As of 30 September 2026: UAE pet import costs start at AED 200 for the import permit itself, plus a release fee of AED 500 for a dog or AED 250 for a cat when it clears quarantine at the port of entry. Those figures, and everything else in this guide, come directly from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s own service page, not from a pet-relocation company’s marketing page.
How much does it cost to bring a pet into the UAE?
MOCCAE lists two separate fees:
- Import permit, issued before the animal travels: AED 200
- Release fee once the animal is inspected on arrival: AED 500 for a dog, AED 250 for a cat
The import permit is valid for 90 days from issuance, and you cannot bring a pet in on an expired one. Processing takes one working day for a standard pet, or five working days if the animal is a certified service, emotional support or medical dog, since those applications need extra documentation reviewed separately.
You can bring in a maximum of two companion animals per person per year. That cap does not apply to a resident pet that already lives in the UAE and is simply returning after travel abroad.
Which dog breeds are banned from import?
MOCCAE bans the import of fifteen breeds and types outright: Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bully, Brazilian Mastiff (Fila Brasileiro), Argentinian Mastiff (Dogo Argentino), Tibetan Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff, French Mastiff (Dogue de Bordeaux), Boerboel, Bullmastiff, Cane Corso, Bully Kutta, Perro de Presa Canario, Japanese Tosa, and Presa Canario. The one exception is a dog of these breeds working as a certified service, emotional support or medical animal, which can still be imported under the separate documentation route.
What vaccinations does your pet need first?
Dogs need documented vaccination against rabies, Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Parvovirus, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, and Leptospirosis, though the last can be replaced with a lab test if the exporting country does not routinely vaccinate against it. Cats need rabies, Feline Panleukopenia, Feline Rhinotracheitis and Feline Calicivirus. The rabies dose cannot be given before 12 weeks of age in either species, and the animal cannot travel until at least 12 weeks old if coming from a low-risk country, or 15 weeks old from a high-risk one.
Every animal also needs a permanent microchip, with the chip number matching exactly across the health certificate and vaccination passport.
What is the low-risk versus high-risk country distinction?
MOCCAE publishes a specific list of low-risk countries, which includes the UK, most of Western and Northern Europe, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, and several other GCC states including Bahrain and Kuwait. Importing from anywhere on that list follows the standard documentation path. Importing from a country not on the list adds one extra requirement: a rabies antibody titration test from a lab accredited in the exporting country, showing a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, taken no sooner than 21 days after the animal’s first rabies vaccination. That test stays valid for 365 days as long as the rabies vaccination itself remains current.
What do you need to actually collect the pet on arrival?
Releasing the animal at the airport or port requires the customs declaration or bill of lading, the vaccination document or pet passport, an authorised health certificate from the exporting country’s veterinary authority, and, for high-risk-country imports, the rabies titration test result. An animal that does not meet these requirements can be rejected and sent back, or confiscated, at the owner’s expense.
What else should you plan around the move?
Pet import is usually one piece of a bigger relocation. If your own residence status is also in motion, our UAE residence visa renewal guide covers the paperwork on that side, and a realistic UAE cost of living breakdown is worth reading before you commit to vet bills, boarding and pet-friendly housing on top of everything else. Getting a local SIM card sorted early also makes it easier to coordinate with the quarantine centre once your pet actually lands.
What is the short version?
Bringing a cat or dog into the UAE costs AED 200 for the import permit and AED 500 (dog) or AED 250 (cat) to release it on arrival, with the permit valid for 90 days and standard processing taking one working day. Fifteen dog breeds are banned outright except as certified service or medical animals, every pet needs a microchip and a full vaccination record, and anything arriving from outside MOCCAE’s low-risk country list needs an additional rabies antibody test first. Planning ahead on the vaccination timeline matters most, since the 12-week minimum age plus a possible 21-day wait for the titration test can easily add a month or more to the process.
Last updated: 30 September 2026. Primary source: UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Import of Pets service page.
