Bringing a dog or cat into Thailand: what the official requirements actually say
Last checked 2026-08-11
- You must request an Import Permit before you fly, by emailing the Suvarnabhumi animal quarantine station at [email protected] within 60 days but not less than 7 days before departure
- The animal must be vaccinated at least 21 days before departure: dogs against rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvo and leptospirosis; cats against rabies and feline panleukopenia
- For the rabies vaccine specifically, the animal must have been at least 3 months, 12 weeks or 84 days old when it was given.
- An Import Permit is not an Import License. The licence is issued at the quarantine station on arrival, and a processing fee of 500 baht per animal is charged there
- If the microchip number on the paperwork does not match the chip in the animal, the animal can be returned to the exporting country or detained, with every expense borne by the importer
The short answer
You can bring a dog or cat into Thailand, but the permission is obtained before you fly, not at the airport when you land. The Department of Livestock Development requirement sheet for Suvarnabhumi says to email the request to [email protected] within 60 days but not less than 7 days before the departure date.
A veterinary officer at the quarantine station reviews the documents; if they are complete, the Import Permit is issued and emailed back within 3 working days. If nothing arrives inside that window, the sheet says to chase it with the cargo-terminal station on +66 2 134 0731, 08.30-16.00, Monday to Friday.
What to attach to the permit request
The requirement sheet lists six items: form R1/1, a copy of the passenger's passport (or of the person collecting the animal if it ships as air cargo), a photo of the pet, the flight itinerary, the vaccination record, which must be in English, and the microchip implant certificate.
A vaccination book in Thai or any other language therefore has to be reissued or translated in English by the vet at origin before you apply.
Vaccinations and the timing the sheet sets
The animal must be vaccinated at least 21 days before departure. Dogs need rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvo and leptospirosis; cats need rabies and feline panleukopenia; rabbits need rabies.
For the rabies vaccine specifically, the animal must have been at least 3 months, 12 weeks or 84 days old when it was given.
Dogs must also have a negative leptospirosis test within 30 days before departure, unless they hold a valid leptospirosis vaccination. Rabbits must be treated for internal parasites at least 7 days before departure.
After the permit arrives
Print the Import Permit you receive by email, then contact the animal quarantine authority in the exporting country to obtain an Official Health Certificate, endorsed and stamped by that government.
On the day you travel, carry the originals: the passenger's passport (or the collecting person's), the original pet passport or vaccination record, the original stamped Official Health Certificate, and the printed Import Permit.
Where to go at Suvarnabhumi
If the pet travels with you as hand-carried baggage, go to the animal quarantine station next to baggage carousel 8, +66 2 134 0636, open 24 hours daily.
If the pet arrives as air cargo, go to the cargo-terminal station in the Free Zone, building CE-1, +66 2 134 0731, 08.30-16.30, Monday to Friday.
This is where the Notice of Import Approval (form R-6) and the Import License (form R-7) are issued, and where a processing fee of 500 baht per animal is charged and receipted.
What happens if the paperwork fails
The sheet is blunt about it: if the animal does not meet an import requirement, or the microchip number in the documents does not match the number the animal bears, the animal may be returned to the exporting country or detained in a government-approved quarantine facility for further action, and all expenses fall on the importer.
The common failure is a single mistyped digit in the microchip number on the health certificate. Read it back against a scanner before you leave the origin country.
What this document does not say
The Suvarnabhumi requirement sheet says nothing about a rabies antibody titre test. What it requires is vaccination at least 21 days before departure. Several relocation sites mention a titre; that is a rule of other destinations, not of this sheet.
The only fee it names is 500 baht per animal, charged when the licence is issued on arrival. Airline charges, crate costs and shipping-agent fees are not part of this document.
These requirements are written for entry through Suvarnabhumi Airport. If you are arriving at another port of entry, confirm with that station directly before you travel.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need permission before flying, or can I arrange it at the airport?
Before flying. The Department of Livestock Development sheet says to email the Import Permit request to [email protected] within 60 days but not less than 7 days before departure, and that issuing the permit takes at least 3 working days.
What is the difference between an Import Permit and an Import License?
The sheet states plainly that an Import Permit is not an Import License. On arrival you contact the veterinary officers at the Suvarnabhumi quarantine station for the licence and pay the fee, which is 500 baht per animal.
Is a rabies titre test required to enter Thailand?
The Suvarnabhumi requirement sheet does not mention a titre test. It requires vaccination at least 21 days before departure, with the rabies vaccine given at 84 days of age or older. If your route adds conditions, confirm them with the station directly.
Can a young puppy or kitten enter Thailand?
The sheet sets two conditions: the rabies vaccine must be given at 84 days of age or older, and vaccination must be at least 21 days before departure. Taken together that puts the animal at roughly 105 days old on the day of travel. The 105-day figure is those two stated rules combined, not a number the document itself prints.
Is a vaccination record in Thai acceptable?
The sheet requires the vaccination record submitted with the permit request to be in English. If the book is in another language, obtain an English version or a vet-certified translation before applying.
Sources: image.mfa.go.th · aqi-new.dld.go.th