Bringing a dog or cat to Morocco
No import permit is needed. Pets need a microchip, rabies vaccine, and an official certificate (ONSSA model for your origin) issued shortly before departure. Pets entering temporarily (under 12 months) also need a rabies titer of 0.5 IU/ml or higher.
Which rules apply to you
Morocco sorts arriving pets by where they travel from. Find your group, then follow its steps.
| Arriving from | Titer test | Wait after sample | Permit | Quarantine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temporary stay (under 12 months, e.g. tourists)Pets entering Morocco temporarily with their owner for less than 12 months, from any country. | Yes | — | No | Only if rules not met |
| Permanent import / relocationPets moving to Morocco for 12 months or more. | No | — | No | Only if rules not met |
Step by step
Microchip, then vaccinate
Microchip (or tattoo) before the rabies vaccine, which must be inactivated and given at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination.
Rabies titer test
Blood sample at least 30 days after the last rabies vaccine; result at least 0.5 IU/ml. Have the lab report countersigned by your veterinary authority.
Get the ONSSA-model certificate
Use the Moroccan certificate model for your country. The official vet examines the pet within 24 hours of loading and issues or endorses it shortly before departure (3-7 days depending on the exporting country).
Declare at arrival
Present the pet and documents for veterinary inspection and customs at the entry point. A small inspection fee (about 10 MAD) applies.
Pets without correct documents can be quarantined at the border post.
Microchip, then vaccinate
Microchip before an inactivated rabies vaccine, given at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination.
Get the ONSSA-model certificate
Official certificate for Morocco, with a vet exam within 24 hours of loading. It certifies the pet lived in a rabies-free country or zone since birth or for the last 6 months.
Declare at arrival
Veterinary inspection and customs declaration at the entry point.
Pets without correct documents can be quarantined at the border post.
Good to know
- Cats
- Same as dogs.
- Banned breeds
- Pit Bull type and other dangerous breeds listed by decree under Law 56-12 (2018); full list not confirmed
- How many pets
- Not specified.
- Parasite treatment
- None found.
- Arrival
- Any border post with veterinary inspection; not further specified.
- Law 56-12 on dangerous dogs (in force 2018) bans owning, selling and importing breeds listed by decree.
- The certificate must state there was no contagious disease of the species in the locality for the past 6 weeks (per a 2026 guide).
What we could not confirm
- No ONSSA page could be read directly; the rules come from the UK, Slovenian and US certificates agreed with Morocco.
- Certificate validity varies: the UK certificate is valid 7 days, the USDA certificate 3 days after endorsement, and a 2026 guide says 3 days. 3 is used here as the safe value.
- The certificates require residence in a rabies-free country or zone (since birth or for 6 months). How this applies to pets from high-rabies countries is unclear; they may face stricter rules.
- The list of breeds banned under Law 56-12 and its 2018 decree could not be confirmed, and it is unclear whether visiting tourists' dogs are covered.
- Whether the titer requirement for temporary stays applies to pets from every country (including the EU) is not confirmed.
Sources
- ONSSA (official; certificate models by origin country)
- UK APHA - 3916EHC export health certificate, dogs and cats to Morocco, agreed 14 Aug 2025 (government, secondary)
- Slovenia UVHVVR - Morocco temporary import certificate (government, secondary)
- USDA APHIS - Morocco dog/cat certificate (government, secondary)
- LesMRE - Travelling to Morocco with a pet, Oct 2026 (non-government, secondary)
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Rules change: confirm with Office National de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits Alimentaires (ONSSA) before booking.