Pet import requirements for South Korea
What South Korea asks for before a dog or cat can enter — the microchip, the rabies work, the permit and the paperwork — and how far ahead you need to start. We handle all of it on a move we arrange.
Import rules change, and they change without notice. Last verified 2025-08-25 by the country-profile service Furry Freight uses; profile last updated 2025-12-03. Confirm every requirement with the authority named below, or with us on (424) 421-1650, before you book a flight or start any vet work.
South Korea at a glance
| Requirement | For South Korea |
|---|---|
| Microchip Required | ISO-Compliant(ISO11784/11785) Microchip Implantation is needed |
| Rabies | Not mandatory to prove vaccination records.However, vaccination and records are mandatory for any country required to do the Fluorescent Antibody Viral Neutralization test… |
| Rabies antibody test | a |
| Import permit Not required | Not required |
| Quarantine | In case of Cats/Dogs as a Manifested Cargo arrival into ICN: APQA does in spection until 17:30 from Monday to Friday |
| Minimum age to travel | Dogs/Cats less than 90 days can be imported without any vaccinations |
| Customs clearance | Strongly advised |
| Agent at destination | A destination agent is not typically required for Korea, South |
Where this fits in the timeline. The order matters more than the effort: a rabies vaccination given before the microchip was implanted does not count in most regimes, and a titer test drawn too early restarts a waiting period. On a move we handle, we check your pet's existing dates against these rules on the free consultation before anything is booked.
The detail
In case of Cats/Dogs as a Manifested Cargo arrival into ICN: APQA does in spection until 17:30 from Monday to Friday. Located in North-East Asia. Arrival airports noted for this destination in clude ICN, SEL, GMP, and PUS.
Import requirements
Dogs/Cats less than 90 days can be imported without any vaccinations.
Dogs/Cats over 90 days can be imported with a result of Rabies Neutralizing Antibody Titre Test equal to or upper than 0.5 IU/ml.
a. Cats/Dogs age under 90 days or from Rabies-free country
-Microchip (ISO11784/11785)
-International Health Certificate issued or endorsed by the veterinary authority of the exporting country
b. Cats/Dogs age over 90 days and from not Rabies-free country
-Microchip (ISO11784/11785)
-Rabies Neutralizing Antibody Titre test (>=0.5 IU/mL)
- -International Health Certificate issued or endorsed by the veterinary authority of the exporting country.
If importer/s bring more than 10 Cats/Dogs, they must submit notification to APQA in advance to obtain approval.
c. Cats from Australia and Cats/Dogs from Malaysia:
- -Certificate that proves no Hendra-Nipah outbreak or Hendra-Nipah test within 14 days prior to export and prove no outbreak for 60 days.
d. Cats/Dogs from HKG has to accompany with International Health Certificate agreed by both HK and KR
Identification and microchip
ISO-Compliant(ISO11784/11785) Microchip Implantation is needed.
For any other chips, importer/s must bring its scanner.
*Necklace type also can be accepted
*APQA has a 'Trovan-GR-250' chip scanner
If APQA find no microchip while in specting, Cats/Dogs cannot be released until they implant a new microchip.
Rabies and vaccinations
Not mandatory to prove vaccination records.However, vaccination and records are mandatory for any country required to do the Fluorescent Antibody Viral Neutralization test because this vaccination date must be shown on the Test Report.
NA
Tests and treatments
a. Cats/Dogs under 90 days old or from a 'Rabies free country'*: No need to do rabies-neutralizing antibody test.
*Areas designated as rabies-free(Rabies-free areas can be changed by outbreaks of rabies at any time. It needs to check current outbreak of exporting country)
http://www.qia.go.kr/viewwebQiaCom.do?id=52639&type=1_5hwwsdxplus
b. dogs/cat/s over 90 days and from a not 'Rabies free country': Required Rabies-neutralizing antibody test by 'an Internationally approved laboratory' or 'the competent authority of the exporting country'* within 24 months prior to export: The result must be more than or equal to 0.5 IU/mL
*For a list of in ternationally approved laboratories for rabies antibody tests
c. Cats from Australia and Cats/Dogs from Malaysia: Required an additional certificate confirming that there has been no cases of Hendra-Nipah virus disease in exporting country or state(only larger than republic of Korea), or that the animal produced a negative result in a Hendra-Nipah virus test(within 14 days prior to export) and the animal has been kept in an area where no cases of Hendra-Nipah virus were reported for 60 days prior to departure.
Without such a certificate, the quarantine period will be extended by 21 days.
There is no waiting period after the test as long as you have a result equal to or upper than 0.5 IU/ml.
If you do not have enough time to do the test, you can ship the dog/cat to S.Korea without the test result.
If so, the dog/cat will be moved to the quarantine station upon arrival and we can arrange the test at the quarantine station.
After got the result equal to or upper than 0.5 IU/ml, the dog/cat will be released from the quarantine station.
NA
Health certificate and permits
Cats/Dogs must be accompanied with an International Health Certificate issued or endorsed by the veterinary authority of the exporting country.
*Contents of International Health Certificate issued or endorsed by the veterinary authority of the exporting country:
- Information of an owner, Cats/Dogs, and its Microchip number
- Information of Rabies-neutralizing antibody test(it can be replaced by separated original test report).
NA
Quarantine
In case of Cats/Dogs as a Manifested Cargo arrival into ICN:
APQA does in spection until 17:30 from Monday to Friday.
Cats/Dogs must land at ICN at least 16:00 (it takes 0.5 - 1 hour to disembark from the aircraft).
Restrictions and banned breeds
If importer/s bring more than 9 Cats/Dogs, they must submit notification to APQA in advance to obtain approval.
Customs, agents, and airports
No, but Highly Recommended.
A destination agent is not typically required for Korea, South.
For passengers and cargos: ICN airport (Seoul) / For passengers: GMP airport, PUS airport, CJU airport, etc.
Airports listed on this destination file: ICN, SEL, GMP, PUS.
To get Duty/TAX exemption of Cats/Dogs imported as a manifested cargo
a. For Koreans returning S.Korea
-Arrived S.Korea within 6 months of pet/s arrival
-Stayed abroad more than 1 year [a certificate of entry & exit from Immigration office (prove that the owner has been abroad at least more than 1 year)]
b. For Foreigners come to S.Korea to live
-Arrived S.Korea within 6 months of pet/s arrival [Please secure 'Entry stamp paper' or 'a certificate of entry & exit from Immigration office' can prove the date of arrival]
-Will stay more than 1 year [a paper can prove that the owner will stay in S.Korea over 1 year (e.g land contract, job contract, school paper, etc.)]
c. For US military
-Arrived S.Korea within 6 months of pet/s arrival
- -PCS order
Export notes
APQA will not issue an International Health Certificate without 'Form.25: Vaccination and Health Certificate issued by a local veterinarian.
Other pets / CITES / extra rules
All CITES species need proper CITES import/export permit.
*Please ask IPATA members in S. Korea
Pet-Birds: Can be imported into S.Korea from listed countries(NZ, US, AU, FI, SE, DK, ES, PL, FR, NL, HU, BE, DE, CA, GB, JP, PH, TW) with an in ternational health certificate approved by both Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) and relevant governmental veterinary authority of exporting country. Please check with your governmental veterinary authority either they have a form or not. Unless, your governmental veterinary authority has to contact APQA to discuss about a form.
Rabbits: Can be imported into S.Korea with an in ternational health certificate approved by both Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) and relevant governmental veterinary authority of exporting country. Please check with your governmental veterinary authority either they have a form or not. Unless, your governmental veterinary authority has to contact APQA to discuss about a form.
Ferrets/Hamsters/Guinea Pigs: Can be imported into S.Korea with an in ternational health certificate approved by both Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) and relevant governmental veterinary authority of exporting country. Please check with your governmental veterinary authority either they have a form or not. Unless, your governmental veterinary authority has to contact APQA to discuss about a form. However, they have to be transported as an in-cabin-pets or an excess-baggage-pets.
Reptiles/Amphibians: Can be imported into S.Korea with an in ternational health certificate issued by a relevant governmental veterinary authority of exporting country.
Fish: Can be imported into S.Korea with an in ternational health certificate issued by a relevant governmental veterinary authority of exporting country.
Other than above: Please ask IPATA members in S. Korea
APQA in S.Korea will NOT allow to import live animals other than dogs/cats without an International Health Certificate approved/agreed by APQA and opponent (exporting) government.
Please ask a member of IPATA in S.Korea if you can ship live animals other than dogs/cats.
Microchip registration for Cats/Dogs to a local government is mandatory.
- APQA may decline quarantine in spection service for whom has not registered Cats/Dogs.
Official contacts
Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA)Inspection Office (Cargo):
Email: nvrqsi04@korea.kr
Incheon International Airport (Passenger1 Terminal):
Tel: +82 32 740-2660/1
Incheon International Airport (Passenger2 Terminal):
Tel: +82 32 740-2028
Incheon International Airport (Cargo Terminal):
Tel: +82 32 740-2680
Gimhae Airport:
Tel: +82 51 971-1925
Gimpo International Airport:
Tel: +82 2 2664-2601
Jeju Airport:
Tel: +82 64 746-0761
Current as of July 2024
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 2025-08-25.
Next: measure your dog, find the kennel size, then get a free travel quote. Moving on military orders? PCS moves. Going to Hawaiʻi instead? Hawaiʻi has its own regime.
Other destinations: Afghanistan · Armenia · Azerbaijan · all destinations
Official sources for South Korea
- Taiwan aphia.gov.tw
- Japan maff.go.jp
- food.ec.europa.eu food.ec.europa.eu
- nvrqsi04@korea.kr qia.go.kr
Questions about moving a pet to South Korea
Does my dog or cat need a microchip for South Korea?
ISO-Compliant(ISO11784/11785) Microchip Implantation is needed
From the country profile, last verified 2025-08-25.
What rabies vaccination does South Korea require?
Not mandatory to prove vaccination records.However, vaccination and records are mandatory for any country required to do the Fluorescent Antibody Viral Neutralization test…
Is a rabies antibody (titer) test needed for South Korea?
a
A titer test is the single most common reason a move takes months rather than weeks, because the waiting period runs from the blood draw.
Do I need an import permit to bring a pet into South Korea?
Not required
Will my pet be quarantined on arrival in South Korea?
In case of Cats/Dogs as a Manifested Cargo arrival into ICN: APQA does in spection until 17:30 from Monday to Friday