Dog Transport to Australia
Bringing a dog to Australia means months of sequenced preparation: identity checks, titer testing, permits, quarantine, and an approved flight into Melbourne. We manage every stage door to door.
Bringing your dog to Australia?
✦ TL;DR
Your dog's pathway depends on the country they're exported from, not your own nationality.
Australia sorts eligible exporting countries into Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3; dogs coming from a non-approved country, including Thailand and Malaysia, must first complete at least 180 days living in an approved country.
Most Group 3 dogs need a rabies vaccination, an RNATT titer test, and at least six months of lead time, plus their own crate sized to their exact breed and build.
Dogs on the Group 2 and Group 3 pathways need an Australian biosecurity import permit, must fly as manifest cargo directly into Melbourne, and complete 10 or 30 days at the Mickleham quarantine facility; compliant Group 1 dogs follow different arrival rules.
A short list of breeds and all wolf-dog hybrids are prohibited outright, so confirm your dog's breed is admissible before you plan anything else.
Australia is free from rabies and several diseases still present in much of the world, and its import rules exist to keep it that way. Most dogs arriving on the Group 2 and Group 3 pathways go through the same sequence: identification, veterinary preparation, government certification, an import permit, an approved flight, and post-entry quarantine. Compliant Group 1 dogs follow a shorter pathway without an import permit or post-entry quarantine. Whichever pathway applies, completing its required steps out of order is the single biggest cause of delay.
If you're also moving your whole household, our Australia relocation guide covers customs, visas, and shipping your goods. Travelling with a cat instead of, or alongside, your dog? The general pet pathway to Australia, including the country groups and Mickleham quarantine that also apply to cats, is covered in our pet transport to Australia guide. This page goes deeper on what's different for dogs specifically: breed-based crate sizing, the prohibited breed list, and the extra veterinary checks that some Group 3 dogs need beyond the standard rabies test.
How dog transport to Australia works
One coordinator manages your dog's eligibility, veterinary sequence, permit, quarantine booking, flight, and delivery, so nothing is completed out of order.
Confirm the pathway
We classify your dog's country of export into Group 1, 2, 3, or non-approved and map the exact sequence, breed checks, and earliest realistic arrival date.
Identity & veterinary preparation
Microchip verification, rabies vaccination, an RNATT titer test, and any country-specific treatments your dog needs, completed in the order Australia requires.
Permit, quarantine & flight
For Group 2 and Group 3 dogs, we secure the import permit, book Mickleham quarantine, arrange manifest-cargo uplift into Melbourne, and manage arrival through to release and delivery. For Group 1 dogs, we coordinate the applicable health certification, transport, and first-entry clearance.
Australia's dog import country groups
Australia doesn't apply one universal set of rules to every dog. Approved exporting countries are sorted into three groups based on their recognised animal-health and rabies status, and the group determines almost everything about your dog's preparation.
The first question isn't "which country does my dog live in?" It's: which country will officially prepare and certify my dog for export to Australia, and which Australian country group does it belong to?
How long does it take to bring a dog to Australia?
For a straightforward Group 2 or Group 3 move, allow at least six months. Eight to ten months is more comfortable when your dog needs a new rabies vaccination course, the first RNATT result comes back inadequate, quarantine availability doesn't line up with your dates, your dog is a large or giant breed that needs a custom crate built to order, or your dog is starting from a non-approved country.
A typical Group 3 sequence:
- Month 0: confirm the microchip and complete formal identity verification
- Month 0 to 1: confirm valid rabies vaccination, then collect the RNATT blood sample
- Month 1 onward: the 180-day preparation period runs
- Several months before travel: apply for the import permit (most are issued in 20 to 40 business days, some take longer), and start crate training for large or nervous dogs early
- After permit issue: book Mickleham quarantine, then align the flight
- Final weeks: parasite treatments, any remaining canine-specific tests, and government certification
- Within five days of export: final veterinary examination
Don't wait until the 180-day period is almost finished before thinking about the permit, quarantine, and flight. Each has its own lead time, and none guarantees the others. Large and giant breeds have one more variable most owners don't plan for: a made-to-measure crate can itself take several weeks to source, so measure your dog and order early rather than leaving it to the final month.
Microchip and identity verification
The microchip is the identity anchor for your dog's entire import. It links the physical animal to every vaccination, blood sample, laboratory report, declaration, the permit, and the final arrival inspection. Australia requires an ISO-compliant chip (numbers beginning with 999 aren't accepted), scanned and recorded by an approved veterinarian at the required visits.
A one-digit mismatch between the chip and a laboratory report isn't a harmless typo. The department won't simply amend reports, and your dog may become ineligible. Scan the chip, verify the number independently, and check every document before leaving the clinic.
Identity verification also sets your quarantine length. A Group 3 dog whose identity is formally verified by the exporting country's competent authority before the main preparation can qualify for the minimum 10-day quarantine. Without that accepted pathway, a minimum 30-day stay may apply. This is a formal government process, not a private vet scanning the chip.
Rabies titer test and other veterinary checks
RNATT stands for Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test, a blood test proving your dog responded to rabies vaccination. Australia currently requires a result of at least 0.5 IU/mL for applicable Group 3 pathways, with the sample commonly drawn three to four weeks after a primary vaccination course. You may also see this called a rabies antibody test or titer test; it's the same requirement.
The 180-day wait exists because an infected animal can take up to 180 days to show signs of rabies, and no test can rule out hidden infection in a living animal. It's a core biosecurity control that no agent can waive.
Beyond the RNATT, Group 3 dogs typically face a short panel of dog-only requirements that don't apply to cats: a Leishmania infantum blood test and either a current Leptospira Canicola vaccination or a negative Leptospira test for every dog, plus a Brucella canis blood test for dogs that haven't been desexed. Ehrlichia canis testing was a requirement until Australia removed it for dogs, including assistance dogs, in late 2022, on the basis that the disease was already established in parts of Australia. Exact sample-collection windows and any country-specific additions depend on your dog's status and country of export, and requirements do change over time, so your relocation manager confirms the current panel against your dog's actual route rather than a generic list.
Keep the protection continuous:
- The RNATT is valid for 12 months from the date the blood sample is taken
- Rabies vaccination must remain continuously valid through export; a lapse can mean a new vaccination, a new test, and a restarted 180-day period
- If the first result is below 0.5 IU/mL, revaccination and retesting move your earliest travel date
- Put booster due dates in the calendar at the start of the process, not near the end
The Australian dog import permit and fees
Most dogs from Group 2 and Group 3 countries need a biosecurity import permit, applied for through the Australian Government's BICON system with route-specific evidence: identity documentation, the RNATT report and endorsed declaration, and the microchip details.
As at July 2026 the application charge is AUD 135 plus an initial assessment fee of AUD 491 for the first dog in a consignment. Group 2 permits are valid for 12 months; Group 3 permits expire with the RNATT, 12 months after its blood-sample date. In every case, the permit must remain valid on the day your dog lands.
A permit isn't a guarantee: quarantine may not have space on your preferred date, and the airline still has to accept your dog. The correct order is permit, then quarantine reservation, then airline coordination, then final veterinary preparation, then export. Not flight first, paperwork later.
Melbourne arrival and manifest cargo (no cabin option)
Dogs on the Group 2 and Group 3 pathways must arrive directly at Melbourne International Airport and travel as manifest cargo, not in the cabin and not as checked baggage. Biosecurity officers collect your dog on landing and transfer them directly to the Mickleham quarantine facility. Compliant Group 1 dogs can arrive at another Australian first point of entry and connect domestically after biosecurity clearance.
Manifest cargo is a control system, not suitcase treatment: your dog travels under an air waybill in a secured, compliant crate, loaded into a pressurised, ventilated, temperature-managed live-animal compartment. You can fly on the same aircraft, but your dog doesn't check in beside you.
If your final destination is in another state, plan two stages: the international leg into Melbourne plus quarantine, then onward Australian transport after release. We arrange both.
The Mickleham post-entry quarantine facility: what it's really like for a dog
Dogs arriving on the Group 2 and Group 3 pathways complete post-entry quarantine at the government's Mickleham facility north of Melbourne; home quarantine isn't available. Compliant Group 1 dogs arriving from New Zealand are the exception, with no post-entry quarantine period. For everyone else, the minimum stay is 10 or 30 days depending on the pathway and identity verification completed, and issues that increase biosecurity risk can extend it.
Day-to-day at the facility:
- Dogs are housed in individual climate-controlled kennels, kept separate from cats, with regular exercise built into staffed hours
- Biosecurity officers provide bedding and food throughout the stay
- Owners can't visit during the 10- or 30-day isolation period
- You should receive an email confirming safe arrival within 24 hours of landing
- Basic medication for stable conditions can be administered if disclosed in advance with clear English labelling
- Bedding, toys, and food sent inside the crate are destroyed on arrival as biosecurity waste; the facility supplies its own
Release is conditional on compliance. Treat a planned release date as provisional until the facility confirms eligibility.
Choosing the right crate for your dog's size
The crate is your dog's protective space for the entire journey, and it must fit the individual animal, not a category. IATA's rule is simple to state and easy to get wrong in practice: your dog must be able to stand naturally without their ears touching the roof, turn around fully, lie down in a natural position, and drink from an externally refillable container, with a secure metal door, leak-resistant floor, and airline-accepted construction.
"IATA approved" isn't a universal product certificate: the airline decides whether the actual crate suits your dog, the aircraft, and the route. A crate marketed as airline-approved can still be rejected if it's too small, damaged, or unsuitable for a powerfully built or snub-nosed dog. Measure your dog before finalising any booking, because crate volume, not body weight, is usually what drives the freight price.
Rough sizing by build, always confirmed against your specific dog before booking:
- Toy and small breeds (up to around 9 kg, e.g. Chihuahua, Miniature Dachshund): the smallest IATA-compliant crates, but still sized to the individual dog, not the breed average
- Medium breeds (roughly 9 to 25 kg, e.g. Border Collie, Cocker Spaniel): mid-sized crates where standing height at the shoulder, not just weight, usually decides the fit
- Large breeds (roughly 25 to 40 kg, e.g. Labrador, German Shepherd): one of the most common sizes to be refused at check-in when owners buy on weight alone and miss the ear-clearance and turning-room rules
- Giant breeds (over roughly 40 kg, e.g. Great Dane, Mastiff): frequently need a made-to-measure crate rather than an off-the-shelf size, which affects both cost and how far in advance you need to order
Crate training, started weeks before travel:
- Place the open crate in a familiar area and let your dog investigate freely
- Feed beside, then inside the crate, rewarding calm entry
- Close the door briefly, extending the duration gradually
- Practise drinking from the attached water bowl
- Introduce short vehicle trips and encourage sleeping inside
Banned dog breeds and hybrids for Australia
Australia bans import of the following dog breeds outright, under the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations, regardless of country of export:
- Dogo Argentino
- Fila Brasileiro
- Japanese Tosa
- American Pit Bull Terrier / Pit Bull Terrier
- Perro de Presa Canario / Presa Canario
Australia also bans import of certain named wolfdog-hybrid breeds under a separate wildlife-trade law, administered apart from the breed ban above. Two commonly cited examples:
- Czechoslovakian Wolfdog
- Saarloos Wolfdog
Your dog's breed must be declared during the application, and mixed-breed dogs with partial ancestry from a prohibited breed can also be refused, so declare parentage honestly rather than by registered breed name alone. This is an import prohibition, separate from the state and territory restricted-breed registers that govern owning a dog once it's already in Australia; a breed can be import-banned, domestically restricted, both, or neither, and the two lists don't match. Breed and hybrid-content classifications can change, and wolfdog-hybrid rules in particular are narrower and more specific than the standard breed ban, so confirm your dog's exact breed and any wolf ancestry with your relocation manager before booking. Airlines may separately impose their own restrictions beyond Australia's legal list: snub-nosed breeds in particular can face seasonal or route limits for respiratory-risk reasons, which is a different, airline-level check from the government prohibition above.
How much does it cost to bring a dog to Australia?
There's no honest universal average: origin country, your dog's size, crate volume, route, and quarantine length all move the total. What we can anchor is the government side. Australia's dog quarantine and permit costs are estimated (July 2026) at approximately AUD 3,114 for a minimum 10-day stay or AUD 4,234 for a minimum 30-day stay, regardless of your dog's size.
The government estimate excludes most of the actual relocation, and this is where dog size changes the total the most: microchip, rabies vaccination and RNATT, laboratory tests, veterinary examinations, official endorsements, the crate itself, airline freight and surcharges, origin collection, transit care, quarantine collection, and onward Australian delivery. Because air freight is charged on crate volume rather than body weight, a giant breed in a made-to-measure crate can cost substantially more to fly than a toy breed on the same route, even before any made-to-order crate premium is added.
A credible quote should itemise the full chain (origin collection, veterinary inclusions, permit, quarantine, freight, and delivery after Mickleham) with known exclusions stated, and it should reflect your dog's actual size and crate, not a generic per-pet figure. A low headline price that omits quarantine, Melbourne delivery, or your dog's real crate volume isn't a real comparison.
Common mistakes that delay Australian dog imports
- Starting with a flight search instead of the country pathway
- Completing rabies work before the correct identity step
- Letting the rabies vaccination lapse mid-preparation
- Recording the microchip incorrectly on any document
- Assuming the permit guarantees quarantine space
- Booking the family's move around an unconfirmed dog date
- Buying a crate on weight alone and discovering at check-in that a large or giant breed doesn't fit
- Leaving a made-to-measure crate for a giant breed until the final weeks
- Planning cabin travel into Australia, which isn't available on the standard pathway
- Assuming every dog qualifies for the 10-day quarantine
- Sending food, toys, or sentimental bedding in the crate (destroyed on arrival)
- Forgetting onward transport from Melbourne
- Treating an Australian-born dog as automatically exempt
Rated 4.8 by Dog Owners
What owners say about bringing their dogs to Australia
Frequently asked questions
Allow at least six months for most Group 2 and Group 3 pathways. A staged move from a non-approved country such as Thailand can take considerably longer, because at least 180 days of compliant residence in an approved country is required first. Large and giant breeds should add time for sourcing a made-to-measure crate.
Both exist. Group 3 dogs that complete accepted government identity verification can qualify for a minimum ten-day stay; without it, the minimum can be thirty days. Longer detention applies if biosecurity issues arise, and Australia doesn't guarantee a specific release date in advance.
For dogs on the Group 2 or Group 3 pathways, home quarantine isn't available. They complete Australian post-entry quarantine at the government facility in Mickleham, Victoria, and owners can't visit during the standard isolation period. Compliant Group 1 dogs, including dogs arriving from New Zealand, Norfolk Island, and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, are exempt from post-entry quarantine.
For Group 2 and Group 3 dogs, no. They must arrive directly at Melbourne International Airport and transfer to Mickleham. After release they can travel to any Australian city, and we arrange the domestic leg. Compliant Group 1 dogs can be cleared at their first point of entry in Australia and may connect domestically after clearance.
Not on the normal commercial import pathway; dogs must travel as manifest cargo, separately from any passenger you're travelling with, and are collected by biosecurity officers on landing rather than checked in with your luggage. Eligible assistance dogs and private charter arrangements follow different conditions and must still meet the biosecurity and arrival rules for their origin-country pathway.
The Rabies Neutralising Antibody Titre Test, sometimes called a titer or titre test, proves your dog responded to rabies vaccination, with a required result of at least 0.5 IU/mL. It anchors the 180-day preparation period for Group 3 dogs and is valid for 12 months from the blood-sample date.
Often, yes. Group 3 dogs commonly need a Leishmania infantum blood test and every dog needs either a current Leptospira Canicola vaccination or a negative Leptospira test. Non-desexed dogs typically also need a Brucella canis blood test. None of these requirements apply to cats on the same pathway. Ehrlichia canis testing used to be required but was removed for dogs in late 2022. Exact sample-collection windows and any country-specific additions depend on your dog's status and country of export, so confirm the current panel for your dog's route with your relocation manager rather than assuming a fixed list applies everywhere.
Airlines require an IATA-compliant crate sized to your specific dog: enough room to stand without their ears touching the roof, turn around fully, and lie down naturally. This is measured from your dog, not read off a breed chart. Because freight is priced on crate volume rather than body weight, larger and giant breeds typically cost significantly more to fly, and some giant breeds need a made-to-measure crate built to order rather than an off-the-shelf size.
Yes, under import law, regardless of the country you're moving from: the Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Japanese Tosa, Pit Bull Terrier, and Presa Canario. Named wolfdog-hybrid breeds, including the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog and Saarloos Wolfdog, are separately banned under wildlife-trade law. Mixed-breed dogs with partial ancestry from a prohibited breed can also be refused, so declare parentage accurately, and confirm your dog's exact breed and any wolf ancestry with your relocation manager since hybrid-content rules are narrower than the standard breed ban. This import ban is separate from state and territory restricted-breed registers, which govern owning a dog once it's already in Australia and cover a different set of breeds. Airlines can separately restrict other breeds, particularly snub-nosed dogs, for their own operational reasons.
The Australian Government's July 2026 estimate for its own permit and quarantine charges is about AUD 3,114 (10-day stay) or AUD 4,234 (30-day stay), the same regardless of dog size. Veterinary preparation, freight, the crate, origin handling, and onward delivery are additional and vary significantly with your dog's size and route, since large and giant breeds need more crate volume and sometimes a made-to-order crate.
These are two different questions. Eligibility is a legal and biosecurity question: whether your dog's breed, country of export, and paperwork are acceptable for this pathway. Fitness to fly is a health question: even a legally eligible dog may not be a safe travel candidate if they're elderly, brachycephalic, pregnant, or managing a medical condition that air travel could worsen. A pre-travel veterinary check should assess fitness to fly specifically, not just confirm vaccinations are current.
No. Sedation is discouraged for air travel because it can affect breathing, balance, and temperature regulation at altitude, and most airlines will refuse a visibly sedated animal. Crate training, started well before departure, is the safer preparation for the Mickleham pathway.
Not legally in every case, but the process involves three separate approvals that all have to line up: Australia's import rules, your origin country's export certification, and the airline's own acceptance policy for your dog's breed, size, and route. None of these substitutes for another. An experienced coordinator is most valuable for large or giant breeds needing a custom crate, non-approved-country routes, medical needs, and fixed deadlines.
Yes, if your dog qualifies as an eligible assistance dog under Australian biosecurity rules, meaning a professionally trained dog assisting a person with a disability, with evidence of that training and medical need. Eligible assistance dogs go through their own import permit and can be considered for adjustments to the standard pathway, including in-cabin travel and fee waivers, on request and with supporting documentation. If your dog doesn't meet the eligible assistance dog definition, they follow the standard companion-dog pathway and fees instead. Confirm your dog's status with your relocation manager early, since it changes several steps.
Checklist for your dog's move to Australia
- Tell us your dog's current country, breed, age, and weight in the dog quote form.
- Receive the likely pathway, timeline, and cost range within 48 hours.
- We sequence identity, RNATT, permit, quarantine, and the flight so you follow one plan.
- Your dog lands in Melbourne, clears Mickleham, and is delivered to your door.
