Pet import requirements for Sweden

Sweden at a glance

The detail

ARN, GOT, STO, and MMA are on the arrival list for pets heading to Sweden. Region: Northern Europe, part of the Scandinavian Peninsula - Borders: - Norway (west) - Finland (northeast) - Maritime borders with Denmark (southwest, across Øresund Strait) - Coastlines along the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia -…. Pets must be 15 weeks to enter from a listed country (12 weeks plus 21* days EU countries & listed countries).

Import requirements

Pets must be 15 weeks to enter from a listed country (12 weeks plus 21* days EU countries & listed countries). Pets must be at least 7 months of age when entering Sweden from unlisted countries.

Please refer to the requirements listed on the Swedish Board of Agriculture website.

From EU Countries, very important if pet is being sold or traveling outside of 5 days of their owner, that they have a CVED/TRACES document completed before travel.

Personal pet transport is a pet that is moved with or within 5 days of their owner and in quantities less than six.

A Commercial Move is any pet that travels outside of their owner, oet being sold, or groups of more then 5.

Importing a Dog, Cat or Ferret From a Non-listed Countryhttp://www.jordbruksverket.se/swedishboardofagriculture/engelskasidor/trade/animals/dogscatsandferrets/importingadogcatorferretfromanonlistedcountry.4.3b7d34f014bc938932479502.html

Commercial pet moves must be vet checked in first EU country or at ARN or GOT airport. All pets must go through customs clearance where customs authorities check documents.

There is a general ban on bringing dogs, cats and ferrets from Malaysia due to Nipah disease. However, you can bring in an animal from Malaysia if you can meet the additional requirements in the list below.

• Importer must certify in writing that the animal had not been in contact with pigs for 60 days before the trip.

• Importer must certify in writing that the animal has not been kept in facilities where there have been cases of Nipah disease during the last 60 days before the trip.

• Your pet needs been sampled within 10 days before the trip and showed a negative result in an ELISA test for examination of IgG. The laboratory that analyzed the answer must be approved by the country's veterinary authority.

For cats imported from Australia, importers must certify in writing that the cat has not been kept in facilities where there have been cases of Hendra disease during the last 60 days before the trip.

All live animals entering Sweden from outside the EU must be notified to the Border Control Post (BIP) at least one working day in advance.

Identification and microchip

Your animal must be ID-marked with an ISO-compliant microchip.

Your animal must be microchipped before the rabies vaccination. If your animal is microchipped after, they will need to be vaccinated again.

Microchipping must be done by a veterinarian or by a person who holds approval to microchip animals. The date of ID marking or reading of ID marking and the ID number must be stated in the animal's health certificate.

If the animal has been re-marked and the refore has two ID numbers, both must be entered on the health certificate. If microchip is not 15-digit, then scanner that can read the chip must be provided. Legible tattoos that, according to a certificate was made before 3 July 2011 are also accepted. Microchip must be implanted prior to rabies vaccination.

Rabies and vaccinations

After reading the chip, a licensed veterinarian must administer a rabies vaccine approved for use in the country of origin no sooner than 12 weeks of age either in one or a series of vaccinations. Pets entering Sweden from EU Member States or listed countries must wait for 21 days after receiving the rabies vaccination(s), not counting the day of administration. Note that those pets receiving Nobivac vaccine must wait for 30 days. The details of the vaccination must be entered into the pet’s passport or health certificate, and it must be stated that the microchip has been implanted and/or read no later than the same day as the vaccine is given. The validity period of the vaccine must be written in the passport or health certificate. Booster vaccinations are not subject to the wait if proof of revaccination prior to the expiration of the previous vaccination is provided. If evidence of continuity is not available, then the wait applies.

Rabies is required. Other vaccinations are optional.

A Bordetella vaccination is recommended if your pet will be exposed to any animals during any transits or will be subject to any kenneling before, during or after travel.

Tests and treatments

Pets having entered an unlisted country within 4 months of entering Sweden must wait for 30 days after rabies vaccination and a licensed veterinarian must take a blood sample for a rabies titer (serology) test to confirm adequate levels of antibodies in the blood. Greater than 0.5 IU/ml is required. Assuming acceptable results, the pet can enter Sweden from an unlisted country three (3) calendar months after the blood was drawn for the test.

A pet transiting an unlisted country does not have to meet the requirement for rabies titer tests provided that it also fulfils the following conditions.

The animal must have a pet owner's declaration for transit, and the pet owner, authorized person or transport company must certify that the animal has not left the means of transport or the airport during the journey. Transit is defined here as a direct transit without any pause in the country other than at the airport while waiting for further travel. This exemption is only valid for non-commercial transport.

No tick or tapeworm treatments are required to enter Sweden; however, a tapeworm treatment will be required for dogs to enter neighboring Norway.

Health certificate and permits

Noncommercial or commercial health certificate required. TRACES tracking is required for pets being purchased from EU countries or traveling outside of 5 days of their owner.

There are two different health certificates

commercial and non-commercial.

The non-commercial health certificate is modelled after Article 5(1) and (2) of Regulation (EU) No 576/2013.

The commercial health certificate CANIS-FELIS-FERRETS is modelled on Chapter 38 of Annex II to EU Implementing Regulation 2021/403. The model is also available to the of ficial veterinarian in the Traces system. These papers must then be stapled to gether with the health certificate into a single booklet. All pages must be numbered (for example 1 of 6 or 1 (6), i.e. page 1 of a total of 6 pages), and the reference number at the top right of the health certificate must be written on all pages. Lastly, the veterinarian must stamp and sign all pages.

The animal's ID number must be in the health certificate, and it must match the ID marking. If the animal has been re-marked and the refore has two ID numbers, both must be entered on the health certificate.

The health certificate must be stamped (certified/endorsed) by the of ficial veterinarian or by the central veterinary authority. Importers have 10 days from the date of issuance to travel with the pet to a so-called Entry Point in the EU. See commercial regulations below.

Entry Points are specially designated places of entry where pets brought in from a country outside the EU can be examined. In Sweden, there are such Entry Points at Arlanda Airport. Only if the health certificate has been stamped at Entry Point is it valid for travel within the EU for 4 months from the date of the stamp or until the rabies vaccination stated in the certificate expires, whichever occurs first.

EU Pet Passports can substitute for health certificates for non-commercial transport if the current rabies vaccination was administered in the EU and is still valid.

Commercial Transports

Pets traveling under commercial regulations must be in spected by a licensed veterinarian who will issue the commercial health certificate. This certificate must be endorsed by the veterinary authority in the country of origin and the pet must depart for Sweden within 48 hours of issuance. It is possible for the certificate to be issued electronically, if the country outside the EU issues the certificate and submits it via Traces with an electronic signature. For the certificate to be used for the trip, it needs to be available in the Traces system. Currently, only a few countries in this group offer this opportunity, those are Iceland and Canada. The pet needs to either come directly from a registered facility or a so-called assembly center.

The establishment needs to be registered with a competent authority in the country of dispatch. If you want to bring in animals from several breeders or establishments at the same time, the animals need to be collected at one establishment before they can be sent. Such an establishment where animals are collected from different facilities is called an assembly center. The animals need to be ID-marked and have a valid vaccination against rabies before they can be taken to the assembly center and must not stay at the assembly center longer than 6 days. The assembly center needs to be approved by the competent authority of the country of dispatch and in cluded in a list of approved facilities. Facilities in Sweden that will be receiving the pets may also need to be registered.

The person who transports dogs, cats or ferrets across borders must register if the purpose is for the animals to change owners or if the animals are transported in connection with economic activities. Registration is not required if the owner is traveling with the pet.

Import permits for laboratory animals or animal by‑products (separate from live animal transport) can be required.

Noncommercial EU health certificate, if pet traveling within 5 days of owner.

Commercial EU health certificate needed if pet being purchased to Sweden or traveling outside of 5 days of owner.

TRACES needed from EU countries if pet being purchased or traveling outside of 5 days of owner.

Quarantine

No quarantine required if regulations are fulfilled. Quarantine at ARN airport for pets that do not fulfill import requirements.

Restrictions and banned breeds

Customs clearance is required for all animals from all countries.

Customs, agents, and airports

Not Required for Non-Commercial Transports

Not Required

You give notification by going to a so-called “red point” (regardless of whether the animal is with you or was sent as freight). This is in the red lane of the surveillance area. Contact a customs of ficer in the surveillance area.

If there is no customs of ficer on duty, you are to give notification in any of the following ways:

• Use the telephone in the red lane of the surveillance area.
• Ring the telephone number stated on a poster in the red lane of the surveillance area.
• Go to the nearest customs clearance office.

Airport:

• Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Stockholm (IATA: ARN, ICAO: ESSA)

Airports listed on this destination file: ARN, GOT, STO, MMA.

Customs will check documents and possibly charge 25% of pets market value plus AWB cost if owner is not moving to Sweden and/or pet being sold to Sweden.

Pets can enter in cabin, as baggage, or in cargo.

Container Requirements (IATA Standards)

Customs hours of operation = 24/7 at Stockholm Arlanda Airport (cargo terminals) for import clearance. Administrative of fices usually 08:00–17:00.

Border Veterinary Inspection (BIP) = Monday–Friday 07:00–19:00. Weekends only on request (appointment required).

Weekend arrivals= Pets arriving on weekends are held under customs control until a veterinary in spector is available.

Advance notice / appointment = Mandatory for all live animal cargo. Notify the BIP at least 1 working day in advance. Include flight number, species, number of animals, and exporter info.

Export notes

Requirements to fulfill import to destination country in cluding a health certificate done within 7 days of travel.

Other pets / CITES / extra rules

EU CITES regulations: Sweden follows EU Regulation 2019/880, which implements CITES rules across EU member states.

• Common Pet Species

• Rodents: hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits
• Birds: parrots, canaries, exotic birds
• Reptiles and amphibians: turtles, snakes, lizards, frogs
• Fish and in vertebrates: tropical fish, crabs, shrimp, in sects
• Import Requirements

• Health certificate: Required for most species, issued by an of ficial veterinarian in the exporting country.
• Transport compliance: Must be shipped in IATA Live Animals Regulation–compliant crates with adequate ventilation, food, and water.
• CITES compliance: Any protected or endangered species (in cluding many exotic birds, reptiles, and amphibians) must have CITES export/import permits. (jordbruksverket.se)
• Microchip / identification: Not always required, but some species (e.g., certain birds or reptiles) must be in dividually identifiable.
• Restrictions

• Endangered or in vasive species: Certain species may be prohibited or require special authorization, even if they are not dogs, cats, or ferrets.
• Quarantine: Rare for pets other than dogs/cats/ferrets, but can be imposed if disease risk is identified.

Pets should be registered after arrival.

Official contacts

CITES and Animal Health Division

Jordbruksverket

SE-551 82 Jonkoping

Telefon: +46 771 223-223 (Press 7 for in formation in English)

Fax: +46 36 150-818

E-mail: hundkatt@jordbruksverket.se

Website

CITES and Animal Health Division Jordbruksverket

SE-551 82 Jonkoping

Tel +46 771 223-223 (Press 7 for in formation in English)

E-mail: registrator@jordbruksverket.se

Tamara Davydova BCP(Border Control Post) Stockholm-Arlanda

Box 98 190 45 Stockholm-Arlanda

Tel: +46 8 597 852-10

Email: BCP.arlanda@jordbruksverket.se tamara.davydova@distriktsveterinarerna.se

Website

Current as of Jan-2024

Border Inspection Post Stockholm-Arlanda

Box 53

190 45 Stockholm-Arlanda

Tel: +46 8 597 852-10

Fax: +46 8 597 852-11

bip.stockholm-arlanda@jordbruksverket.se

granskontroll.arlanda@distriktsveterinarerna.se

Tamara.Davydova@dv.sjv.se

www.jordbruksverket.se

Border Inspection Post Gothenburg-Landvetter

Phone: +46 70-230 10-44

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 2026-03-10.

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