Singapore import rules
The AVS rules, in plain English.
Everything the Animal & Veterinary Service requires to bring a cat or dog into Singapore, fly one out, or transit through Changi: country schedules, vaccinations, rabies serology, banned breeds, arrival day and quarantine.
Step one
Find your country's schedule.
AVS sorts every exporting country into one of three schedules based on rabies risk. Your schedule decides almost everything else: tests, timing and quarantine.
Schedule I
No rabies serology and no quarantine when all conditions are met.
Countries
Australia · New Zealand · Republic of Ireland · United Kingdom (Great Britain & Northern Ireland)
Schedule II
Rabies vaccination and a passing serology test. No AQC quarantine.
Countries
Austria · Belgium · Bermuda · Canada · Cayman Islands · Cyprus · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hong Kong SAR · Iceland · Italy · Japan · Jersey · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Luxembourg · Malta · New Caledonia · Norway · Portugal · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain (except Ceuta & Melilla) · Sweden · Switzerland · The Netherlands · United States of America
Schedule III
Rabies vaccination, serology, and quarantine at the Animal Quarantine Centre (AQC).
Countries
Every country or region not listed in Schedule I or II — including Malaysia and Indonesia
AVS updates these lists from time to time. We confirm the current list before planning any move.
Every cat & dog
What every pet needs, whatever the schedule.
Microchip
AVS scans your pet's microchip at inspection. The number must match the one on the health certificate, vaccination records and serology report.
AVS cat or dog licence
Your pet needs a Singapore AVS licence as well as the import licence.
Core vaccinations, 2+ weeks before export
Cats: feline calicivirus, feline herpesvirus-1 and feline panleukopenia. Dogs: canine distemper, adenovirus type 1 and parvovirus type 2. Given to the manufacturer's schedule.
Parasite treatment, 2–7 days before export
One product against fleas and ticks and one against worms (nematodes and cestodes), each recorded with the active ingredient and date.
Official health certificate
The original veterinary health certificate in the AVS template, endorsed by the exporting country's government veterinary authority.
Six months' residence (Schedule I & II)
Your pet must have lived in the exporting country (or an eligible Schedule I/II country) for at least six months before export, or since birth.
No Sunday or public-holiday arrivals
The arrival date must not fall on a Sunday or Singapore public holiday.
IATA-approved crate
Every animal travels in an IATA-approved crate. Pets flying in the cabin need an extra IATA hard crate for the transfer from the terminal to CAPQ.
Side by side
What changes by schedule.
| Requirement | Schedule I | Schedule II | Schedule III |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVS cat/dog licence | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| AVS import licence | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rabies vaccination | Not required | Yes | Yes |
| Rabies serology test | Not required | Yes | Yes |
| Six-month residence rule | Yes | Yes | Not required |
| Quarantine space booked first | No | No | Yes, before the import licence |
| AQC quarantine on arrival | No | No | Yes |
Want to see how these fit into a timeline? Our nine-step import process works the dates backward from arrival day.
Schedule II & III
The rabies serology rules.
This is where most imports go wrong. The blood test has strict timing and lab rules, and it usually decides the earliest date your pet can fly.
- Tested by FAVN or RFFIT — the only two methods AVS accepts.
- Result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml.
- Blood drawn at least 28 days after the primary rabies vaccination or the last booster.
- Blood drawn no less than 90 days and no more than 12 months before export.
- Tested at a WOAH rabies reference laboratory, or a lab approved by the authority of a Schedule I or II country.
- The report shows the microchip number, sampling date, test method and antibody level.
Vaccination records must show
AVS rejects records that are missing any of these details:
- Breed, age, sex and microchip number
- Date of vaccination and how long it is valid
- Vaccine manufacturer, batch number and expiry date
- Name and signature of an approved vet in the exporting country
Breed restrictions
Banned and restricted breeds.
Cats
First- to fourth-generation Bengal and Savannah crosses are banned. Fifth-generation (F5) and later are allowed, with pedigree proof of the generation provided when applying and again at inspection.
All other domestic cat breeds, including Maine Coons, have no breed restriction.
Dogs: banned
- Pit Bull types — American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American Bulldog
- Akita
- Boerboel
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
- Neapolitan Mastiff
- Tosa
- Perro de Presa Canario
- Crosses of any of the above
Dogs: allowed with conditions
- Bull Terrier
- Doberman Pinscher
- Rottweiler
- German Shepherd and related breeds (Belgian Shepherd, East European Shepherd)
- Mastiffs — Bull Mastiff, Cane Corso, Dogue de Bordeaux
- Crosses of any of the above
Conditions
- Only one such dog may be kept per premises
- Leashed and muzzled in public places
- Insurance of at least S$100,000 and a S$2,000 banker's guarantee
Mixed or cross-breed dogs need a clear head-and-body photo with the application.
Arrival day
What happens when your pet lands at Changi.
Every pet goes straight from the aircraft to the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine station (CAPQ) for document checks, a microchip scan and a visual health inspection. How it gets there depends on how it flew.
Flying as cargo
The ground handler (SATS or dnata) takes your pet straight to CAPQ. Your pet agent collects the original documents from the airline's cargo office and presents them at CAPQ for clearance.
In the cabin or as excess baggage
You cannot take your pet through immigration. Go to the Lost & Found counter next to the baggage belts, before Customs, and hand over or declare your pet. It goes to CAPQ, and you authorise your pet agent to clear it. Cabin pets need an extra IATA hard crate for the transfer.
Documents checked at CAPQ
All originals:
- AVS import licence
- Original health certificate (AVS template, government-endorsed)
- Original vaccination records (rabies and core vaccines)
- Original rabies serology report (Schedule II & III)
- Captain's Declaration and airway bill, where applicable
- GST: a Customs in-payment permit or Singapore Customs approval for GST relief
Timing your flight
- The inspection must be booked with AVS at least five days before arrival. An inspection without an appointment is charged S$133 per hour.
- Choose a flight that lands at least three hours before CAPQ closes.
- Pets that land after hours stay overnight in the ground handler's air-conditioned animal room and are cleared the next operating day.
- The arrival date must not be a Sunday or public holiday.
CAPQ opening hours
- Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri
- 9am – 9pm
- Tuesday
- 9am – 6.30pm
- Saturday
- 10am – 9pm
- Sunday & PH
- Closed
- Lunch (daily)
- Gate closed 1pm – 2pm
From 1 April 2026, owners can no longer enter the Changi Airfreight Centre to clear their own pets. Clearance must go through a pet agent. Read what the rule change means for you.
By road
Coming in from Malaysia by car.
Every live animal arriving from Malaysia by road must come through Tuas Checkpoint. Malaysia is a Schedule III country, so the full serology and quarantine rules apply.
- Book the AVS inspection at least five days before arrival.
- Arrive at Tuas Checkpoint between 7am and 10am, Monday to Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
- Use the lorry and arrival-cargo lane, declare your pet to ICA, then go to the AVS office at Bay A4.
- Apply for GST relief through ICA, or have your agent apply for a Cargo Clearance Permit, before arrival.
- Your pet must travel in an IATA-approved carrier, kept cool.
- After clearance, an AVS-appointed transporter takes your pet to the AQC for quarantine.
Schedule III
Quarantine at the AQC.
Cats and dogs from Schedule III countries serve a compulsory quarantine at the Animal Quarantine Centre. The space must be reserved through AVS's Quarantine Management System before the import licence is issued, and fees are paid online.
AVS fees
- Transport from CAPQ or Tuas to AQC
- S$75 per pet, per trip
- Quarantine — non-air-conditioned
- S$16.80 per pet, per day
- Quarantine — air-conditioned
- S$26.25 per pet, per day
Our quarantine handling is priced separately. See services.
Visiting hours
- Tuesday & Thursday
- 3pm – 5pm
- Saturday
- 2pm – 5pm
- All other days & PH
- Closed
Pets are released daily, including public holidays, from 10am to 12pm.
During the stay
- Dog owners can book one 15-minute walk per visit, first come, first served.
- Grooming is allowed in visiting hours only: one 30-minute slot per pet, booked at reception. Bring your own shampoo, brushes, towels and dryer.
- Declare any medical condition with a vet's report. AQC staff give medication as prescribed.
- If your pet needs a vet, a private vet can make a house call to the AQC, or your pet can be taken to one of the designated clinics below.
Designated out-patient clinics
- Advanced VetCare (24 hours) — Picardy Gardens
- Star Veterinary Clinic — Hougang
- Allpets & Aqualife Veterinary Clinic — Seletar Hills
- Canopy Veterinary Clinic — Yuan Ching Road
- United Veterinary Clinic — Ang Mo Kio
- The Eye Specialist for Animals — Tanjong Katong (eye conditions only)
Leaving or passing through
Export and transit.
Flying a pet out of Singapore
- Every export needs an AVS export licence, plus a veterinary health certificate where the destination requires one.
- To Australia, New Zealand or the UAE: the health certificate is endorsed manually, a pre-export inspection is booked at CAPQ, and departure must be Monday to Saturday within CAPQ hours.
- Dogs: the Singapore dog licence must be valid when you apply, and cancelled once the dog has left.
- The destination country's import rules apply on top of AVS's.
Transiting through Singapore
- Requires an AVS transhipment licence.
- The pet can be in Singapore for 24 hours at most.
- Attach a valid rabies vaccination record, plus the destination's import licence or health certificate.
- Road transits from Malaysia enter via Tuas between 7am and 10am, Monday to Saturday, with an approved escort and an AVS-appointed transporter to Changi.
Small mammals (rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs) and ornamental birds follow separate, simpler rules: an import licence, a health certificate and, for small mammals, proof you have owned the pet for six months. Birds also need CITES permits and a route that avoids bird-flu–affected countries. Ask us if that's you.
Questions
Import rules, answered.
Which AVS schedule is my country in?
Schedule I is Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the UK. Schedule II covers most of Western Europe, the USA, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong — the full list is on this page. Every other country, including Malaysia and Indonesia, is Schedule III. AVS can change the lists, so we check the current version before planning your move.
Does my cat need a rabies blood test to come to Singapore?
Only if it is coming from a Schedule II or III country. The test must be FAVN or RFFIT, show at least 0.5 IU/ml, be drawn at least 28 days after the rabies vaccination, and be drawn between 90 days and 12 months before export. Cats from Schedule I countries do not need it.
How long before the flight must the serology blood sample be taken?
No less than 90 days and no more than 12 months before export. This 90-day window is usually what sets the earliest possible travel date, so the blood draw should be booked as early as the 28-day post-vaccination rule allows.
Can I import a Bengal or Savannah cat?
Only fifth-generation (F5) or later. First- to fourth-generation Bengal and Savannah crosses are banned. For F5 and later you must show pedigree proof of the generation when applying for the import licence and again at inspection.
Which dog breeds are banned in Singapore?
Pit Bull types (including American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier and American Bulldog), Akita, Boerboel, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Neapolitan Mastiff, Tosa, Perro de Presa Canario, and crosses of any of these. Breeds such as the Rottweiler, Doberman, German Shepherd and Bull Terrier are allowed with conditions.
Can my pet arrive on a weekend?
Saturday, yes: CAPQ opens 10am to 9pm. Sunday or a public holiday, no: AVS does not allow arrivals on those days. Pick a flight that lands at least three hours before CAPQ closes. Pets that land after hours wait overnight in the ground handler's air-conditioned animal room and are cleared the next operating day.
My cat is flying in the cabin with me. What happens at Changi?
You cannot take your pet through immigration. Before Customs and Immigration, hand your pet to the Lost & Found counter in the arrival hall, next to the baggage belts. It is taken to CAPQ, where your authorised pet agent clears it. Bring an extra IATA hard crate, because in-cabin carriers are not used for the transfer.
What does AQC quarantine cost?
S$16.80 a day in a non-air-conditioned kennel or S$26.25 a day in an air-conditioned one, plus S$75 for transport from CAPQ or Tuas. Fees are paid online through AVS's Quarantine Management System. Our own handling fee is separate and listed on the services page.
Can I visit my pet in quarantine?
Yes. Visiting hours are Tuesday and Thursday 3pm–5pm and Saturday 2pm–5pm. Dog owners can book one 15-minute walk per visit, and 30-minute grooming slots can be booked at reception — bring your own supplies. Pets are released daily, including public holidays, between 10am and 12pm.
Can I drive my pet in from Malaysia?
Yes, but all live animals coming by road must enter through Tuas Checkpoint, arriving between 7am and 10am, Monday to Saturday, with an inspection booked at least five days ahead. Malaysia is a Schedule III country, so after clearance your pet goes to the AQC for quarantine.
Is my pet allowed to transit through Singapore?
Yes, with an AVS transhipment licence, as long as the pet is in Singapore for no more than 24 hours. You will need a valid rabies vaccination record plus the import licence or health certificate for the destination country, whose own rules also apply.
Summarised from the AVS Import, Export & Transhipment Handbook for Pet Agents (28 Oct 2025). Rules change, and this page is a guide rather than legal advice. Always check the latest requirements on the official AVS website, or ask us to check them for your pet.
Not sure where you stand?
Tell us the country. We'll tell you the rules.
Send your pet's origin country, breed and target arrival date and we'll confirm the schedule, every deadline and what it will cost.