Non-commercial movement of pet animals destined to Hungary

Last update: 25/04/2025

Please note that only if all of the following conditions are met (based on Regulation (EU) 2016/429) may the transport of pet animals be considered non-commercial:

• The movement is neither for the purpose of selling nor transferring ownership of the pet animal.
  • Therefore, regarding the change of ownership, gifting, adoption, and free placement with a new owner are also considered as commercial movements!

• The number of transported animals may not exceed five.
  • Any movement, irrespective of its purpose, is considered commercial if the number of animals moved by one owner exceeds five.

• The animal(s) must accompany the owner or a natural person authorised in writing by the owner during the transport.
  • However, if properly documented, the owner or authorised person does not have to accompany the animal, but the movement of the animal is considered non-commercial if it takes place within five days before or after the movement of the owner or authorised person (e.g. if they cannot travel on the same flight)

All movements not meeting the above conditions are considered as commercial movements and are therefore subject to different, stricter animal health requirements.

In order to be moved into an EU country from another EU country, the following conditions must be met:

1. Marking 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must be marked by the implantation of a transponder (see technical specifications in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 576/2013)

2. Vaccination against rabies 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must be vaccinated against rabies by an authorised veterinarian in accordance with Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, as follows:

• the animal was at least 12 weeks old at the date the vaccine was administered,
• the date of administration of the vaccine does not precede the date of marking or reading of the transponder,
• the period of validity of the vaccination starts not less than 21 days from the completion of the vaccination protocol for the primary vaccination, and any subsequent vaccination was carried out within the period of validity of the preceding vaccination.

3. Treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis 
   The pet animal (dog only) must, prior to entering a Member State or United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) listed in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2017, or Norway, be treated against the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/772, as follows:

• the treatment must be administered by a veterinarian within a period of not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before the time of scheduled entry
• the treatment must be certified by the administering veterinarian in the relevant section of the passport

4. Passport and declaration 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must be accompanied by:

• a passport (see model in Part 1 of Annex III to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013)
  • completed and issued by an authorised veterinarian
  • documenting the alpha-numeric code displayed by the transponder or the tattoo, the details of the vaccination against rabies, and where applicable, the details of the treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis.
• a written declaration signed by the owner, in the case where the movement of the animal is carried out under the responsibility of a natural person who has authorisation in writing from the owner to carry out the non-commercial movement of the animal on behalf of the owner, and within not more than five days of the owner’s movement.

Exceptions

1. Regarding the number of pet animals moved 
   Where pet animals (dogs, cats or ferrets) are moved in a number of more than five and the conditions to derogate are not met, the animals are to comply with the animal health conditions applicable to trade in the Union.

2. Regarding the marking 
   EU countries shall authorise the movement into their territory of dogs, cats and ferrets marked by a clearly readable tattoo if applied before 3 July 2011.
    
3. Regarding the vaccination against rabies 
   EU countries may authorise the movement into their territory of young dogs, cats and ferrets which are less than 12 weeks old and have not received an anti-rabies vaccination or are between 12 and 16 weeks old and have received an anti-rabies vaccination, but 21 days have not elapsed since the completion of the vaccination protocol for the primary vaccination against rabies.

In that case, the animals must be accompanied by either:

• a declaration of the owner (drawn up in accordance with the model set out in Part 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013) attached to the passport stating that from birth until the time of dispatch, the animals have had no contact with wild animals of species susceptible to rabies, or
• their mother on whom they still depend and from the passport of their mother it can be established that the mother received before their birth a valid anti-rabies vaccination.

4. Regarding the treatment against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis 
   Dogs moving directly between Member States or United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) listed in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2017 are exempted from the treatment against the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis.
    
5. Regarding the passport 
   The movement into an EU country from another EU country of a pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) accompanied by a health certificate shall be authorised if carried out within the validity of such document.

In order to be moved into an EU country from a territory or a third country, the following conditions should be met:

1. Marking 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must be marked by the implantation of a transponder (see technical specifications in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 576/2013)
    
2. Vaccination against rabies 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must be vaccinated against rabies by an authorised veterinarian in accordance with Annex III to Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, as follows:

• the animal was at least 12 weeks old at the date the vaccine was administered
• the date of administration of the vaccine does not precede the date of marking or reading of the transponder
• the period of validity of the vaccination starts not less than 21 days from the completion of the vaccination protocol for the primary vaccination, and any subsequent vaccination was carried out within the period of validity of the preceding vaccination

3. Rabies antibody test 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must undergo a rabies antibody titration test in accordance with Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 576/2013, as follows:

• the test must be carried out on a sample collected by an authorised veterinarian at least 30 days after the date of vaccination and not less than three months before the date of movement
• the test must measure a level of neutralising antibody to rabies virus in serum equal to or greater than 0,5 IU/ml
• the test must be performed in an approved laboratory
  • EU approved laboratory for rabies serological test in Hungary
  • Rabies antibody titer test informations (Hungary)
  • Rabies antibody titer test order form document (Hungary)
  • Verification of the validity of Hungarian rabies serological test reports

4. Treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis 
   The pet animal (dog only) must, prior to entering a Member State listed in the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/878, or Norway, be treated against the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2018/772, as follows:

• the treatment must be administered by a veterinarian within a period of not more than 120 hours and not less than 24 hours before the time of scheduled entry
• the treatment must be certified by the administering veterinarian in the relevant section of the passport.

5. Health Certificate and Declaration 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must be accompanied by:

• an animal health certificate (courtesy translations) - see model in Part 1 of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 as last amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/1293
  • completed and issued by an official veterinarian, or by an authorised veterinarian and subsequently endorsed by the competent authority
  • documenting the alpha-numeric code displayed by the transponder or the tattoo, the details of vaccination against rabies, the details of the blood sampling, and where applicable, the details of the treatment against Echinococcus multilocularis
  • valid for 10 days from the date of issue by the official veterinarian until the date of the documentary and identity checks at the travellers' points of entry designated by Member States. In the case of a transport by sea, that period of 10 days is extended by an additional period corresponding to the duration of the journey by sea. For the purpose of further movements into other Member States the certificate is valid from the date of the documentary and identity checks for a total of four months or until the date of expiry of the anti-rabies vaccination or until the conditions relating to animals less than 16 weeks old cease to apply, whichever date is earlier.
• a written declaration completed by the owner or an authorised person (see model in Part 3 of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013) regarding the non-commercial nature of the movement and attesting, where appropriate, the carriage of the animal under the responsibility of an authorised person within up to five days of the movement of the owner.

6. Travellers' point of entry 
   The pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) must pass through a travellers' point of entry designated by Member States (see below). The owner must, at the time of entry, contact the competent authority present at the point of entry for the purposes of the documentary and identity checks.

Exceptions

1. Regarding the number of pet animals moved 
   Where pet animals (dogs, cats or ferrets) are moved in a number of more than five and the conditions to derogate are not met, the animals are to comply with the animal health conditions applicable to imports into the Union.
    
2. Regarding the marking 
   EU countries shall authorise the movement into their territory of dogs, cats and ferrets marked by a clearly readable tattoo if applied before 3 July 2011.
    
3. Regarding the vaccination against rabies 
   EU countries may authorise the movement into their territory from territories or third countries listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013 of young dogs, cats and ferrets which are less than 12 weeks old and have not received an anti-rabies vaccination or are between 12 and 16 weeks old and have received an anti-rabies vaccination, but 21 days have not elapsed since the completion of the vaccination protocol for the primary vaccination against rabies.

In that case, the animals must be accompanied by either:

• a declaration of the owner (see model set out in Part 1 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013) attached to the animal health certificate stating that from birth until the time of dispatch, the animals have had no contact with wild animals of species susceptible to rabies, or
• their mother on whom they still depend and from the animal health certificate of their mother it can be established that the mother received before their birth a valid anti-rabies vaccination

4. Regarding the rabies antibody titration test

• The test is not required for pet animals (dogs, cats or ferrets) moved into an EU country from a territory or a third country listed in Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1130
• The test does not have to be renewed following a satisfactory result, provided that the pet animal is revaccinated within the period of validity of the previous vaccination
• The three-month period shall not apply to the re-entry of a pet animal whose passport certifies that the test was carried out and documented, with a favourable result, before the animal left the Union

5. Regarding the animal health certificate 
   The movement into an EU country from a territory or a third country of a pet animal (dog, cat or ferret) accompanied by a passport shall be authorised.

• if issued in one of the territory or third country listed in Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2016
• if completed and issued by an authorised veterinarian before leaving the Union.

6. Regarding the passage through a travellers’ point of entry

• Pet animals entering an EU country or United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) from a territory or a third country listed in Part 1 of Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 577/2013, as last amended by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/2016 are not required to pass through a travellers' point of entry.
• EU countries may authorise registered military or search-and-rescue dogs to move through a point of entry other than a travellers’ point of entry.

The animal health requirements are determined by the concerned third country. The known English languaged third country pet animal information webpages are the following:

• Australia 
• United States of America 
• Japan 
• Canada

• Listing of territories and third countries
• Travellers' Points of Entry
• European Commission – Non-commercial movement within the EU
• European Commission – Non-commercial movement from non-EU countries
• European Commission – Designated laboratories for performing rabies antibody titration tests