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The Netherlands is an easy country to live in with a pet. Dogs are welcome in many cafés and on trains, almost every neighbourhood has places to walk your dog, and since 2026 New Year's Eve is no longer a night of fireworks that frighten animals. But bringing your dog or cat here takes some planning. Depending on where you come from, the paperwork can take from one month to more than four months. And once you've arrived, there are a few Dutch rules to follow. This guide explains, step by step, how to bring your pet to the Netherlands, and what daily life with a pet is like here.
The idea in simple words
Countries want to keep out rabies, a deadly illness animals can carry. So before your dog, cat or ferret can come in, it needs: a microchip (a tiny ID chip under the skin), a rabies vaccination, and the right papers.
The order matters: chip first, then vaccine, then wait. From some countries, your pet also needs a blood test and a 3-month wait.
After you arrive, you register your dog in a Dutch database, and you may have to pay a small yearly dog tax to your town.
The most important facts
- Dogs, cats and ferrets need an A microchip that follows the international ISO 11784/11785 standard: 15 digits, not encrypted. Vets everywhere in Europe can read it. and a Rabies is a deadly virus that animals can pass to people through a bite. The vaccine protects your pet. vaccination given at least 21 days before they arrive. They must be at least 15 weeks old.
- From an EU country, an EU pet passport is enough. From outside the EU, you need an EU health certificate. From some countries you also need a blood test for rabies and a 3-month wait.
- No more than 5 pets per owner, and you must travel within 5 days of your pet.
- Register your dog in a Dutch database within 2 weeks after you arrive. Your vet can do this for you.
- Check your The local government of your town or city. In Dutch: gemeente. for dog tax and dog rules, and check your rental contract for a "no pets" rule.
Bringing your dog, cat or ferret: the basic rules
Wherever you come from, dogs, cats and ferrets must meet three basic rules to enter the Netherlands:
- A microchip that follows the ISO 11784/11785 standard (15 digits, not encrypted). The chip must be put in before the rabies vaccination, or on the same day. If it was put in afterwards, the vaccination doesn't count and must be given again.
- A valid rabies vaccination, given when your pet was at least 12 weeks old. After a first vaccination, you must wait 21 days before you travel. A An extra vaccination that keeps the protection going. given before the old vaccination ran out counts straight away.
- The right travel paper: an EU pet passport or an EU health certificate, depending on where you come from.
Because the vaccination can only be given from 12 weeks, plus the 21-day wait, puppies and kittens younger than 15 weeks can't enter the Netherlands. You may bring up to 5 animals for a private move. You, or someone you gave permission in writing, must make the same trip within 5 days before or after your pet. If either of these isn't true, your move counts as commercial (like a business sending animals), with stricter rules.
Which rules apply depends on where you come from
The EU puts countries into three groups. Your vet, or the official vet office in your current country, can tell you which group you are in. The NVWA (the Dutch government office for food and product safety, which also checks animals) lists the countries.
| Coming from | What you need | Earliest you can travel |
|---|---|---|
| An EU country, plus Norway, Switzerland and a few others | Microchip, rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport | 21 days after the first rabies vaccination |
| A "listed" country outside the EU with a low rabies risk, such as the UK, the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan | Microchip, rabies vaccination, an EU health certificate, and a statement from you as the owner | 21 days after the first rabies vaccination |
| A country that isn't listed, with a higher rabies risk, such as India, South Africa and Turkey | All of the above, plus a blood test for rabies (A blood test that measures how well your pet is protected against rabies after the vaccination. Also called a rabies antibody test.) with a good result | 3 months after the blood was taken for the titer test. Young animals must be at least 7 months old. |
The EU health certificate
From outside the EU, your pet travels with an EU animal health certificate. Your vet fills it in. Then the official vet office in your country must sign and stamp every page. Examples: USDA APHIS in the United States, or DEFRA through an official vet in the UK. The certificate is valid for 10 days, from the date it's issued until your pet is checked on arrival. So plan it carefully around your flight. You also sign a short statement in English that you are not moving the animal for business.
A pet passport from outside the EU, including a UK pet passport issued after Brexit, isn't valid to enter. But an EU pet passport issued by a vet in the EU can be used instead of a health certificate. For example, when you bring back a pet that originally came from the EU.
The titer test from high-risk countries
If you come from a country that isn't listed, your vet takes some blood at least 30 days after the rabies vaccination, and sends it to a lab the EU has approved. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml. Then you wait at least 3 months from the day the blood was taken, before your pet may travel. As long as you keep the rabies vaccination up to date, you don't need to do the test again. Start early: from a country that isn't listed, the whole process easily takes 4 to 5 months.
Do the steps in the right order
The most common mistake is doing the steps in the wrong order. Always: chip first, then vaccinate, then wait, then (if needed) the titer test, and only then book the trip. If your pet arrives without the right papers, an official NVWA vet decides if it goes into A place where animals are kept apart for a while to check they are not ill. or is sent back. You pay all the costs. Assistance dogs (dogs that help people with a disability) must follow the same rules.
When you arrive
Pets from outside the EU must enter through an official entry point, such as Schiphol Airport. There, you tell Customs (the border officers) that you have a pet. Customs checks the microchip and the papers. If your pet travels separately as cargo, more than 5 days apart from you, or you bring more than 5 animals, the move counts as commercial. Commercial pet arrivals are only accepted at Schiphol, and you'll need a company that transports pets.
Inside the EU, there are usually no checks at the border. But you still need the pet passport and a valid vaccination. The police and the NVWA can check papers at any time.
Flying with your pet
- In the cabin with you: most airlines allow small cats and dogs in the cabin, usually up to around 8 kg including the bag or box. Rules and prices are different for each airline, so book your pet's place when you book your own ticket.
- In the hold (the luggage area) or as cargo: bigger dogs travel in a crate approved by the airline. Many airlines don't accept breeds with flat faces in the hold, such as pugs, French bulldogs and Persian cats, because they can have trouble breathing.
- Pet transport companies handle the papers, the crate and the flights for you. For a move between continents, expect to pay about €1,500 to €5,000 or more, depending on the route and the size of your pet.
Rabbits, birds and other pets
Rabbits, rodents, birds, reptiles and fish don't need a rabies vaccination. But other health rules can apply, especially from outside the EU. Birds can be stopped when there is bird flu. Check the NVWA website before you travel. For protected animals, such as many parrots and tortoises, you may also need a special permit (a A permit under an international agreement that protects endangered animals and plants from illegal trade.).
After you arrive: registering your dog
Every dog in the Netherlands must have a microchip and be registered in a Dutch database approved by the government. If you bring a dog and stay longer than 3 months, you must register it within 2 weeks after you arrive. Most people ask a Dutch vet to read the chip and register it. You'll need your Burgerservicenummer: your personal Dutch ID number. You get it when you register with your municipality., so register yourself with your municipality first (see our moving checklist). Remember to update your details in the database whenever you move or change your phone number.
Puppies born in the Netherlands must be chipped and registered by the breeder before they are 7 weeks old. If you buy or adopt a dog here, the registration moves to your name.
Cats: chipping and registering a cat isn't required everywhere yet, although some municipalities already ask for it. In September 2026, the government said that newborn cats will have to be chipped and registered from 1 January 2028. Even now, a chip is the best way to get a lost cat back, so it's worth registering your cat in a Dutch database.
Dog tax
Some municipalities charge a dog tax (hondenbelasting) every year. In 2026, around 100 of the roughly 340 municipalities still charge it. The average is about €76 for one dog. The highest is just over €142 per dog, in Katwijk. Many municipalities charge more for a second or third dog. Amsterdam and The Hague, for example, no longer charge it, but Utrecht still does.
If your municipality charges dog tax, you must register your dog yourself, usually online on your town's tax website. The tax then appears on your yearly local tax bill. Our guide to local taxes explains how that bill works. If you don't register, you may have to pay for past years plus a fine.
Renting or buying a home with a pet
- Read your rental contract. If it says no pets (geen huisdieren), your landlord can make you keep to it. If the contract says nothing, you can usually keep a pet, as long as it doesn't cause trouble or damage.
- Ask before you sign. It's hard to find a home in the Netherlands, and landlords sometimes prefer tenants without pets. Mention your pet early, and offer references from an old landlord if you have them.
- Apartments have house rules. In a building with an owners' association (Vereniging van Eigenaars: the owners' association. All owners in an apartment building are members and make rules together.), the house rules can limit pets, for owners and tenants. Our guide to apartments and houses explains how a VvE works.
- Damage costs money. Scratched floors and doors are usually taken from your Money you gave the landlord at the start, as a safety. You get it back when you move out, minus the cost of any damage. when you leave. So take photos of the home when you move in.
- Gardens and cats: many Dutch homes have a small garden or balcony. If you live high up, a cat net on the balcony is common and usually allowed, but check with your landlord or VvE first.
Vets, insurance and costs
Vets (dierenarts) are easy to find in every town, and most speak English. You sign up with a practice by calling or filling in a form. There's no waiting list. When your vet is closed, you go to the emergency vet (spoeddierenarts), which costs a lot more.
In the Netherlands, a rabies vaccination is only required for travel abroad. Dogs are usually vaccinated against parvovirus, distemper and leptospirosis (serious dog illnesses), and cats against cat flu and feline panleukopenia (a serious cat illness). Small insects that bite animals and people and suck blood. They can spread illnesses. are common in forests and dunes from spring to autumn, so ask your vet about protection against ticks.
There is no public health insurance for pets, so many owners buy pet insurance (huisdierenverzekering). Read the rules carefully: older pets, and illnesses your pet already has, are often not covered.
| Cost | About |
|---|---|
| Normal visit to the vet | €45 to €70 |
| Yearly vaccination and check-up | €60 to €100 |
| Microchip and registration | €30 to €70 |
| Pet insurance, cat | €10 to €25 a month |
| Pet insurance, dog | €20 to €60 a month, depending on breed and age |
| Dog tax | €0 to about €142 a year per dog, depending on your municipality |
As a pet owner, you are responsible by law for any damage your pet causes, even if it wasn't your fault. For example, a dog that knocks over a cyclist, or a cat that scratches the neighbour's car. Personal In Dutch: aansprakelijkheidsverzekering voor particulieren (AVP). It pays if you, your children or your pets accidentally damage someone else's things or hurt someone. (AVP) pays for this, for a few euros a month. It's one of the first insurances most Dutch people get. Check that pets are included in your policy.
Want to see how a pet fits in your budget? Our free Cost of Living Calculator adds up rent, bills and everyday costs for your city.
Daily life with a dog
- Leash rules are local. In most built-up areas, dogs must be on a leash (aanlijnplicht). Your municipality marks areas where dogs may run free (losloopgebied). Look them up on your municipality's website or map.
- Always clean up after your dog (opruimplicht), and carry bags with you. Officers can give you a fine on the spot.
- Beaches: many beaches don't allow dogs during the day in summer, roughly from April or May until the end of September. Outside the summer, dogs are usually welcome. The rules are different for each beach, so check the signs.
- Trains and public transport: on NS trains, a small dog in a bag or on your lap travels free. A bigger dog needs a dog day ticket (Dagkaart Hond) and must be on a leash. Assistance dogs always travel free. Buses, trams and metros have their own rules in each region.
- Cafés, shops and offices: dogs are welcome in many cafés and on terraces, but not in supermarkets or most food shops. More and more Dutch offices allow dogs, so ask your employer.
- Cycling with your dog: a dog running next to the bike is common. Small dogs often ride in a basket or a dog trailer.
- Dog walkers and dog day care: dog walkers (hondenuitlaatservice) and day care for dogs are easy to find in cities, usually from around €15 to €25 per walk.
Dutch animal welfare rules
The Netherlands has strict rules to protect animals. They also apply to pets you bring with you:
- Cutting ears and tails into a shape is banned, and so are other operations that aren't needed for the animal's health.
- Breeding dogs with flat faces that don't meet strict health rules isn't allowed. Breeding cats with folded ears, such as the Scottish Fold, is banned.
- Neglect and cruelty can be reported to the animal emergency number 144.
- No banned breeds: the Netherlands doesn't ban any dog breeds. But owners of dogs that bite can still be held responsible, and the municipality can order the dog to wear a leash or a muzzle.
Thinking of getting a pet after you arrive? Think about adopting one from a Dutch animal shelter (dierenasiel). If you buy a puppy, use a breeder you can visit, and avoid online sellers who can't show you the mother. Illegal puppy trade is a known problem in Europe.
New Year's Eve without fireworks
For years, New Year's Eve was the most stressful night for Dutch pets. Since 1 August 2026, people may no longer set off, buy or own fireworks, so 31 December 2026 will be much quieter. Organised shows and illegal fireworks still happen, so keep cats inside that evening and walk your dog early. Our guide to Dutch holidays and traditions explains more about the ban.
Your pet moving checklist
- Find out whether your current country is an EU country, a listed country, or a country that isn't listed.
- Have your pet microchipped with an ISO chip, if it doesn't have one yet.
- Get the rabies vaccination after the chip, and wait at least 21 days.
- From a country that isn't listed: do the titer test at least 30 days after the vaccination, and wait 3 months.
- Book your pet's place on your flight, or arrange a pet transport company.
- Get the EU health certificate filled in and stamped no more than 10 days before you arrive, or bring your EU pet passport.
- After you arrive: register your dog in a Dutch database within 2 weeks, and sign up with a local vet.
- Check if your municipality charges dog tax, and register your dog if it does.
- Get personal liability insurance, and think about pet insurance.
Official sources and useful links
- NVWA: travelling from outside the EU with your cat or dog
- Government.nl: can I bring a pet from another country to the Netherlands?
- Government.nl: travelling abroad with your cat or dog
This is general information. The rules for bringing pets can change, for example when a country's rabies risk changes, or when there is an outbreak of an animal disease. Always check the latest NVWA rules and talk to your vet well before you travel. Dog tax and dog rules are different in each municipality.
