Bringing Your Pet to Spain: What Relocating Owners Need to Know

Many buyers moving to Spain for a slower pace, a holiday base or a rental investment are also planning to bring a dog or cat, and the pet paperwork now sits alongside the property paperwork on the to-do list. Since the United Kingdom left the EU, the rules for pets changed just as the rules for the owners travelling with them did, so it pays to plan both at the same time.

This guide sets out the documents, timings and practical choices that come up most often with British owners moving pets to Spain, separate from questions about the NIE, the bank account or the property itself, which are covered elsewhere.

Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, dogs and cats travelling from British homes to Spain are treated as arriving from a non-EU country. In practice this means the old-style EU pet passport no longer works for a first trip: owners now need a GB-issued Animal Health Certificate, prepared by an official vet shortly before departure, which records the microchip number, vaccination history and the owner's details.

Before any certificate can be written, the animal must already carry an ISO-compliant microchip, and the rabies vaccination has to be given on or after that chip was fitted, since vets checking documents look closely at these dates. The certificate itself is only valid for one outward trip into the EU and for onward travel within the bloc for a limited period afterwards, so a fresh one is needed for every later journey back to Spain.

Once the move is done, it is worth registering with a vet near the new home, who can update the microchip record with a Spanish address and, for pets staying long-term, issue local vaccination records that are easier to show to groomers, kennels or airlines later on. This small step also means someone local already knows the animal if it ever needs urgent care.

If the property is a flat within a community of owners, read the community's internal rules before moving in. Many buildings set their own conditions on pets in lifts, communal gardens or on terraces, separate from any national or regional law, and the administrator can usually provide a copy on request before completion.

Airlines differ widely in how they handle pets: some accept small cats and dogs in the cabin, others only in the hold, and a few routes to Spain do not carry animals at all, so it is worth checking policy with the airline well before booking flights. Flat-faced breeds such as bulldogs and pugs face extra restrictions on many carriers because of the higher health risk during a flight.

Travelling by car, combined with a cross-Channel ferry or the Eurotunnel, suits owners who are also bringing belongings or a car to their new Spanish home. Both the ferry operators and Eurotunnel run their own pet-check points where the Animal Health Certificate and microchip are verified before boarding.

Many owners who relocate still plan to visit family in the UK, and the return leg has its own rules, separate from the ones for arriving in Spain. Pets returning need an approved route and, depending on how long you have been away, documents that can be matched against the original microchip and vaccination record.

Tapeworm treatment, not required to enter Spain, becomes relevant again on some routes back into the UK for dogs, and has to be given by a vet within a set window before boarding. Checking the current rule with the vet close to each trip avoids a refusal at the port or airport.

Spain is a relatively short flight away from most UK airports, making regular visits to a Spanish property straightforward for owners based in Britain. Many British buyers are drawn to Spain for its climate, coastal lifestyle and established expatriate communities. One practical point to bear in mind is that Spanish inheritance law differs from UK rules, so it is worth taking specific advice on how it may affect the property and one's estate. Currency movements between sterling and the euro can also affect the overall cost of purchase and ongoing expenses.

Spain and the United Kingdom have a double taxation agreement in place, and a local tax adviser should confirm how rental income or gains from Spanish property must be declared and reported to HMRC.

As the United Kingdom is no longer an EU member state, British citizens may stay in Spain for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and must apply for a visa or residence permit for longer stays.

Since the United Kingdom uses the pound sterling (GBP) rather than the euro, buyers should factor in exchange-rate movements and currency conversion costs when paying for a property or transferring funds to Spain.