What you need to know if you're travelling to Norway with a pet

Norway has a strict set of rules that apply if you plan to bring a pet to the country, and it's important to familiarise oneself with the regulations to avoid unpleasant situations (in some cases, if you don't comply with the rules, the relevant authorities can impose severe penalties).

If you have followed the rules that apply and have the necessary paperwork, bringing a pet to Norway can be quite unproblematic.

In this article, we will go through the rules that apply to bringing dogs, cats, and ferrets to the country.

Limits based on the age of the animal

If you're travelling with the animal yourself, note that it is no longer possible to bring dogs and cats younger than three months (this rule does not apply to travellers from Sweden).

Previously, you could apply to bring unvaccinated puppies and kittens (younger than three months) from certain countries to Norway. However, that is no longer possible. 

As dogs and cats that only travel between Norway and Sweden do not need to be vaccinated, you can still bring unvaccinated puppies and kittens to Norway from Sweden without applying for permission to do so.

The requirements for ID marking, passports, and tapeworm treatment for importing puppies and kittens from Sweden are the same as for dogs and cats over three months.

Can someone else bring a pet to Norway in my place?

According to current regulations, if you're not bringing your pet to Norway by yourself, the import is considered commercial, and you must comply with the rules for the commercial import of pets. You can find more information on these rules on the website of the competent authority here (in Norwegian).

Overall, for a trip with dogs, cats, or ferrets to be considered non-commercial, the following requirements must be met:

• The animals cannot be transported with the intention of being sold or transferred to a new owner.
• The animals must be accompanied by the owner or a person with your written permission to travel with them on your behalf.

Furthermore, if you want to take your pet with you on a trip to Norway, you – as the pet's owner – need to ensure that the pet is supervised during the entire journey.

There are occasions when your pet can travel separately from you, and such cases are covered in more detail here (in Norwegian).

Things to do before the trip

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority has put together a useful digital wizard that allows you to check which rules apply to your individual circumstances. You can find it here (in Norwegian).

Generally speaking, the following rules apply to most trips to Norway with pets.

Firstly, check whether you meet the requirements for private (non-commercial) import of pets into the country. You can check the rules here (in Norwegian).

Remember that anyone who is bringing a pet into Norway must contact and consult a veterinarian in advance, as the veterinarian can give you the information you need related to the animal's identity marking, the issuance of a passport/veterinary certificate, vaccination, tick ​​treatment, deworming, and other things you need to take care of before your trip.

A veterinarian must treat dogs against the echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm 24-120 hours before arrival in Norway.

All animals from the EU/EEA must have a passport, and animals from other countries must be accompanied by a public health certificate.

Remember that pet passports issued in England, Scotland and Wales can no longer be used for travel to Norway due to Brexit – pets from these countries must now be accompanied by a public health certificate.

Furthermore, all animals must have valid rabies vaccination documentation and identity markings. The animal must also have taken a blood test which shows that the rabies vaccine is working as it should.

What if I don't meet the requirements when crossing the border with a pet?

It's important that you're familiar with the requirements for bringing pets into Norway. If you've followed the steps laid out above, the process should be smooth.

If you fail to meet the requirements, you could face serious consequences, as the Norwegian Food Safety Authority can decide that the pets must be returned to the country of origin, isolated until the import conditions are met, or even terminated.

In such cases, you will be given a form with information about the various options. You will be asked to state which option you prefer.

If possible, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority will consider your preference but may still decide to ignore it.

You will also be given information about the cost of the alternatives and will be asked to sign a document stating that you assume the responsibility for covering the expenses incurred in connection with the implementation of relevant measures.

You can find more information on the cost of such measures and the relevant forms here (in Norwegian).