Bringing a dog or cat to Singapore
Singapore now sorts countries into three Schedules (the old Categories A–D are gone). Pets from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the UK need no rabies vaccine and skip quarantine. Pets from the listed Schedule II countries (US, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, much of the EU) need a vaccine and titer test but usually no quarantine. Everyone else does at least 30 days at the government quarantine centre. You need a cat/dog licence and an import licence before arrival.
Which rules apply to you
Singapore sorts arriving pets by where they travel from. Find your group, then follow its steps.
| Arriving from | Titer test | Wait after sample | Permit | Quarantine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule IPets exported from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the UK that have lived in a Schedule I country for at least 6 months before export, or since birth. | No | — | Yes | Only if rules not met |
| Schedule IIPets exported from a listed Schedule II country, including the USA, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong and many EU countries. Spain counts except Ceuta and Melilla. Several EU countries (such as Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Lithuania) are not listed and fall under Schedule III. | Yes | 3 months | Yes | Only if rules not met |
| Schedule III (all other countries)Every country not listed in Schedule I or II (for example China, India, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, the UAE and some EU members). | Yes | 3 months | Yes | 30+ days |
Step by step
Microchip the pet
Use an ISO 11784/11785 chip, or bring your own reader. A government-approved vet confirms the chip within 7 days before export.
Give core vaccines
Dogs need distemper, adenovirus and parvovirus vaccines; cats need calicivirus, herpesvirus and panleukopenia (FVRCP). Finish them at least 14 days before export.
Get a cat/dog licence and an import licence
Apply on the NParks eservices site for the pet licence first, then the import licence (valid 90 days).
Book the arrival inspection
Book the inspection at the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) at least 5 working days before arrival, and get Customs GST approval.
Parasite treatment and certificate within 7 days
Treat for internal and external parasites 2–7 days before export. A government-approved vet examines the pet and signs the certificate within 7 days of export, and an official vet endorses it.
Fly in and clear at CAPQ
The pet is taken to CAPQ for inspection. Arrive at least 3 hours before CAPQ closes, or the pet is held overnight.
No quarantine if all conditions are met and the pet is healthy on arrival. Pets that don't comply may be quarantined.
Microchip, then vaccinate against rabies
Implant an ISO chip, then give an inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine. Keep it valid.
Rabies titer test
Draw blood at least 28 days after vaccination and 90 days to 12 months before export. Use a WOAH reference lab or an approved lab in a Schedule I/II country. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml.
Give core vaccines
Give DHP for dogs and FVRCP for cats, completed at least 14 days before export.
Licences and home quarantine if needed
Get the cat/dog licence and then the import licence. If home quarantine applies, apply for it on FormSG before the import licence (3–5 working days).
Book the CAPQ inspection
Book at least 5 working days before arrival.
Parasite treatment and certificate within 7 days
Treat for internal and external parasites 2–7 days before export. The certificate is signed and government-endorsed within 7 days of export.
No quarantine usually. A personal import has 10 days of home quarantine if the pet arrives more than 5 days apart from the owner or has been owned for less than 6 months. A commercial import has 10 days at the Animal Quarantine Centre (AQC).
Microchip, then vaccinate against rabies
Implant an ISO chip, then give an inactivated or recombinant rabies vaccine. Keep it valid.
Rabies titer test
Draw blood at least 28 days after vaccination and 90 days to 12 months before export. Use a WOAH reference lab or an approved lab in a Schedule I/II country. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml.
Book AQC quarantine
Reserve a space at the Animal Quarantine Centre through the Quarantine Management System (QMS), with the vaccination records.
Get licences
Apply for the cat/dog licence and then the import licence (valid 90 days).
Book the inspection, treat, certify
Book the CAPQ inspection at least 5 working days ahead. Give parasite treatments 2–7 days before export and get the government-endorsed certificate within 7 days of export.
Serve 30 days' quarantine
The pet goes from the airport to the AQC for at least 30 days and gets a rabies booster there.
At least 30 days at the Animal Quarantine Centre (AQC). The pet is also given a rabies vaccine on arrival.
Good to know
- Cats
- Same pathway as dogs. Cats need FVRCP (calicivirus, herpesvirus, panleukopenia) instead of the dog core vaccines. First- to fourth-generation Bengal or Savannah crosses are banned. Cats also need a licence; cat licensing fees match dogs' from 1 September 2026.
- Banned breeds
- Pit Bull types (American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog) and crosses, Akita and crosses, Boerboel and crosses, Dogo Argentino and crosses, Fila Brasileiro and crosses, Neapolitan Mastiff and crosses, Tosa and crosses, Perro de Presa Canario and crosses, Cats: F1–F4 Bengal or Savannah crosses
- How many pets
- Limited by residence and licensing rules, not by import. HDB flats allow 1 dog of an HDB-approved breed and no 'specified' (large/guard) dogs. Private homes allow up to 3 dogs, of which only 1 may be a specified breed.
- Parasite treatment
- External (fleas/ticks) and internal (nematodes/cestodes) treatment 2–7 days before export, with the product and date recorded on the certificate
- Arrival
- Changi Airport. Pets go to the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) at Changi Airfreight Centre for inspection, as manifested cargo or as accompanied pets surrendered at Lost & Found. Book the inspection 5+ working days ahead; unbooked inspections cost extra.
- The old Category A/B/C/D system has been replaced by Schedules I/II/III (the current forms are dated 2024).
- The import licence is valid for 90 days. You must hold a cat/dog licence first.
- Pets must be at least 12 weeks old at export.
- Fees change from 1 September 2026; check the current fee schedule.
What we could not confirm
- The Schedule II PDF could not be fetched. Schedule II details (residency rule, home-quarantine triggers) come from the NParks summary page.
- The Schedule I arrival checklist lists a 'rabies serology report' even though the Schedule I conditions don't require rabies vaccination or serology. Confirm with AVS.
- The HDB and private-home pet limits were read from a garbled table, and the HDB cat rules (cats being allowed in HDB flats from 2026) were not confirmed.
- advanceNoticeDays = 5 is the CAPQ inspection booking rule (5 working days). Licences should be obtained well before that.
Sources
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-28. Rules change: confirm with Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), National Parks Board (NParks) before booking.