New Zealand Pet Travel Rules: 2026 Updates for Dogs and Cats
Last updated: 27 September 2026
New Zealand changed its pet import rules in 2026. The revised Import Health Standard (IHS) affects cats and dogs travelling from Great Britain, and there is a transition period during which either the old or new rules can apply. The most significant practical change is a new pre-export identification check that has to be arranged well ahead of departure.
This article isn’t a full guide to moving a pet to New Zealand. If you want the complete process, we cover that in our complete guide to taking a dog from Great Britain to New Zealand and our complete guide to taking a cat from Great Britain to New Zealand. What follows is a focused look at what has actually changed, so you can work out how it affects your own timeline.
Quick summary
New Zealand’s revised Cats and Dogs IHS came into force on 1 July 2026, with a 9-month transition period.
Both the 2021 and 2026 requirements can currently be used, but not mixed within one export.
The main change is a new pre-export identification check, timed against the rabies blood test (RNATT).
Because the new identification check must be completed at least six months before export, MPI says pre-export identification checks will need to be implemented from 1 October 2026.
From 1 April 2027, every cat and dog entering New Zealand must meet the 2026 requirements.
RNATT validity has been shortened from 24 months to 12 months, and dogs now need a specific lungworm treatment that wasn’t previously required.
What’s changed in 2026?
The overall shape of the process hasn’t changed: rabies vaccination and testing, parasite treatments, an import permit, and quarantine on arrival are all still there. What’s changed is a new verification step before export, a shorter RNATT window, and some reworked disease-specific requirements.
1. New pre-export identification checks
This is the main addition in the 2026 standard, and it’s it’s easy to confuse with routine microchip scanning.
At every veterinary appointment, your vet scans and checks your pet’s microchip as a matter of course. The new pre-export identification check is different: it’s a specific check carried out by an Official Veterinarian at a defined point relative to the RNATT blood sample, and it has to be reported directly to MPI before an import permit can be issued.
For a Category 3 country such as Great Britain, the timing depends on when the RNATT sample is taken:
If the sample is taken 6 to 12 months before shipment, one identification check is required, done before or at the same time as the blood sample.
If the sample is taken 3 months to under 6 months before shipment, two checks are required: the first at least six months before shipment, the second before the blood sample is taken.
This requirement applies only to exports being prepared under the 2026 process. It does not exist under the 2021 standard, so if your pet’s export is being certified against the 2021 requirements during the transition period, this check simply doesn’t apply.
2. The transition period: 2021 vs 2026 requirements
Three dates matter here:
1 July 2026, when the 2026 IHS came into force.
1 October 2026, when the new pre-export identification checks need to be implemented for pets being prepared under the 2026 process.
1 April 2027, when the 2021 route closes and every pet must meet the 2026 requirements.
The two standards can’t be blended. RNATT validity differs between them, and the 2021 process includes a residency declaration for the country of export that the 2026 process largely replaces with the identification check instead. Establish early which standard your pet’s export is being prepared under, and keep to it throughout.
3. Changes affecting dogs
Lungworm. The 2021 standard didn’t include Angiostrongylus vasorum as a specified requirement at all. The 2026 standard adds it as its own clause, requiring treatment with a product effective against lungworm in the five days before shipment, on top of the existing nematode and cestode treatment.
Babesia. The 2021 requirement covered dogs that had resided in or travelled to South Africa. The 2026 standard broadens this to mainland Africa generally, and reflects the current taxonomy by referring to Babesia rossi. Owners of dogs that haven’t been to mainland Africa now need to provide a written declaration confirming that. The testing routes have also changed, including a new pathway for dogs under six months old.
Brucella canis. The 2021 standard offered a testing route only. The 2026 standard adds two further options: a desexing certificate (a desexed dog doesn’t need Brucella testing), and evidence the dog has only ever lived in a country MPI recognises as free of the disease. The mating declaration has also changed, moving from a single fixed window to a tiered approach based on how recently the dog was bred.
Rabies and RNATT. The blood test itself is unchanged, but its validity has been reduced from 24 months to 12 months. A titre result that would still be usable under the 2021 rules may already be too old for a 2026 export.
Leishmania infantum. This wasn’t a listed requirement in 2021. It now appears as a formal clause in the 2026 standard, though whether it applies in practice depends on the exporting country’s current status on MPI’s approved list.
4. Changes affecting cats
The changes for cats are narrower. The most relevant one is external parasite treatment: cats now need a single treatment against fleas and ticks, given within 16 days of shipment, where the 2021 standard required two treatments. The pre-export identification check and the shortened RNATT window described above apply to cats in the same way as they do to dogs.
Lungworm treatment is a dogs-only requirement in both standards, and doesn’t apply to cats. The Bengal cat provision (eligible with documented proof of five generations of domestic ancestry) is unchanged.
5. What this means if you’re travelling from Great Britain
Check which IHS a checklist or piece of guidance is describing before relying on it.
Don’t assume an existing RNATT result still counts. The shortened 12-month window may already rule it out.
If your pet is going through the 2026 process, the identification check needs arranging early, given the lead time built into it.
The current UK export certificates (EHC 6026 for dogs, EHC 2593 for cats) do not yet appear to fully reflect the 2026 MPI requirements in every respect. For example, they still specify two external parasite treatments for cats where the 2026 standard now asks for one. We are currently seeking clarification from APHA on how the UK certification process will align with the revised MPI requirements, and we’ll update our guides once that position is confirmed.
Speak to your vet about which pathway suits your dates before booking flights or quarantine space.
If you’d like this worked through for your own pet, our team can talk you through it: book an appointment.
6. What should you do now?
Travelling before 1 October 2026: the 2021 process, without the new identification check, is likely to still work. Confirm this with your Official Veterinarian before starting.
Travelling between 1 October 2026 and 1 April 2027: decide early which standard fits your dates. If you use the 2026 process, arrange the identification check as soon as possible.
Travelling from 1 April 2027 onwards: the 2026 process applies to you regardless. Build the identification check, the 12-month RNATT window, and the revised Babesia, Brucella canis and lungworm requirements into your planning from the start.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changed for pets travelling to New Zealand in 2026?
MPI introduced a revised Import Health Standard on 1 July 2026. It adds a new pre-export identification check, shortens RNATT validity to 12 months, introduces a lungworm treatment requirement for dogs, and revises the Babesia and Brucella canis requirements.
What is the New Zealand pet identification check?
A microchip scan and verification carried out by an Official Veterinarian at a set point relative to the RNATT blood sample, reported directly to MPI before an import permit is issued. It’s separate from the routine scanning done at ordinary vet visits.
When does the New Zealand pet identification check start applying?
It applies to any export prepared under the 2026 process. Because it must be done at least six months before shipment, MPI treats 1 October 2026 as the date by which pets need to be on that pathway.
Can I still use the old New Zealand pet import requirements?
Yes, until 1 April 2027, under the transition arrangements. The 2021 and 2026 requirements can’t be combined within a single export.
When do the 2026 New Zealand pet import rules become compulsory?
From 1 April 2027, when the transition period ends.
Is lungworm treatment now required for dogs travelling to New Zealand?
Yes. This is a new requirement under the 2026 standard, not an existing one in different wording.
Does my dog’s existing RNATT result still count under the 2026 rules?
Only if the blood sample was taken within the last 12 months. The 2021 standard allowed up to 24 months.
Do the 2026 changes affect cats travelling to New Zealand?
Less than they affect dogs. The main change is that cats now need one external parasite treatment instead of two, and the identification check and shortened RNATT window also apply to them.
New Zealand’s import requirements can change, so always check the latest MPI and APHA guidance before travel.
If you’re planning to take your dog or cat from Great Britain to New Zealand, getting the veterinary timings right matters, particularly under the 2026 requirements. The London Travel Vet can help you understand what your pet needs, plan the veterinary steps in the right order, and complete the required UK export certification.
Book an appointment with The London Travel Vet to talk through your pet’s move and make sure you’re working to the correct requirements and timings.