Pet import requirements for Croatia

Croatia at a glance

The detail

Need an agent - No if arriving within 5 days of your pets it will be non-commercial, and you can enter at any airport and do not need an…. Agent is required if arriving commercially. Croatia, of ficially the Republic of Croatia (is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe. Have the HAWB issued to ZAG, RJK, and SPU unless the airline assigns a different live-animal station.

Import requirements

Puppies and kittens who are either:

-under 12 weeks of age and not vaccinated for rabies or over 12 weeks of age, vaccinated for rabies, but cannot meet the 21 day wait requirement

Pets can enter only if travel from within the EU and are accompanied by an EU passport

The minimum age for entering Croatia from high rabies country is 7 months of age

• Vaccination
• Microchip
• Veterinary Certificate of Health
• Passport

Non-commercial

All pets except birds that enter Croatia by air must go through these airports: Dubrovnik, Mali Losinj, Osijek, Pula, Rijeka, Split, Zadar, Zagreb.

Birds must enter through Zagreb Airport exclusively.

Commercial

All pets must enter Croatia through Zagreb Airport.

Up to 5 animal per travel.

Owner and animal must travel within +/- 5 days of each other.

All pet travel which is the result of sale or transferring ownership of said pet

All non commercial travel where the owner and pet don’t travel within +/- 5 days of each other will be treated as commercial.

You must use the "commercial" health certificate if you or a *designated personcannot* travel within 5 days of your pet, or you are traveling with 6 or more pets.

The "commercial" health certificate must be issued by an Accredited Veterinarian and endorsed by the authority in exporting country within 48 hours of departing with your pet.Designated person is a family member, friend, or other person authorized by the owner to travel with the pet.

Must fill out Certificate for Commercial Movement

All animals entering from peninsular Malaysia that had contact with pigs in at least 60 days prior to export and/or has lived in a place where cases of Nipah disease have been reported. In the Nipah case your pet will need to undergo IgG capture ELISA test in a licensed laboratory within 10 days of export.

Titer test for pets from high rabies country - the titer test must be done on a blood sample no older than 30 days old and the test must be done 3 months prior to the transport of the pet.

All bull terrier-type dogs and their crosses (Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier and Miniature Bull Terrier) which do not possess a pedigree issued by the Kennel Club of one of the member countries of the International Canine Organizations (FCI) will not be permitted entry to Croatia. The transit, entry and temporary stay is forbidden for all the bull-type terriers not registered with the FCI, and also for all their hybrids (cross bred) types.

Identification and microchip

ISO compliant 15 digit microchip required. Microchip must be implanted before the latest rabies vaccination was given, and your veterinarian must always scan the microchip before giving your pet a rabies vaccination.

Rabies and vaccinations

To enter Croatia all dogs, cats and ferrets must have proof of a current rabies vaccination administration after a microchip was implanted.

Booster vaccinations are required to be administrated annually.

No waiting period if the primary vaccination was administered after a microchip was implanted and the booster was given before the previous one had expired. If your pet does get its next rabies vaccination within 1 year of a “primary” rabies vaccination, this “booster” rabies vaccination can be valid for 1-3 years, according to the vaccine manufacturer’s in structions. After any "primary" rabies vaccination, your pet must wait 21 days before traveling to the EU, if entering from a high-rabies country, you must wait minimum of 30 days after primary or booster vaccination before receiving a rabies titer test. Your pet can travel to the EU less than 21 days after a “booster” rabies vaccination, but then the previous rabies vaccination must also be in cluded on the health certificate. Serum for rabies treatment must contain at least 0.5 UI/ml (International Units Per Milliliter). The test must be administrated by one of the laboratories listed here.

Rabies

Tests and treatments

Rabies Titre Test is not required unless entering Croatia from a high-rabies country.

If entering from a high-rabies country, the titer test must be done 30 days after rabies vaccination(The day of vaccine is counted as day 0) and the test must be done 3 months prior to the transport of the pet in an EU-approved laboratory.

Entering from Malaysia and Australia: Pets Can not have had contact with pigs during the last 60 days and your pet must be tested with negative results for an IgG capture ELISA test carried out in an approved laboratory for testing Nipah viruses within 10 days of export.

Serum for rabies treatment must contain at least 0.5 UI/ml (International Units Per Milliliter). The test must be administrated by one of the laboratories listed here.

If you take your dog to Finland, Malta, Ireland (in cluding Northern Ireland) or Norway after entering the EU, your dog must be treated for tapeworms by an EU veterinarian 1-5 days before entering those countries

Health certificate and permits

• "Non-Commercial" health certificate: The endorsement must happen within 10 days of your pet's arrival in the EU.
• "Commercial" health certificate: The endorsement can happen any time within the 48 hours*after *the Accredited Veterinarian issues the certificate.
• CERTIFICATE REGULATION 2013 576 577

Import Permit

• Health certificate EN / Croatian
• Noncommercial movement statement
• Commercial movement
• Statements of ownership
• Passport

Quarantine

There will be no quarantine if all of the health and import requirements are met.

Noncompliance with any of the requirements will result in quarantine at your expense.

If you don’t meet the requirements, you may be denied once you arrive at the Croatian border crossing.

If you are denied, your animal may be returned to the country of origin or placed in quarantine. Be aware that in this case, you will have to pay for all the costs. If you can’t pay the costs, your pet may be euthanized in the worst case.

Restrictions and banned breeds

Non vaccinated, non-microchipped, and pets without Health Certificate cannot enter Croatia.

Entering from Malaysia and Australia: Pets Can not have had contact with pigs during the last 60 days and your pet must be tested with negative results for an IgG capture ELISA test carried out in an approved laboratory for testing Nipah viruses within 10 days of export.

Entering From Australia: Cats can enter under the condition that they have not lived in areas where cases of Hendra disease have been confirmed during past 60 days.

All bull terrier-type dogs and their crosses (Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Bull Terrier and Miniature Bull Terrier) which do not posses a pedigree issued by the kennel Club of one of the member countries of the International Canine Organizations (FCI) will not be permitted entry to Croatia. Transit, entry and temporary stay is forbidden for all the bull-type terriers not registered with the FCI, and also for all their hybrids (cross bred) types.

Customs, agents, and airports

Need an agent - No if arriving within 5 days of your pets it will be non-commercial, and you can enter at any airport and do not need an agent.

If commercial, you need an agent and you can only enter through Zagreb commercially.

Agent is required if arriving commercially.

You are only allowed to import animals commercially through Zagreb

Non-commercial Pets which are not birds:

Airports

• Zagreb Airport, Zagreb (IATA: ZAG, ICAO: LDZA)
• Dubrovnik Airport, Dubrovnik (IATA: DBV, ICAO: LDDU)
• Split Airport, Split (IATA: SPU, ICAO: LDSP)
• Rijeka Airport, Rijeka (IATA: RJK, ICAO: LDRI)
• Pula Airport, Pula (IATA: PUY, ICAO: LDPL)
• Zadar Airport, Zadar (IATA: ZAD, ICAO: LDZD)
• Osijek Airport, Osijek (IATA: OSI, ICAO: LDOS)
• Mali Lošinj Airport, Mali Lošinj (IATA: LSZ, ICAO: LDRI)

Water Ports

• Port of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik
• Port of Ploče, Ploče
• Port of Rijeka, Rijeka
• Port of Split, Split
• Port of Zadar, Zadar

Ground (Road/Rail) Entry Points

• Bajakovo Border Crossing, Slavonski Brod area
• Batina Border Crossing, Batina (Osijek area)
• Erdut Border Crossing, Erdut (Osijek area)
• Gunja Border Crossing, Gunja (Vukovar area)
• Gornji Brgat Border Crossing, Gornji Brgat (Dalmatia)
• Ilok Border Crossing, Ilok (east)
• Kamensko Border Crossing, Kamensko (continental)
• Karasovići Border Crossing, Karasovići (south)
• Klek Border Crossing, Klek (south)
• Ličko Petrovo Selo Border Crossing, Ličko Petrovo Selo (Lika region)
• Maljevac Border Crossing, Maljevac (continental)
• Metković Border Crossing, Metković (Dalmatia)
• Nova Sela Border Crossing, Nova Sela (Dalmatia)
• Slavonski Šamac Border Crossing, Slavonski Šamac (north)
• Stara Gradiška Border Crossing, Stara Gradiška (north)
• Strmica Border Crossing, Strmica (Dalmatia)
• Tovarnik Border Crossing (rail + road), Tovarnik (east)
• Vinjani Donji Border Crossing, Vinjani Donji (Dalmatia)
• Vukovar Border Crossing, Vukovar (east)
• Zaton Doli Border Crossing, Zaton Doli (south)
• Županja Border Crossing, Županja (east)

Individual veterinary contact in formation should be obtained directly from local customs/veterinary authorities or by contacting the Croatian Customs & Veterinary Directorate

Commercial Pets or pet birds:Airports

• Zagreb Airport, Zagreb (IATA: ZAG, ICAO: LDZA)

Ground (Road/Rail) Entry Points

• Bajakovo Border Crossing, Slavonski Brod area
• Karasovići Border Crossing, Karasovići (south)
• Nova Sela Border Crossing, Nova Sela (Dalmatia)
• Stara Gradiška Border Crossing, Stara Gradiška (north)

Water Ports

• Port of Ploče, Ploče
• Port of Rijeka, Rijeka

Airports listed on this destination file: ZAG, RJK, SPU.

Commercial movement – If the pet is sold or does not travel within +/- 5 days of the owner.

Non commercial – pet travels within +/- 5 days of the owner

Pets should only enter Croatia directly by air or through a EU Member State. Unless you are entering Croatia with or within 5 days of your pet from the following countries (Andorra, Switzerland, Faeroe Islands, Gibraltar, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino or Vatican City), your pet must enter Croatia by air at Durovnik, Mali Losinj, Osijek, Pula, Rijeka, Split, Zadar and Zagreb. If your pet is flying alone, it should enter through Zagreb.

Export notes

Documents required for import of pets arriving unaccompanied to Croatia:

• Health Certificate issued by Croatian Government vet not more then 10 days prior to departure
• Pet's passport / vaccination history - in cluding up to date vaccines
• Microchip / tattoo number
• Copy of owner's passport

Other pets / CITES / extra rules

You need to apply for a CITES import permit from the Chambers of Commerce/ Environmental conservation branch

You also need a health certificate issued by the exporting countries’ state vets

In Croatia, pets are considered to be:

Beskralježnjaci (in vertebrates), but not bees, bumblebees, molluscs, and crabs

Kunići (rabbits)

Mačke (cats)

Glodavci (rodents)

Gmazovi (reptiles)

Pitome vretice/kune (tame ferrets)

Psi (dogs)

Ptice (birds), but not poultry and birds moved for commercial purposes

Ukrasne akvatične životinje/ribice (ornamental aquatic animals/fish)

Vodozemci (amphibians)

Border crossings for importing birds specifically:

• Road border crossings
• Bajakovo (Serbia)
• Karasovići (Montenegro)
• Nova Sela (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Stara Gradiška (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Air traffic border crossing

• Zagreb – view guide here

Animal Welfare Regulations

The list of authorized veterinary organizations in Croatia is available here.

Official contacts

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development

Ulica grada Vukovara 78

10000, Zagreb

Tel: +385 1 610-6111

Fax: +385 1 610-9201

E-mail: office@mps.hr

vgkp.zlz@dirh.hr

Website

Zagreb Border Veterinarian Inspector

Zagreb Airport

10150, Zagreb

Croatia

Tel: +385 1 6265 395

Fax: +385 1 6265 364

E-mail: BIP.ZLZ@mps.hr

Email: veterinarstvo@mps.hr

Website

Ministry of Finance/Customs Administration

Alexandera von Humboldta 4a,

10000, Zagreb

Tel: +385 1 621-1300

Fax:+385 1 621-1011 / +385 1 621-1012

E-mail: javnost@carina.hr

Current as of April 2025

Disclaimer

Import rules change without much warning. Confirm every vaccine date, test, permit, and crate routing with the destination veterinary authority before you travel. This page is a planning brief for Furry Freight customers, last checked against the IPATA country profile dated 2026-04-28.

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