Bringing a dog or cat from Australia to New Zealand
Under New Zealand's rules, pets from Australia are in the group “Category 1: Australia (incl. Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands)”. A dog from Australia needs a microchip, a rabies vaccine and an official health certificate. There is no quarantine if every rule is met. There is no long waiting period, so a few weeks of preparation is usually enough.
About New Zealand: Strict but predictable. Pets from Australia arrive with no permit and no quarantine. Everyone else from an approved country needs an MPI permit and at least 10 days in an approved quarantine facility, and Category 3 pets also need a rabies vaccine and titer test at least 3 months before shipment. A new import standard (2026 IHS) took effect on 1 July 2026, and from 1 April 2027 it is the only one accepted.
Category 1: Australia (incl. Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands) Paperwork only
- Titer test
- Not required
- Wait after blood test
- —
- Import permit
- Not required
- Quarantine
- None if rules are met
No long wait: No rabies titer or wait
Step by step
Microchip the pet
Use an ISO chip. A vet records the chip at every exam, test and treatment.
Do the dog tests
Dogs 7 months or older need a negative heartworm test within 30 days of shipment, plus heartworm prevention within 5 days (or an up-to-date sustained-release injection). Dogs also need Babesia gibsoni testing.
Treat for parasites
Give two internal (worming) treatments: the first within 30 days and at least 14 days before the second, which must be within 5 days of shipment. Give tick and flea treatment within 16 days of shipment.
Final vet exam and certificate
A vet examines the pet within 2 days before shipment and completes the Category 1 veterinary certificate, which the Australian government endorses.
Fly to Auckland or Christchurch
Air arrivals must land at Auckland or Christchurch airport. The pet is inspected and cleared at the border.
No quarantine by air; the pet is cleared at the border. By sea, it goes to a transitional facility until it is inspected on the next working day.
Good to know
- Cats
- Mostly the same as dogs: microchip, permit, quarantine, and rabies vaccine plus RNATT for Category 3. Cats skip the dog-only tests (heartworm, Babesia, Leptospira, Brucella, canine influenza), and their external parasite treatment is a single treatment within 16 days of shipment. Bengal cats are allowed; other hybrid cats generally need EPA approval as new organisms.
- Banned breeds
- Brazilian Fila (Fila Brasileiro), Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, Perro de Presa Canario, American Pit Bull Terrier type, Crosses of the above, Wolf-dog and wild-cat hybrids other than Bengal (need EPA approval)
- How many pets
- Not specified
- Parasite treatment
- Internal (nematodes + cestodes): two treatments, the first within 30 days and at least 14 days before the second, which must be within 5 days of shipment. External: cats get one treatment within 16 days. Dogs get two, the first at least 14 days before the Babesia sample and the last within 16 days. Dogs also need heartworm prevention within 5 days and Angiostrongylus treatment within 5 days.
- Arrival
- By air: Auckland or Christchurch only, usually as manifested cargo. Category 2 pets need a government-sealed crate. By sea: the place of first arrival must be named on the permit (Opua for yachts under the 2021 guidance). Transit only through Category 1–3 countries.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to bring a dog from Australia to New Zealand?
Australia counts as "Category 1: Australia (incl. Norfolk Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands)" for New Zealand. There is no rabies blood test or long wait. No rabies titer or wait Allow a few weeks for the vet visits and the health certificate.
Does my pet need a rabies titer test to travel from Australia to New Zealand?
No. Pets from Australia do not need a titer test for New Zealand if the other rules are met.
Will my pet be quarantined in New Zealand?
Not if every rule is met. No quarantine by air; the pet is cleared at the border. By sea, it goes to a transitional facility until it is inspected on the next working day.
Do I need an import permit?
No import permit is needed for pets from Australia.
Are the rules the same for cats?
Mostly the same as dogs: microchip, permit, quarantine, and rabies vaccine plus RNATT for Category 3. Cats skip the dog-only tests (heartworm, Babesia, Leptospira, Brucella, canine influenza), and their external parasite treatment is a single treatment within 16 days of shipment. Bengal cats are allowed; other hybrid cats generally need EPA approval as new organisms.
Sources
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Full rules: New Zealand pet import rules.