains, dogs outside a carrier must be muzzled, on a short leash, and travel with an up-to-date vaccination booklet. Operators can refuse pets at busy times, and dogs from the potentially dangerous breeds above aren’t allowed on public transport at all.

Animals are also protected under Portuguese law. In 2014, the mistreatment or abandonment of pets became punishable with fines or even prison, and in 2024 Portugal’s Constitutional Court confirmed that the law stands.

Frequently Asked Questions about Traveling with Pets to Portugal

What documents do I need to take my dog to Portugal?

In order to fly with a dog (or a cat or ferret), you will need the following documents:

• EU pet passport issued by a vet with up-to-date rabies vaccine (from EU countries), or an official animal health certificate in the current 2026 format (from outside the EU, including the UK)
• Proof of ISO-compliant microchip
• The DGAV arrival notification, sent at least 48 hours before landing (from outside the EU)
• A rabies antibody test result, if you’re arriving from a higher-risk country

Can I take my dog on holiday to Portugal?

Yes. You will need to purchase an extra pet airline ticket and figure out whether your pet will go in the hold or cabin with you. This will depend on the airline, but on TAP, dogs and cats in a soft carrier weighing up to 8 kilograms in total can be carried in the cabin. If your pet is an assistance dog, they can travel with you in the cabin at any weight. Pets in crates up to 32 or 45 kilograms will travel in the hold. You will also need to gather the following documents: an EU pet passport issued by a vet with up-to-date rabies vaccine, proof of an ISO-compliant microchip, and, if you’re coming from outside the EU, an animal health certificate issued within 10 days before arrival. If you live in the UK, you cannot use an EU pet passport, even one issued in the EU. Instead, you will need a new Animal Health Certificate for each trip, which is valid for up to six months for travel within the EU and your return to Great Britain.

How much does it cost to take a dog to Portugal?

The cost of taking a pet to Portugal will depend on the airline. TAP, the Portuguese airline, now prices pet tickets by season and by how you book. In the cabin, booking online, it costs from €40 for domestic flights, €70 for flights from Europe, Morocco, Tunisia and flights between Accra and São Tomé, and €150 for intercontinental flights. In high season (December 11, 2026 to January 4, 2027, March 19 to April 5, 2027, and July 1 to August 31, 2027) these rise to €50, €80, and €170. Booking by phone or at the airport costs a few euros more. Pets in the hold cost more, from €78 for domestic flights, €118 from Europe, and €227 for intercontinental flights (pets up to 32 kilograms, low season), and up to €320 for heavier pets on long-haul flights in high season.

Don’t forget about other costs, such as the pet crate, the microchip, vaccine, and the EU pet passport. If you are an EU resident, an EU pet passport lasts the whole lifetime of your pet. If you’re coming from outside the EU, budget for the health certificate (in the UK, an Animal Health Certificate typically costs £150 to £350) and the €42.25 vet check at the airport when you land. Expect to pay at least €300 to €500 for all this. However, prices will depend on your location and veterinarian of choice.

Do I need to microchip my pet to travel to Portugal?

Yes. All pets traveling to Portugal (only dogs, cats, and ferrets allowed without quarantine) must have an ISO-compliant microchip implanted that is linked to an EU pet passport or a health certificate completed by a veterinarian for travel from outside the EU. The microchip must be implanted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination, or the vaccine won’t count.

Can someone else fly with my pet?

Yes, but the owner must also travel within five days before or after the pet, and whoever accompanies the pet needs the owner’s signed written permission. The pet’s documents must stay in the owner’s name.

What kind of pets can you take to Portugal?

Dogs, cats, and ferrets can enter Portugal without quarantine. Note that TAP only flies dogs and cats with passengers, so ferrets and all other animals have to travel as cargo. If you want to relocate another animal such as a bird, the rules are much different and these usually involve isolating or quarantining your animal.

Since April 22, 2026, pet birds coming from outside the EU (including the UK) fall under the same new EU regulation as dogs and cats. You can bring up to five birds, they must come from a country that is a member of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), and each bird must be identified with a closed leg ring or microchip before any of the steps below. A bird will need one of the following:

• To have been isolated under official supervision for 30 days before travel, in an approved country of origin, OR
• Within the last 6 months and at least 60 days before the trip, your bird was vaccinated by a vet against avian influenza (H5 and H7), with a vaccine that is not live-attenuated, OR
• The bird must isolate for at least 14 days before the trip under a vet’s supervision and test negative for avian influenza (H5 and H7), with the sample taken no earlier than day 7 of isolation, OR
• If none of these apply, the bird must quarantine for 30 days after arrival in an approved facility. In Portugal, the only approved facility is Lisbon Zoo (Jardim Zoológico), and the owner pays all costs.

Your bird also needs a vet check within 48 hours before travel (or on the last working day before), with no contact with other birds afterwards, and an official health certificate in the new EU format, valid for 10 days from issue. Older-format bird certificates are only accepted if issued before October 1, 2026. After you land, your bird must go straight to your home and be kept away from other birds for at least 30 days, and you need to tell DGAV the address in advance. As with dogs and cats, you’ll need to send your documents to the arrival airport’s Traveller Entry Point and pay for the vet check (€43.17 for one animal, €86.34 for two or more). Some bird species also need a CITES permit. Birds that don’t meet the rules are sent back to their country of origin at the owner’s expense, so check the DGAV birds page before you book.