Bringing a dog or cat to Malaysia
Pets need an import permit from MAQIS, an ISO microchip and a health exam within 7 days before export. Pets from 22 'scheduled' (rabies-free) countries skip quarantine. Everyone else does at least 7 days' quarantine, and pets from Australia and Indonesia have their own tougher rules. Malaysia bans or restricts many large dog breeds.
Which rules apply to you
Malaysia sorts arriving pets by where they travel from. Find your group, then follow its steps.
| Arriving from | Titer test | Wait after sample | Permit | Quarantine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled (rabies-free) countriesCountries listed in the DVS notice of 11 Dec 2025: UK (including Northern Ireland), Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Brunei, Singapore, Greece, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Malta, Slovenia, Estonia, Bahrain, Austria, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Montenegro, Bulgaria and Lithuania. | No | — | Yes | Only if rules not met |
| Non-scheduled countries (general)All countries not on the scheduled list, except Australia and Indonesia, which have their own requirement documents. | No | — | Yes | 7+ days |
| IndonesiaDogs and cats exported from Indonesia, which has a separate DVS document for non-scheduled rabies countries. | Yes | 3 months | Yes | 14+ days |
| AustraliaDogs and cats exported from Australia, which has its own DVS document (includes Hendra virus testing). | No | — | Yes | 14+ days |
Step by step
Microchip the pet
Use an ISO 11784/11785 chip.
Vaccinate
Give an approved rabies vaccine before export, and other core vaccines within the 12 months before export.
Get a MAQIS import permit
Apply to MAQIS before travel. The permit is valid for about 30 days, and a pet may not arrive without one. Restricted breeds need written approval from the MAQIS Director General first.
Health certificate
A government vet examines the pet and issues the certificate within 7 days before export. It must state the country was rabies-free and that the pet was not imported into it in the previous 6 months.
Fly direct
Fly direct to the airport named on the permit and declare the pet to the quarantine officer on arrival.
No quarantine if the pet is healthy and documents are complete (DVS FAQ). DVS may extend or impose quarantine after a risk assessment.
Microchip and vaccinate
Use an ISO microchip, give an approved rabies vaccine before export, and give core vaccines within 12 months of export.
Book quarantine and get the permit
Apply to MAQIS for the import permit. Quarantine space must be confirmed, at KLIA, Penang or Padang Besar.
Health certificate
A government vet issues it after an exam within 7 days before export.
Quarantine on arrival
The pet spends at least 7 days at a MAQIS quarantine station at the owner's cost.
Minimum 7 days in MAQIS quarantine, extendable to 6 months after a case-by-case risk assessment. The older 2019 rules said 14 days minimum. The pet may be re-vaccinated during quarantine.
Residency and premises
The pet must have lived in Indonesia for 6+ months or since birth, with no rabies at the premises for 12 months.
Vaccinate, then titer
Rabies vaccine 6+ months before export. Draw blood 3-12 months before export; the result must be >=0.5 IU/ml.
Parasite treatment
Treat for fleas/ticks and for nematodes/cestodes 2-7 days before export.
Permit, certificate and quarantine
Get a MAQIS permit and a government health certificate within 7 days of export. The pet then does at least 14 days' quarantine.
Minimum 14 days, extendable after risk assessment
Residency
The pet must have lived in Australia for 6+ months or since birth and not have been imported into Australia in the past 6 months.
Vaccinate and test
Rabies vaccine 28+ days before export. Negative Hendra virus SNT within 14 days of export.
Parasite treatment
Treat for external and internal parasites 2-7 days before export.
Permit, certificate and quarantine
Get a MAQIS permit and a government health certificate within 7 days of export. The pet then does at least 14 days' quarantine.
Minimum 14 days, extendable after risk assessment
Good to know
- Cats
- Same documents as dogs. First- to fourth-generation Bengal and Savannah cats and their crosses are banned (Indonesia document). Later generations need proof of ancestry.
- Banned breeds
- Akita, American Bulldog, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, Neapolitan Mastiff, Pit Bull types incl. American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Boerboel (in Indonesia/Australia documents), Perro de Presa Canario (banned in Indonesia/Australia documents; restricted in scheduled/non-scheduled documents)
- How many pets
- No DVS limit on pets per person (DVS FAQ). Local councils limit dogs per household.
- Parasite treatment
- Australia and Indonesia origins: external and internal parasite treatment 2-7 days before export. Not stated for other origins in the current documents.
- Arrival
- Fly direct to the landing place on the permit. Pets that need quarantine land only at KLIA (Sepang), Penang International Airport or Padang Besar (Thai border). DVS FAQ says pets enter as cargo only, declared to a quarantine officer.
- Restricted dog breeds need prior written approval from the MAQIS Director General before applying for a permit: Bull Mastiff, Bull Terrier, Doberman, German Shepherd/Alsatian (including Belgian/East European) and Rottweiler, with Cane Corso and Presa Canario on some lists. They also need a pedigree certificate, neutering, a council licence and a premises inspection, and must be at least 3-9 months old depending on the document.
- Sabah and Sarawak have their own import rules and permits; these notes cover Peninsular Malaysia.
- Many DVS pages still describe DVS-issued permits (RM5, valid 30 days). The 2025-2026 requirement documents say the permit now comes from MAQIS.
What we could not confirm
- Titer for general non-scheduled origins: the 2019 consolidated rules required one (>=0.5 IU, 1 month to 6 months before export) and 14 days' quarantine. The current non-scheduled document (notice dated 11 Dec 2025) mentions no titer and 7 days' quarantine. Confirm with MAQIS/DVS which applies.
- It is unclear whether Singapore and the other newly added scheduled countries get zero quarantine. The scheduled document is silent on quarantine; the zero-quarantine statement comes from the older DVS FAQ.
- How to apply for the MAQIS permit (online system, lead time, fee) was not confirmed. The DVS FAQ says permits are issued within a day and are valid 30 days.
- Minimum age at entry: the DVS FAQ says 3 months. The current documents state an age only for restricted breeds.
Sources
- DVS – Regulations for importation of dogs and cats, Scheduled countries (notice 11 Dec 2025)
- DVS – Regulations for importation of dogs and cats, Non-scheduled countries (notice 11 Dec 2025)
- DVS – Requirements for dogs and cats from Indonesia
- DVS – Requirements for dogs and cats from Australia
- DVS – Import regulations cats and dogs (2019 consolidated, older)
- DVS – FAQ Import Haiwan Kesayangan
- Malaysian High Commission Canberra – Import of cats and dogs
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Rules change: confirm with Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) sets health requirements; Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services (MAQIS) issues import permits and runs quarantine before booking.