Travelling with dog or cat
When you want to travel to Sweden with you dog or cat, you must always declare the animal to Swedish Customs. Failure to do so may constitute an offence. The animal must also fulfil the Swedish Board of Agriculture’s requirements for import or export.
Travelling with a dog or cat to Sweden
If you are travelling with a dog or cat to Sweden from another country, you must declare it to Swedish Customs. If you are travelling from another EU country, there are two ways to declare: online or at the border. If you are travelling from a country outside the EU, you declare the animal at the border.
Are you taking your dog or cat on holiday? Even dogs and cats that normally live in Sweden and are travelling abroad for a period must be declared to Swedish Customs before or in connection with the return journey.
Travelling with a dog or cat from Sweden
If you are travelling with an animal from Sweden to another country, you should check what rules apply to bringing animals into that country. Contact the embassy of the country in question or the responsible authority in the country you will be visiting.
No notification is required to Swedish Customs on departure.
Register online - select the green lane
If you live in and are travelling from another EU country and are bringing an animal with a European pet passport, you can declare your dog or cat to Swedish Customs here on the website before you cross the border. When you arrive in Sweden, you can select the green lane in the customs filter - "Nothing to declare". You should be able to present your declaration number and the animal's EU pet passport if asked by a customs official. You do not need to deregister your dog or cat.
Report that you are travelling with your dog or cat
Register your animal at the border - choose the red lane
You make your declaration by selecting the red lane in the customs filter at the border crossing. There you contact a customs official. You should do this regardless of whether you are travelling to Sweden or have sent the animal as cargo.
Read more about how to do this on the page Declaring goods to Swedish Customs
When should you report a dog or cat?
Animals from another EU country | Animals from a non-EU country | Animals from Norway | |
|---|---|---|---|
Reporting to Swedish Customs when travelling to Sweden | Yes, every time. | Yes, every time. | No. Dogs, cats and ferrets can be brought freely if the aninal is identified and has an EU pet passport. |
Notifying Swedish Customs when you send animals as cargo | Yes, every time. | Yes, every time. | Yes, every time. |
Declaring to Swedish Customs online | Yes, for those living in and travelling from another EU country with animals that have a European pet passport. | No. | No. |
Do you need to pay any fees? | No. | Yes, if you are importing the animal and it will stay in Sweden. | Yes, if you are importing the animal and it will stay in Sweden. |
From which countries does what apply? | Valid from all EU countries and for animals travelling from Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland and the Vatican City. | The Swedish Board of Agriculture here distinguishes between listed and non-listed countries. At the Swedish Board of Agriculture you can see which countries count as what. |
Buying a dog or cat in another EU country
If you buy a dog or cat in another EU country and bring it to Sweden, you do not have to pay any fees. However, you must always declare the animal to Swedish Customs, either online or at the border.
Buying a dog or cat in a non-EU country
When you buy, adopt or receive a dog or cat as a gift from a non-EU country, you may have to pay customs duties and VAT. The amount you have to pay depends, among other things, on how much the animal cost to buy, or the value of the animal, and shipping costs.
Read about the fees on the page General about buying goods in another country (in Swedish)
You must also always declare your dog or cat to Swedish Customs at the border. An exception applies to Norway, where you only have to declare if the value exceeds NOK 3,500.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture is the responsible authority
The Swedish Board of Agriculture is the authority responsible for rules on the entry of animals into Sweden and has more detailed information.
Pets - trade and travel – Swedish Board of Agriculture
Is your dog or cat getting a new owner?
If the dog or cat is to change owners after entry into Sweden, or if the animal is travelling alone as cargo, different requirements apply. You can read about this on the Swedish Board of Agriculture's website.
Pets - trade and travel – Swedish Board of Agriculture
Help stop smuggling
As a dog buyer, you can help stop the smuggling of dogs by carefully checking their background. In this way, you help prevent animals from suffering and infectious diseases from entering Sweden.
Is the country part of the EU?
If you are unsure whether the country you are trading with is part of the EU or not, you can see a list of all EU countries or search for a specific country on the EU website.
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What is updated: Linguistic adjustment