PETS DELIVERY EXPERT

Bringing your pet
to Singapore.

Plan your dog or cat’s move to Singapore: AVS country schedules, rabies preparation, quarantine, licenses and Changi arrival clearance.

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By Pets Delivery Expert · Country travel guide

Personal dog and cat imports into Singapore. Country history and the owner’s travel dates affect the pathway. Commercial imports need a separate assessment.

Photograph from our travel archive; it does not identify this itinerary.

Updated October 10, 2026: CAPQ inspection booking notice rechecked against AVS guidance.

1. Start with the country schedule

Tell the travel team where your pet has lived, not just where the final flight departs. Check breed restrictions and the rules for your Singapore residence before building the route.

Schedule I

Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The standard pathway requires continuous residence in Schedule I countries for at least six months, or since birth. Rabies vaccination and antibody testing are not required under these import conditions. Fully compliant pets do not undergo arrival quarantine.

Official sources: AVS Schedule I: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF).

Schedule II

Examples include the United States, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, France and Germany. Do not classify every EU country together. The standard residence condition is at least six months in Schedule I or II countries, or since birth. Rabies preparation and an antibody test are required.

Official sources: AVS Schedule II: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF).

Schedule III covers countries outside the first two schedules. Rabies preparation is required, with at least 30 days at the Animal Quarantine Centre (AQC). Arrange the quarantine place before committing to the itinerary.

Official sources: AVS Schedule III: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF).

2. Check the quarantine conditions

Schedule II does not automatically mean no quarantine

AVS’s online guidance requires the pet to enter Singapore less than five days from the owner’s entry and to have lived at the same address as the owner for more than six months. Personal imports outside those conditions need at least 10 days of home quarantine, subject to prior approval. Commercial imports need at least 10 days at AQC.

The online guidance and Schedule II certificate use different wording at the five-day boundary. If your dates fall exactly on that boundary, obtain AVS confirmation before booking. Keep evidence of shared residence and the owner’s itinerary with the application.

Official sources: Singapore AVS: importing dogs and cats · AVS Schedule II: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF).

3. Build the veterinary calendar

  1. Identification and records. Start with a readable ISO-compliant microchip and matching records. The standard minimum age is 12 weeks at the time of export.
  2. Rabies preparation for Schedules II and III. For the standard initial sequence, allow at least 28 days after vaccination before blood sampling. The result must be at least 0.5 IU/ml, using an accepted laboratory. Sampling must be at least 90 days and no more than 12 months before export. AVS’s FAQ says a timely booster with uninterrupted rabies coverage generally does not require a fresh 28-day wait before sampling. Have the vaccination history assessed before scheduling the test.
  3. Core vaccinations. Keep the required dog or cat vaccinations valid, with the qualifying vaccination at least 14 days before export. Schedule I pets under 16 weeks need at least two core vaccinations: the first no earlier than six weeks of age and the second at least two weeks before export.
  4. Final appointments. Complete the clinical examination within seven days before export, with internal and external parasite treatment two to seven days before export. Use the certificate for the applicable schedule and arrange government endorsement.

Official sources: AVS Schedule I: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF) · AVS Schedule II: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF) · AVS Schedule III: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF) · Singapore AVS: importing dogs and cats.

Our planning recommendation: put sampling, vaccination validity, certificate appointments and quarantine availability in one calendar. Work out the feasible travel window before paying for a flight.

4. Prepare licenses and the travel file

The dog or cat license and the import license are separate. Obtain the pet license first, then follow AVS’s current import-application instructions. Do not mistake local registration for permission to import.

Official sources: Singapore AVS: dog and cat licensing · Singapore AVS: importing dogs and cats.

  • Pet and import licenses, with correct identification and validity.
  • Original endorsed veterinary certificate and vaccination records.
  • Rabies test report for Schedule II or III.
  • Quarantine booking or home-quarantine approval, where required.
  • For Schedules I and II, the required captain’s or authorized airline representative’s declaration. Obtain prior NParks/AVS permission if the itinerary involves a change of aircraft carrying the animal.
  • Arrival agent details and the agreed document handover.

Official sources: AVS Schedule I: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF) · AVS Schedule II: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF) · AVS Schedule III: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF).

Check the separate customs arrangements, including any change-of-residence relief eligibility, with Singapore Customs.

5. Arrange Changi clearance before flying

Since April 1, 2026, personal pet imports cleared through Changi’s CAPQ require an AVS-recognized pet agent. This includes pets arriving with their owners. Quarantine exemption does not remove arrival clearance.

Arrange a rigid, IATA-compliant crate for the CAPQ transfer, even if the pet traveled in a soft carrier in the aircraft cabin. A soft bag is not accepted for this transfer. Book the inspection at least five days before arrival through the applicable AVS process. We recommend arranging it earlier and checking the agent’s availability and CAPQ operating hours before booking flights.

CAPQ’s working hours and the AQC transfer timetable affect collection. The published AQC transfer window is 10:00–10:30 a.m. Singapore time on working days; a missed transfer can mean waiting until the next working day. Agree the delayed-flight plan with the agent.

Official sources: Singapore AVS: Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine Station · AVS Schedule II: veterinary conditions and certificate (PDF).

We organize the agreed flights, preparation timetable and destination handovers as part of your Singapore pet relocation. Share the owner’s dates alongside the pet’s proposed itinerary.

Questions before you book

Will a short stop in a Schedule I country change my pet’s category?

Do not assume so. The residence conditions still apply. Send the full country history for assessment before using a different departure airport.

Can I collect a quarantine-exempt pet straight from the terminal?

The CAPQ clearance process still applies to Changi imports. Arrange the recognized agent and the handover before departure.

What should I send for a Singapore transport quote?

Send departure and arrival cities, your dates, your pet’s species, breed, age and weight, residence history, microchip and vaccination records, and any antibody test. Include whether you and your pet will travel together.

Related reading: Singapore’s Changi clearance change · Official airline pet policies.

Read the official sources

Sources checked . This guide covers the pathway stated above. Confirm the current instructions for your pet, country history and travel date with the responsible authority before booking.

All country guides · Latest official updates · Arrange your pet’s transport

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