Bringing Your Pet from the UK to Australia: Quarantine Rules & Costs

5 August 2026

Close-up of a fluffy gray tabby cat showing its green eyes, whiskers, and soft ruff of fur, photographed from slightly below with a porch and window blurred in the background.

Of everything on a UK-to-Australia moving checklist, importing a pet has the longest fixed lead time. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) classes the United Kingdom as a Group 3 country (rabies present but well controlled) and tells owners to allow at least 6 months to complete the health checks, tests and paperwork.

The realistic timeline

For a dog or cat from a Group 3 country, DAFF's process covers a working microchip, a rabies vaccination, a rabies neutralising antibody titre test (RNATT), a mandatory 180-day wait from the day the blood sample reaches the laboratory, an import permit, pre-export vet checks and treatments in a tight window before departure, and quarantine on arrival at the Mickleham facility outside Melbourne. The RNATT sample must be taken between 12 months and 180 days before export, and the result is valid for 12 months.

What the process actually involves

In order: your pet needs a working ISO-compliant microchip, scanned by a government approved vet at every visit. Optionally, an official government vet in your country of export can verify your pet's identity before the RNATT blood draw, which can cut the minimum quarantine stay from 30 days to 10. The rabies vaccination, given when your pet is at least 84 days old, must stay valid from the RNATT to the date of export, with 3 to 4 weeks between a first vaccination and the blood sample. After a result of 0.5 IU/ml or more, an official government vet completes the RNATT declaration and you apply for the import permit in DAFF's Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON). DAFF says most permits are issued in 20 to 40 business days but some take up to 123. Your pet then flies directly to Melbourne as manifested cargo and goes into quarantine at Mickleham.

1
Microchip, optional identity check and rabies vaccination
Your pet needs a working ISO-compliant microchip, scanned at every vet visit. An official government vet can verify its identity before the blood draw, which can cut the minimum quarantine from 30 days to 10. The rabies vaccination must stay valid from the titre test to export, with 3 to 4 weeks between a first vaccination and the blood sample.
2
Titre test (RNATT) and the 180-day wait
A government approved vet takes the blood sample between 12 months and 180 days before export, and the result must be 0.5 IU/ml or more. Your pet cannot be exported until 180 days after the sample arrives at the laboratory, and the result is valid for 12 months.
3
RNATT declaration, import permit and pre-export checks
An official government vet completes the RNATT declaration, then you apply for the import permit in BICON. The exact tests and treatments differ for dogs and cats and are listed in DAFF's Group 3 guides. A final vet check and endorsement happen within 5 days before export.
4
Fly to Melbourne and complete quarantine
Your pet must arrive directly at Melbourne airport as manifested cargo (not in the cabin) in an IATA-approved crate, with no domestic transfer. It goes straight to quarantine at Mickleham for at least 30 days, or at least 10 if its identity was verified before the titre test.

Costs to budget for

DAFF's Mickleham quarantine charges for each animal are below (fees page updated 1 July 2026). Reservation, importation and accommodation add up to AUD $1,974 for a 10-day stay or AUD $3,094 for a 30-day stay, before extra fees. The import permit application carries a separate fee. On top come vet fees, the blood test, the crate, the flight and any pet transport company, which DAFF encourages for a process this complex but does not recommend one agent over another.

Reservation charge

AUD $282

Per animal, non-refundable unless exceptional circumstances apply

Importation charge

AUD $1,132

Per animal, non-refundable unless exceptional circumstances apply

Quarantine accommodation

AUD $56 a day

AUD $560 for 10 days, AUD $1,680 for 30 days

Airline terminal service fee

From AUD $170

Minimum, charged per air waybill and recovered by DAFF

Key Takeaways

Start at least 6 months before you want your pet to travel: DAFF says to allow at least 6 months for a Group 3 country such as the UK.
The 180-day wait after the titre test blood sample reaches the laboratory has no exceptions and is the step most likely to derail a tight timeline.
Pets arrive in Melbourne as manifested cargo and go into quarantine at Mickleham for at least 30 days, or at least 10 if their identity was verified before the titre test.
DAFF encourages using an experienced pet transport agent, an optional step, and does not recommend any one agent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any pet be imported, or are some breeds restricted?

Yes. Australia bans some hybrid cats and dogs and some pure-bred dogs: dogo Argentino, fila Brasileiro, Japanese tosa, American pit bull terrier and perro de presa Canario. Bengal cats are no longer permitted to enter Australia as of 1 March 2026. DAFF says these bans come from environmental protection and customs laws rather than biosecurity law, so check its guide and the Department of Home Affairs for prohibited breeds.

How long is mandatory quarantine on arrival?

At least 30 days at the Mickleham facility. DAFF says that can be reduced to at least 10 days if an official government vet verified your pet's identity before the RNATT blood draw, or if your pet originated in Australia and has proof of identity on its Australian export certification. The release date is on your import permit.

Can my pet fly in the cabin?

No. Cats and dogs must travel to Australia as manifested cargo, not in the cabin, in an IATA-approved crate, and must arrive directly at Melbourne International airport.

If you are paying vets, airlines or a pet transport company in a different currency, or sending savings across to cover costs at the Australian end, compare transfer providers such as Wise, TorFX, Currencies Direct and Instarem before you convert. Our guide to moving money from the UK to Australia sets them side by side.

Your pet travels as cargo, but your own belongings can go separately. Our guide to shipping your belongings from the UK to Australia covers the options, and Send My Bag is worth a quote if you would rather not carry extra luggage on the flight.

Sources

DAFF, How to bring your dog to Australia from a Group 3 country (page last updated 20 February 2026, read 12 October 2026)
DAFF, How to bring your cat to Australia from a Group 3 country (page last updated 20 February 2026)
DAFF, Post entry quarantine fees and charges (page last updated 1 July 2026)

Import conditions and fees can change without notice. Check DAFF's pages before you travel.

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