What do you need to import a dog into Singapore?
You need an AVS import licence, and to get one you must first hold a dog licence in the PALS system. Beyond that, every dog needs the basics; strict origins add a rabies titre test and quarantine on top.
The universal requirements, as of 2026:
- Dog licence in PALS, then an import licence via GoBusiness — S$50 normal (about 2 working days) or S$100 express, valid 90 days
- ISO microchip (standard 11784/11785); the number must appear on every vaccination record
- Minimum age 12 weeks at export, with valid core vaccinations (distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus)
- Veterinary health certificate issued 2-7 days before travel, plus external and internal parasite treatment
- IATA-approved rigid crate for air transfers — soft carriers are not accepted
What varies — and it changes everything — is the rabies rules, which depend entirely on the country of export.
Which countries need quarantine to bring a dog to Singapore?
Singapore sorts every country into three rabies-risk schedules, and the schedule decides whether your dog walks straight home or spends a month in quarantine. Schedule I is quarantine-free; Schedule III means 30 days locked in.
| Schedule | Countries | Rabies test | Quarantine |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom | Not required | None |
| II | USA, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, most of Western Europe | RNATT required | 10 days home/facility (exemption possible) |
| III | Everywhere else — including Malaysia | RNATT required | 30 days at the Animal Quarantine Centre |
Schedule II and III dogs both need a rabies antibody (RNATT) blood test at an approved laboratory, drawn at least 28 days after rabies vaccination and showing an adequate titre before the dog can travel. A Schedule II dog can skip its 10-day quarantine only in narrow cases — for example, entering within five days of the owner and having lived at the same overseas address for six months or more.
Do I need to quarantine a dog imported from Malaysia?
Yes — a dog brought in from Malaysia must serve at least 30 days at the Animal Quarantine Centre (AQC) and is given a rabies vaccination on arrival. Malaysia is not in Schedule I or II, which places it in Schedule III, despite the land border.
This catches out families relocating across the Causeway. The full path for a Malaysian dog is: rabies vaccination and RNATT test in Malaysia well ahead of the move, an AVS import licence, a pre-booked AQC quarantine slot (space is limited and books out), a fresh health and rabies certificate from a Malaysian vet, inspection at the checkpoint, then the 30-day stay before the dog comes home.
How much does it cost to import a dog to Singapore?
Importing a dog costs from about S$50 (licence only, for a Schedule I dog) to roughly S$1,000-1,300 for a Schedule III dog once 30 days of quarantine is added — before flights and agent fees. Quarantine is the largest fixed cost. The published figures as of 2026:
| Item | Cost (S$) |
|---|---|
| Import licence (normal / express) | 50 / 100 |
| AQC quarantine, 30 days — fan-cooled | ~780 (S$26/day) |
| AQC quarantine, 30 days — air-conditioned | ~1,050 (S$35/day) |
| Rabies titre test, vet prep, certificates | varies by clinic |
| Flights / pet transport / agent fees | varies widely by route and dog size |
Quarantine day-rates rise on 1 December 2026 to S$36 (fan-cooled) and S$44 (air-conditioned), taking a 30-day stay to roughly S$1,080-1,320. Slots are booked through the Quarantine Management System, so reserve before you fly rather than after you land.
How many dogs can I keep once it arrives?
One approved dog per HDB flat, or up to three dogs in a private property. Importing a dog you cannot legally house is an expensive mistake, so confirm your dog's breed is allowed before you ship anything.
HDB flats allow a single dog, and only from HDB's approved-breed list, which rules out many larger and guard breeds. Private properties allow up to three dogs or cats combined, with no approved-breed restriction. Check the current list against your dog before you commit — the full rules sit in our guide to HDB's dog ownership rules.
What changed for pet imports in 2026?
From 1 April 2026, only AVS-recognised pet agents can handle import clearance for dogs and cats arriving by air at the Changi animal facility — owners can no longer clear the animal themselves. Home-quarantine cases (Schedule II) also now use a monitored smart collar at S$29 per animal per day. Large crates exceeding 82cm × 64cm × 58cm must be collected in person at the Tuas facility.
Everything above is the Singapore side of the move. The mirror-image process — the paperwork, titre timelines and flights for flying a dog out of Singapore — runs on the same six-month lead time, and once your dog clears quarantine the settling-in playbook for a new home is the same one every relocated dog needs. The AVS export licence steps and fees are on our exporting pets from Singapore page.
