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Swedish Board of Agriculture
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Animals
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Import
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Dogs and cats
- Puppies and kittens
P
uppies and kittens younger than three months
On this page you will find the rules on bringing a puppy or a kitten younger than three months to Sweden, as well as the rules for transit. The rules may change temporarily for instance if a contagious disease breaks out in a given country.
If you buy a puppy or a kitten abroad and want to bring it to Sweden, you need to apply to the Board of Agriculture for a licence. Animals from the United Kingdom or from Ireland are exempted from that rule.
If the animal comes from an EU country it must be accompanied by a pet passport, in which a licenced veterinarian has entered the animal's identity number and deworming data. If the animal comes from a non-EU country, it must instead be accompanied by a veterinary certificate for pets. This certificate must be issued by an official veterinarian. You will find the veterinary certificate for pets in the right-hand column.
Animals that are transported as cargo, i.e. not inside the cabin or as excess weight luggage, as well as animals that are to be sold after being imported into Sweden, count as trade animals. Trade animals must be inspected by an official veterinarian or an export veterinarian before being brought into Sweden. This health check shall take place no more than 24 hours before departure.
The person in Sweden who is buying the animal is the one who needs to apply for a licence. You may apply for a licence to bring no more than five animals per year. Please send your application, a breeder's certificate and a copy of the payment receipt to the Board of Agriculture. In the right-hand column, you will find both an application form and a form for the breeder's certificate.
State the animal's species, breed, date of birth, and identity number. The identity number is the number of the tattoo or the microchip, not the registration number. You can apply for a licence before the animal has been identified, and provide the identity number once you have this information from the breeder. However, we cannot complete the licence until we have the number.
Enclose the breeder's certificate that the animal has remained at the breeder's and has not had any contact with animals that may carry rabies. The certificate must be signed, but you may scan it and send it to us by email.
Pay the application fee of SEK 900 to the Board of Agriculture at bank giro account No 5693-2486 before submitting your application, and identify the payment by the number 10504. Payment from abroad is made via SWIFT (address: NDEASESS) or via Eurogiro. International Bank account code (IBAN-CODE): SE79 9500 0099 6026 0304 5291.
If you bring a kitten or a puppy from abroad and cross Sweden to another country, you also need to apply for a licence. The rules for transiting through Sweden are the same as for importing animals to stay. You also use the same forms.
Dogs brought permanently to Sweden need to be registered in the central dog register. Please contact our Customer Service for more information.
You need a licence from the Board of Agriculture
If you buy a puppy or a kitten abroad and want to bring it to Sweden, you need to apply to the Board of Agriculture for a licence. Animals from the United Kingdom or from Ireland are exempted from that rule.
More information on direct import from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
You need to comply with the following in order to get a licence
- The animal comes from a country that has not had a case of rabies in at least two years. Here is a list of rabies-free countries.
- The animal is to remain in Sweden.
- The animal must be brought directly from the breeder to Sweden by airflight. If a touchdown or reloading cannot be avoided, the animal must not leave the airport. Animals from Denmark or Finland may be brought by car, flight or boat. Animals from Germany may be brought directly by boat or airplane. Animals from a country outside the EC must be transported by air to Stockholm/Arlanda or Gotheburg/Landvetter. Animals from an EC country may enter at all entries. You can also fly the animal to Copenhagen and then enter Sweden on the Öresundbridge. In that case you have to contact the border staff at least 24 hours before the arrival at phonenumber 0045 32 46 00 99, faxnumber 0045 32 45 19 91 or by email.
- The animal is younger than three months of age when imported
- The animal is ID-marked with a microchip (ISO-standard) or a permanent tattoo
- The animal must be dewormed against Echinococcus spp. by an approved veterinarian within 10 days prior to import.
- The animal does not need to be vaccinated against rabies.
- The animal has stayed exclusively in the breeding facility and has had no contact with other animals. It has not been kept at a pet shop, zoo or with an animal rescue organisation.
The animal needs a pet passport or a veterinary certificate
If the animal comes from an EU country it must be accompanied by a pet passport, in which a licenced veterinarian has entered the animal's identity number and deworming data. If the animal comes from a non-EU country, it must instead be accompanied by a veterinary certificate for pets. This certificate must be issued by an official veterinarian. You will find the veterinary certificate for pets in the right-hand column.
Cargo and trade animals need to be inspected before departure
Animals that are transported as cargo, i.e. not inside the cabin or as excess weight luggage, as well as animals that are to be sold after being imported into Sweden, count as trade animals. Trade animals must be inspected by an official veterinarian or an export veterinarian before being brought into Sweden. This health check shall take place no more than 24 hours before departure.
The veterinarian shall make a note in the veterinary certificate for trade animals or in the pet passport that the health check has been carried out. You will find the veterinary certificate for trade animals in the right-hand column. Please contact the veterinary authority in the country you are in, in order to find a suitable official or export veterinarian.
Please remember to check that the animal also complies with all other conditions for import into Sweden.
How to apply for a licence
The person in Sweden who is buying the animal is the one who needs to apply for a licence. You may apply for a licence to bring no more than five animals per year. Please send your application, a breeder's certificate and a copy of the payment receipt to the Board of Agriculture. In the right-hand column, you will find both an application form and a form for the breeder's certificate.
The processing time for a complete application for a permit is 15 days. Note that in rare cases, the processing time may go over 15 days due to circumstances that we are not responsible for. You should therefore ensure that you receive the permit in original before you order and book your trip.
The application
State the animal's species, breed, date of birth, and identity number. The identity number is the number of the tattoo or the microchip, not the registration number. You can apply for a licence before the animal has been identified, and provide the identity number once you have this information from the breeder. However, we cannot complete the licence until we have the number.
State time and place of import, route, as well as how the animal will be transported and with whom. If someone other than yourself is to bring the animal, please supply his or her name.
The breeder's certificate
Enclose the breeder's certificate that the animal has remained at the breeder's and has not had any contact with animals that may carry rabies. The certificate must be signed, but you may scan it and send it to us by email.
The payment
Pay the application fee of SEK 900 to the Board of Agriculture at bank giro account No 5693-2486 before submitting your application, and identify the payment by the number 10504. Payment from abroad is made via SWIFT (address: NDEASESS) or via Eurogiro. International Bank account code (IBAN-CODE): SE79 9500 0099 6026 0304 5291.
Please enclose a copy of the payment receipt with the application. You will not get a refund if you withdraw your application later, since you pay for our time and not for the actual licence.
The same rules apply to transit
If you bring a kitten or a puppy from abroad and cross Sweden to another country, you also need to apply for a licence. The rules for transiting through Sweden are the same as for importing animals to stay. You also use the same forms.
Dogs need to be registered
Dogs brought permanently to Sweden need to be registered in the central dog register. Please contact our Customer Service for more information.
Last updated:2010-07-15
Jordbruksverket 2009