OV66 and RNATT for Dogs and Cats Travelling from the UK to Australia
Last updated: 4 October 2026
If you’re taking a dog or cat from the UK to Australia, OV66 and RNATT are two terms you’ll need to understand. They are closely connected, but refer to different parts of the export process.
Each describes a different part of the process Australia uses to establish an animal's identity and confirm its rabies immunity. Most importantly, the identity checks need to happen before the RNATT blood sample is taken before a 10-day quarantine route is possible.
This isn't a full guide to moving a pet to Australia. Our separate dog and cat guides cover the wider import process. What follows is a closer look at the parts that cause the most confusion, and why the order they happen in matters so much.
The essentials
OV66: an extra APHA authorisation for Official Veterinarians (OVs), specific to exporting dogs and cats to Australia. Many OVs don’t have it.
Identity checks: two are required, by two different OV66 vets from different practices, each between 180 and 365 days before export.
RNATT: a rabies antibody blood test. The result must be 0.5 IU/ml or above, from an approved laboratory, and stays valid for 12 months.
Order: both identity checks come before the blood sample. The second check and the sample can take place on the same day.
Blood sample: for the 10-day route, this must be taken by an OV66-authorised vet. That vet cannot then complete the RNATT declaration or sign the Export Health Certificate.
RNATT declaration: a separate veterinary document, completed once the laboratory result is available.
10 days isn’t automatic: Australia confirms the applicable quarantine period in your pet’s import permit.
What OV66 means
Official Veterinarians (OVs) are the vets authorised by APHA to certify animal exports. OV66 is an additional authorisation for OVs preparing dogs and cats for Australia. It's a UK authorisation, not an Australian qualification, and not every experienced OV holds it.
Australia introduced the identity verification process in November 2024. DAFF says the change followed a rise in fraudulent activity overseas and is intended to provide greater assurance that the animal identified for export is the same animal undergoing the subsequent preparation.
It allows appropriately authorised OVs to carry out the additional identity verification and export preparation required for a reduced 10-day quarantine route. A vet without OV66 can still prepare a pet for Australia, but where the requirements for the 10-day route have not been met, the minimum quarantine period is 30 days.
Our EHC guide explains how Export Health Certificates work more generally.
What happens at an OV66 identity check
The vet scans your pet’s microchip and compares the number with the relevant documents. They also confirm the chip is registered on a UK government-approved database with your details attached, so have the registration information to hand.
A photograph is required; it needs to be in colour and show the scanner displaying a legible microchip number, with your pet’s distinguishing features visible in the frame. DAFF can ask for a replacement photograph. If the replacement is also unacceptable, the identity declaration becomes invalid and your pet may no longer qualify for the 10-day quarantine route. If a further identity declaration is required, the RNATT sample will also need to be repeated.
The vet signs, stamps and dates the declaration, then sends it with the photograph directly to DAFF from their registered email address. You don’t send it yourself.
The London Travel Vet can carry out OV66 identity checks at your home.
Why there are two identity checks
DAFF requires the identity verification to happen in two stages. Each stage is carried out by a different OV66 vet from a different practice, and each vet completes a separate declaration.
The first identity check must take place before the RNATT blood sample is taken. The second check must also be completed before the sample, although the second check and blood sampling can take place on the same day.
Both checks need to fall between 180 and 365 days before export, and DAFF treats the date of the second check as the date your pet's identity was verified.
You need two appropriately authorised OV66 vets from different practices involved in the process.
What the RNATT tells us
RNATT stands for rabies neutralising antibody titre test. After a rabies vaccination, your pet's body produces antibodies. The RNATT measures whether the level of rabies-neutralising antibodies meets Australia's requirement. The result must be 0.5 IU/ml or above.
The sample has to be tested at an approved laboratory. GOV.UK publishes the relevant UK laboratory information, and laboratories approved in countries Australia recognises may also be accepted. The laboratory report needs to identify your pet correctly, including the microchip number, sampling date and result.
Australia is free of rabies, and an infected animal can appear well for an extended period. A vaccination certificate alone therefore doesn't satisfy Australia's import requirements. Your pet must complete a 180-day waiting period before export, counted from the date the RNATT sample reaches the laboratory. This is an observation period for the import process, not 180 days of quarantine in Australia.
The RNATT remains valid for 12 months from the sampling date, and it must still be valid on the day your pet leaves the UK.
For the 10-day route, the blood sample must be taken by an OV66-authorised vet.
The RNATT declaration
The RNATT declaration is a separate veterinary document completed after the laboratory report is available.
The OV reviews the laboratory report and your pet's rabies vaccination certificate. They check your pet's details against the relevant import documentation, and the microchip number and sampling date need to match. The declaration then forms part of the Australian import permit application.
For the 10-day route, the RNATT declaration must be completed by an OV66-authorised vet who did not take the blood sample. The vet who took the blood sample cannot also complete the RNATT declaration or endorse the Export Health Certificate for this route.
How OV66 and RNATT fit together
Microchip. The microchip must be in place before the rabies vaccination and before the RNATT sample is taken.
Rabies vaccination. The vaccination itself does not have to be given by an OV66 vet.
First identity check with OV66 vet A.
Second identity check with OV66 vet B, from a different practice.
Blood sample, taken on or after the second check by an OV66-authorised vet.
Laboratory result of 0.5 IU/ml or above.
RNATT declaration, completed by an OV66 vet who did not take the blood sample.
Import permit application, with the declaration and other required documentation. The remaining Australian import requirements are then completed.
Export Health Certificate, completed by an appropriately authorised OV who did not take the RNATT blood sample, with the final certification taking place within five days of export. The relevant declarations and laboratory reports accompany the certificate.
Travel and quarantine. If all requirements for the 10-day route have been met, the applicable quarantine period can be a minimum of 10 days.
DAFF does not recognise identity checks completed after the blood sample has been taken. A sample taken too early therefore cannot count towards the 10-day route. If the RNATT needs to be repeated, the 180-day waiting period starts again from the new sample. The second identity check and the blood sample can take place on the same day, as long as the identity check happens first.
10-day versus 30-day quarantine
Without the required identity verification, dogs and cats travelling from the UK are subject to a minimum 30-day quarantine period in Australia. A minimum of 10 days is available when the identity checks, RNATT and other required conditions have been completed correctly.
Holding OV66 authorisation does not, by itself, guarantee 10-day quarantine. The Australian import permit confirms whether 10 or 30 days applies, and missing a required step can mean your pet is placed on the longer quarantine pathway.
Our separate Australia guides for dogs and cats cover the other requirements involved in preparing for import.
Common mistakes
Assuming any OV can perform an identity check. The identity checks for the 10-day route must be completed by appropriately authorised OV66 vets.
Using the same practice for both checks. The two checks must be completed by vets from different practices.
Taking the blood sample before the second identity check. The second identity check must come first.
Treating the laboratory result as the RNATT declaration. They are separate documents.
Having the same vet take the blood and complete the declaration. For the 10-day route, the vet who takes the sample cannot complete the RNATT declaration.
Counting the 180 days from the wrong date. The waiting period is counted from the date the sample reaches the laboratory.
Leaving the sequence too close to departure. There is no way to shorten the 180-day waiting period.
Assuming OV66 alone secures 10-day quarantine. Your Australian import permit confirms the applicable quarantine period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does OV66 mean?
OV66 is the APHA authorisation for Official Veterinarians carrying out the additional export preparation required for dogs and cats travelling to Australia on the 10-day quarantine route.
Does my vet need OV66 to prepare my pet for Australia?
Only for the 10-day route. A pet can still be prepared for Australia without OV66, but the minimum quarantine period is 30 days where the requirements for the 10-day route have not been met.
Do the two identity checks have to be at different practices?
Yes. They must be completed by two different OV66-authorised vets from different practices.
Can the second identity check and RNATT blood sample happen on the same day?
Yes. The identity check must happen first, before the blood sample is taken.
Who can take the RNATT blood sample?
For the 10-day route, the blood sample must be taken by an OV66-authorised vet.
Can the vet who takes the blood complete the RNATT declaration?
No. The RNATT declaration must be completed by a different OV66-authorised vet.
Is the RNATT declaration the same as the laboratory report?
No. The laboratory issues the RNATT result, while an OV completes the separate RNATT declaration after reviewing the result and supporting documentation.
Can I use an RNATT I already have?
Not if the sample was taken before the required identity checks and you want to use it for the 10-day quarantine route. In that situation, a new sample may be required after the identity verification, and the 180-day waiting period starts again.
What happens if the identity photograph is rejected?
DAFF may request a replacement photograph. If the replacement is also rejected and a further identity declaration is required, the RNATT sample will also need to be repeated.
How long does an RNATT last?
The RNATT remains valid for 12 months from the sampling date and must still be valid when your pet leaves the UK.
Is the process the same for dogs and cats?
The OV66 identity checks, RNATT and RNATT declaration follow the same basic sequence for both dogs and cats travelling from the UK to Australia.
The London Travel Vet
We carry out OV66 identity checks and complete RNATT declarations at your home. Where another OV66 vet is taking the blood sample, we can coordinate the certification around their appointment.
If you're planning to take your dog or cat from the UK to Australia, we can help you plan the order of your pet's veterinary appointments.
Book an appointment with The London Travel Vet →
Australia’s import requirements can change, so always check the latest DAFF and APHA guidance when planning your pet’s journey.