Driving to France or Spain with the dog aboard is one of the best ways to holiday with them: no cargo hold, no kennels, your own schedule. The paperwork, however, has changed again this year, and getting it wrong means being turned away at the port. Here is the current picture, plus the practical side of a long European drive that the government guidance never covers.
A note before we start: rules change, and this post reflects the position in 2026. Always confirm the current requirements on GOV.UK before you book anything.
The paperwork: what changed in April 2026
The big one. From 22 April 2026, EU pet passports held by owners resident in Great Britain are no longer valid for entry into the EU, regardless of when or where the passport was issued. If you had been using an EU-issued passport as a workaround since Brexit, that route has closed.
For GB residents, that leaves one document: the Animal Health Certificate (AHC). The essentials:
- One trip, one certificate. Every journey to the EU needs a fresh AHC. There is no multi-trip version.
- Issued within 10 days of entering the EU. Book the vet appointment for around 5 to 7 days before departure, close enough to be valid, with a small buffer.
- It must be issued by an Official Veterinarian (OV). Not every practice has one, and summer appointments book up weeks ahead. Ring around at least a month before you travel.
- Cost. Typically £100 to £200 per certificate depending on the practice, often with a reduced rate for a second dog at the same appointment.
- Validity abroad. Once you are in the EU, the certificate covers onward travel within the EU for up to four months, or until the rabies vaccination expires, whichever comes first.
Before the AHC: microchip and rabies
The AHC is the last link in a chain, and the chain has an order.
- Microchip first. UK law requires it anyway, but critically, the chip must be implanted and recorded before the rabies vaccination, or the vaccination does not count.
- Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel. This is the mistake that wrecks the most holidays. A rabies jab a week before the ferry means no trip. Puppies must be at least 12 weeks old for the vaccination, which with the 21-day wait means no EU travel before roughly 15 weeks.
- Then the AHC, inside the 10-day window.
Coming home: the tapeworm rule
Returning to the UK, your dog needs a tapeworm treatment administered by a vet between 24 and 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before arrival, recorded in the paperwork. Mistimed tapeworm treatment is one of the most common reasons dogs get held up at the border, so build a vet visit into the last leg of the trip and keep the timing conservative. Your AHC covers the return journey provided you come back within four months of issue.
Crossing the Channel
Both main routes are well set up for dogs. On Eurotunnel, the dog stays in the car with you for the 35-minute crossing, which is the least stressful option for most dogs and the reason it is the default choice for dog owners. On ferries, policies vary by operator: some require the dog to stay in the vehicle on the car deck, others offer kennels or pet-friendly cabins. Book the pet option at the same time as the crossing, since spaces are limited in summer.
The drive itself: setting the car up properly
The paperwork gets all the attention, but an 800-mile drive to the south of France is a bigger ask of your dog than a trip to the beach. This is where the vehicle setup earns its keep.
A secure, familiar cage. French and Spanish law, like ours, expects dogs restrained in vehicles, and a long motorway journey in a fitted transit cage is calmer for the dog than a harness on the back seat. If the cage is new, fit it a few weeks before the trip so the dog already treats it as their own space by departure day.
Heat planning. You are driving towards hotter weather than the dog is used to. Remove the parcel shelf, shade the rear glass, and consider a 12V cage fan for the southern half of the journey. Continental service stations in August are brutally hot; never leave the dog in the parked car, and plan fuel stops for shade.
Water and stops. A non-spill bowl in the cage, stops every two to three hours, and walks on the lead only. Service station surroundings are unfamiliar territory and a bolting dog abroad is a nightmare scenario.
Pack for the dog like you pack for yourself. Usual food for the whole trip (changing food abroad plus travel stress is a recipe for an upset stomach), medications, a familiar blanket, spare lead, and a copy of the paperwork kept separate from the originals.
Country-specific quirks worth knowing
Rules on dogs in public vary once you arrive. Muzzle requirements apply to some breeds and situations in parts of France, Spain, Italy and elsewhere, and lead rules are enforced more strictly than at home. Check the specific requirements for your destination country and any countries you drive through, and pack a muzzle even if you never expect to use it.
Quick answers
Can I still use a pet passport to take my dog to the EU? Not if you live in Great Britain. Since 22 April 2026, GB residents need an Animal Health Certificate for every trip. EU-issued passports held by GB residents are no longer accepted.
How long before travel do I need the AHC? It must be issued within 10 days of entering the EU. Aim for 5 to 7 days before departure, and book the appointment at least a month ahead.
How many dogs can I take? Up to five pets per vehicle for non-commercial travel, each with their own documentation.
What does my dog need to come back into the UK? A vet-administered tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before arrival, recorded in the paperwork, plus the AHC issued for the outbound trip (valid for four months).
Long journeys are where a properly fitted transit cage proves its worth. Use the search-by-vehicle tool on our homepage to find the Dog Box UK cage that fits your car, all designed and built in Devon.