Data report · Updated October 2026
Bringing a Pet Dog to India: Import Rules, the Two-Pet Limit, Rabies Timing, AQCS Airports and Quarantine in 2026
A person transferring residence to India after at least two years abroad can bring up to two pet dogs or cats as baggage, without a DGFT licence. Everyone else needs a DGFT import licence. Every dog needs an advance No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS), applied for at least 7 days before travel. Its rabies shot must be given more than one month but within 12 months before departure. AQCS charges Rs 1,000 per import application, and dogs can enter at only seven airports and seaports.
Key findings
- A passenger may bring at most 2 pet dogs or cats as baggage, and only when transferring residence after 2 years abroad. The limit is in CBIC Circular 35/2020 and the Baggage Rules 2026 FAQ.
- Short visits, pets sent as cargo outside the baggage rules and all other cases need an import licence from DGFT.
- The AQCS advance NOC must be applied for at least 7 days before embarkation and is issued within 1 working day, per the DAHD SOP.
- AQCS says a dog of 3 months or older must get its rabies shot more than 1 month but within 12 months before embarkation.
- A healthy dog gets its final NOC at the airport; a dog showing disease signs goes into AQCS quarantine for 15 days, with tests at the owner's cost.
- Since 1 May 2025, AQCS charges Rs 1,000 per import application, pets included. Keeping a dog in quarantine costs Rs 800 a day (DAHD order of 28 April 2025).
- Pets can enter only through Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi; Kochi has been open with no end date since 10 October 2024.
- Since a DAHD order of 20 February 2025, the final NOC is issued round the clock at the port of entry.
- DGFT barred the import of dogs for breeding or other commercial activity on 25 April 2016. The Madras High Court set that notification aside in June 2023; the Centre appealed, and AQCS still lists commercial import as not permitted.
- Pets (dogs and cats) are one of the three animal groups India imports in the highest volume, DAHD told a WOAH workshop in July 2025.
How many pet dogs can I bring to India?
Two at most. CBIC Circular 35/2020 allows a maximum of 2 pets, only dogs and cats, with a passenger who is transferring residence to India after 2 years' stay abroad. The customs FAQ on the Baggage Rules 2026, in force from 2 February 2026, repeats the two-pet, two-year rule and says pets must be declared at the Red Channel.
The rule is narrower than it once was. A 2002 customs circular allowed up to two pets per passenger for anyone. From 15 April 2013, under a circular of 8 April, customs limited the two-pet baggage allowance to people moving home after two years of continuous stay abroad.
Everyone else, including visitors on a short stay, needs an import licence from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) before AQCS will issue its NOC. A dog that left India with an AQCS export certificate can come back under a separate re-import route.
| Rule | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pets per passenger under baggage rules | 2 (dogs and cats only) | CBIC Circular 35/2020 |
| Stay abroad for baggage route | 2 years | CBIC Circular 35/2020; Baggage Rules 2026 FAQ |
| Apply to AQCS for advance NOC | At least 7 days before embarkation (7 working days in the SOP flow chart), online through ATITHI 2.0 | DAHD SOP; AQCS dog guidelines, 2026 |
| AQCS decision on advance NOC | Within 1 working day | DAHD SOP, 2020 and 2021 |
| Rabies vaccination, dogs 3 months and older | More than 1 month, within 12 months before embarkation | AQCS baggage page |
| Unaccompanied pet arrives | Within 1 month of the owner's arrival | AQCS baggage page |
| Quarantine if unfit on arrival | 15 days at the AQCS station | DAHD SOP |
| AQCS processing fee | Rs 1,000 per import application (from 1 May 2025) | DAHD order, 28 April 2025 |
| Quarantine accommodation for a dog | Rs 800 a day | DAHD order, 28 April 2025 |
The airline will not load the dog until the advance NOC is issued, CBIC says. Airline fees and crate rules are in our trains and flights report, so we do not repeat them here.
When should my dog get its rabies vaccine before flying to India?
More than 1 month and within 12 months before departure. AQCS sets that window for dogs of 3 months or older, and it must be officially certified on the health certificate.
The health certificate must also state that the dog shows no clinical sign of rabies, canine distemper, parvovirus, leptospirosis, infectious canine hepatitis, scabies or leishmaniasis. The owner's name on it must match the air ticket.
AQCS Import of Pets under Baggage page (aqcsindia.gov.in, last updated August 2026, seen 18 October 2026) and CBIC Circular 35/2020.
Show the numbers
| Label | months |
|---|---|
| Owner's continuous stay abroad (baggage route) | 24 (2 years) |
| Rabies shot, latest before departure | 12 |
| Dog's minimum age for the rabies rule | 3 |
| Rabies shot, earliest before departure | 1 |
| Unaccompanied pet after owner arrives | 1 |
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Rabies vaccine prices in India are in our anti-rabies injection cost report, and the wider schedule is in our vet vaccination costs report.
Which airports in India allow pet dog import?
Seven. CBIC Circular 07/2025 lists Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi airports, and the airports or seaports of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
AQCS runs six stations: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Kochi falls under AQCS Chennai, and the airport set up a pet station with AQCS, DAHD told a WOAH workshop in July 2025.
Kochi took four notifications. S.O. 4025(E) of 6 November 2020 first let pet dogs and cats in there until 31 March 2021. S.O. 2825(E) of 14 July 2021 set a new end date of 30 September 2021, and S.O. 489(E) of 4 February 2022 extended it to 30 June 2022. S.O. 4396(E) of 10 October 2024 allowed pets through Kochi with no end date.
| Entry point | Type | AQCS station | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi | Airport | Delhi | |
| Mumbai | Airport or seaport | Mumbai | |
| Chennai | Airport or seaport | Chennai | |
| Kolkata | Airport or seaport | Kolkata | |
| Bengaluru | Airport | Bengaluru | Animal quarantine facility notified 11 January 2023 (S.O. 191(E)) |
| Hyderabad | Airport | Hyderabad | |
| Kochi | Airport | Chennai | Time-limited from 6 November 2020 to 30 June 2022 (3 notifications); no end date from 10 October 2024 |
Pick your flight to land at one of these seven. A dog booked into any other Indian airport cannot be cleared there. A pet that arrives without a valid advance NOC is issued a deportation or re-export order, AQCS's current guidelines say.
Is there quarantine for dogs entering India?
Only if the dog fails the arrival check. Then it stays 15 days at the AQCS quarantine station and is tested, and the owner pays for the tests, says the DAHD SOP. Since 1 May 2025 quarantine accommodation costs Rs 800 a day for a dog, which is Rs 12,000 for 15 days (our calculation), before tests.
A healthy dog is cleared at the airport. Since a DAHD order of 20 February 2025, AQCS issues the final NOC round the clock at the port of entry. The owner must already hold the advance NOC and have emailed the arrival date and time. AQCS's current dog guidelines say the advance NOC is now applied for online through CBIC's ATITHI 2.0 portal.
The NOC is no longer free. From 1 May 2025, a DAHD order of 28 April set a charge of Rs 1,000 per bill of entry or application for imports of livestock, livestock products and pets. The 2020 SOP form had said no charge was levied. The current AQCS pet dog guidelines repeat the Rs 1,000 charge for pets under the baggage rule, paid online through the Bharatkosh portal. If a quarantined dog tests positive or dies of disease, deportation or post-mortem and incineration are at the owner's cost.
DAHD SOP for import of live animals (15 July 2020, reissued 31 March 2021) and AQCS baggage page. Commercial dogs are those imported under a DGFT licence for research or security.
Show the numbers
| Label | days |
|---|---|
| Pre-export quarantine, commercial dogs | 30 |
| Final clearance in re-import cases of doubt | 30 |
| Quarantine if unfit, or for all commercial dogs | 15 |
| Apply for advance NOC before embarkation | 7 |
| AQCS decision on advance NOC | 1 working day |
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The heat on the ground can be harder on a dog than the flight. See how hot is too hot for dogs in India before you plan a summer landing.
What changed in India's pet import rules after 2023?
Six changes since January 2023 (our count). Bengaluru got an animal quarantine facility and Kochi became a pet entry point with no end date. Final clearance moved to the airport round the clock, and AQCS began charging Rs 1,000 per import application. The Baggage Rules 2026 replaced the 2016 rules, and stranded Indians from the Middle East got a one-time relaxation.
DAHD issued the Middle East relaxation on 12 March 2026, and CBIC passed it on in Circular 11/2026 of 16 March. Owners could bring pets without the usual pre-export papers if the pet had lived with them for at least one month. A similar one-time relaxation was made for Indians leaving Ukraine in February 2022. Under it, vaccinations delayed by not more than 15 days were also accepted. Under the 2026 order, a pet with late or incomplete vaccinations, or with no health certificate, is vaccinated for rabies at the port. The owner pays.
| Date | Change | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Jan 2002 | Pets allowed only against a DAHD sanitary permit or a DGFT licence | CBEC Circular 9/2002 |
| 23 Dec 2002 | Up to 2 pets (dogs and cats) per passenger with a health certificate, no licence | CBEC Circular 94/2002 |
| 15 Apr 2013 | Two-pet baggage route limited to transfer of residence after 2 years abroad (circular dated 8 April 2013) | CBEC Circular 15/2013 |
| 1 Jul 2013 | Re-import of pets as baggage clarified as allowed | CBEC Circular 25/2013 |
| 25 Apr 2016 | Import of dogs for breeding or commercial activity barred | DGFT Notification 3/2015-2020 |
| 15 Jul 2020 | Standard SOPs and forms for live animal and pet import | DAHD |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Old customs circulars withdrawn; clearance only on AQCS final NOC | CBIC Circular 35/2020 |
| 6 Nov 2020 | Pet dogs and cats allowed through Kochi airport until 31 March 2021 | DAHD S.O. 4025(E) |
| 31 Mar 2021 | SOPs confirmed; final NOC at port of entry for healthy pets | DAHD |
| 14 Jul 2021 | Kochi pet entry extended to 30 September 2021 | DAHD S.O. 2825(E) |
| 4 Feb 2022 | Kochi pet entry extended to 30 June 2022 | DAHD S.O. 489(E) |
| Feb 2022 | One-time relaxation for pets of Indians leaving Ukraine | DAHD |
| 11 Jan 2023 | Live animal import allowed through Bengaluru quarantine facility | DAHD S.O. 191(E) |
| 10 Oct 2024 | Pet dogs and cats allowed through Kochi airport with no end date | DAHD S.O. 4396(E) |
| 20 Feb 2025 | Final NOC issued round the clock at the port of entry | DAHD |
| 5 Mar 2025 | Customs told to follow the round-the-clock NOC; 7 entry points listed | CBIC Circular 07/2025 |
| 1 May 2025 | AQCS processing charge of Rs 1,000 per import application; quarantine accommodation Rs 800 a day for a dog | DAHD order of 28 Apr 2025 |
| 2 Feb 2026 | Baggage Rules 2026 in force; customs FAQ keeps the 2-pet, 2-year transfer of residence rule | CBIC Notification 14/2026-Customs (N.T.) |
| 12 Mar 2026 | One-time relaxation for pets of Indians stranded in the Middle East | DAHD; CBIC Circular 11/2026 |
Count of the 19 DAHD, CBEC/CBIC and DGFT orders in the timeline table above, by year issued. Compiled by dogeats.in from the orders themselves.
Show the numbers
| Label | orders |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 | 2 |
Embed this chart
Counting the 19 orders in the table, 2020 and 2025 were the busiest years with 3 each: in 2020 DAHD standardised the import SOPs and CBIC withdrew its old circulars. Kochi alone accounts for 4 of the 19.
None of these changes raised the two-pet limit or dropped the DGFT licence for short visits.
Can I import a dog into India for breeding or sale?
Not under the rules AQCS applies. DGFT Notification 3/2015-2020 of 25 April 2016 allows dogs to be imported for only 3 purposes. They are a pet with a valid pet book in the importer's name, research recommended by CPCSEA, and defence and police security work.
In June 2023 a single judge of the Madras High Court set that notification aside, and the Centre appealed; we could not find the result of the appeal. AQCS's baggage page still says import of commercial dogs for breeding or other commercial activity is not permitted. The owner must declare that the pet is not for commercial use, a gift or breeding. More on the court fight is in our breeding licence report.
- Pet dogs: allowed with a valid pet book in the importer's name.
- Research dogs: allowed on CPCSEA recommendation, under a DGFT licence.
- Defence and police dogs: allowed for internal security.
- Breeding or trade: not permitted under the 2016 notification, which the Madras High Court set aside in June 2023 (the Centre's appeal outcome not found).
Some breeds face local restrictions once they arrive. Check our banned dog breeds tracker and your city's dog registration fees before you fly.
What documents do I need to bring my dog to India?
At least 6 papers for the baggage route (our count). You need proof of 2 years abroad and of moving home, the official health certificate, vaccination records, the microchip number, the advance AQCS NOC and your ticket. Each one has to match the others.
AQCS checks only the veterinary papers. Customs checks the rest, including the transfer of residence proof or the DGFT licence, DAHD's July 2020 SOP order says.
- Proof of 2 years' continuous stay abroad and of transferring residence (visa cancellation or relocation papers).
- Official veterinary health certificate from the exporting country, in the Indian format.
- Rabies vaccination given more than 1 month and within 12 months before departure, plus other vaccinations, all certified.
- Microchip number on the application and the health certificate.
- Owner's declaration that the pet is not for trade, gift or breeding.
- Advance NOC from AQCS, applied for through the ATITHI 2.0 portal at least 7 days before embarkation (Rs 1,000 processing charge).
- Owner's ticket, or passport with immigration stamp if the pet travels unaccompanied within 1 month.
Once home, the next steps are local: society rules, registration and a vet. Our dog laws and housing societies report and most pet friendly cities ranking are a good start.
Frequently asked questions
How many pets can I bring to India?
Up to 2 pet dogs or cats as baggage, and only if you are transferring residence to India after 2 years abroad. CBIC Circular 35/2020 and the Baggage Rules 2026 FAQ both set this limit. Other cases need a DGFT import licence.
Do I need a DGFT licence to bring my dog to India?
Not if you are moving home after 2 years abroad with at most 2 pets as baggage. Re-importing a dog that left India with an AQCS certificate also needs no licence. Short visits and other cases need a DGFT licence.
How early should I apply for the AQCS NOC?
At least 7 days before embarkation, through the ATITHI 2.0 portal; the SOP's flow chart says 7 working days. AQCS decides on the advance NOC within 1 working day, according to the DAHD SOP.
When should my dog get the rabies vaccine before travel to India?
More than 1 month and within 12 months before departure, for dogs of 3 months or older, per AQCS.
Is there quarantine for dogs coming to India?
Only if the dog fails the arrival check. It then stays 15 days at the AQCS station, and the owner pays for tests. Healthy dogs are cleared at the airport.
Which Indian airports accept pet dogs?
Seven: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi. Kochi works under the AQCS station in Chennai.
How much does AQCS charge for a pet NOC?
Rs 1,000 per import application since 1 May 2025, under a DAHD order of 28 April 2025. If the dog is quarantined, accommodation is Rs 800 a day and the owner also pays for lab tests.
Can I bring a dog to India to breed or sell?
AQCS says no. DGFT barred importing dogs for breeding or commercial activity on 25 April 2016. The Madras High Court set that notification aside in June 2023 and the Centre appealed, so check with AQCS and DGFT before planning any such import.
Since when can pet dogs land at Kochi airport?
Kochi was first opened to pet dogs and cats on 6 November 2020, for a limited period that was extended twice to 30 June 2022. Since 10 October 2024 it has been open with no end date, under AQCS Chennai.
Methodology and limitations
We read the primary orders. They include the 2020 DAHD SOP for live animal imports, reissued on 31 March 2021, and DAHD orders of 20 February 2025 and 12 March 2026. We also read the DAHD notifications on Bengaluru (S.O. 191(E), 2023) and Kochi (S.O. 4025(E), 2020; S.O. 2825(E), 2021; S.O. 489(E), 2022; S.O. 4396(E), 2024).
Customs and trade orders read were CBIC Circular 35/2020 and the CBEC circulars of 2002 and 2013 bundled in DAHD's 'Import of Pets under Baggage' file. We also read DGFT Notification 3/2015-2020 and the Baggage Rules 2026 FAQ published by Bengaluru Customs.
On 18 October 2026 the new www.dahd.gov.in upload files and the live AQCS baggage page (last updated August 2026) both opened, and they match the copies the writer used. The AQCS dog guidelines (file dated August 2026) and the DAHD charges order of 28 April 2025 were read on aqcsindia.gov.in the same day. The 2021 SOP and the 2020 and 2021 Kochi notifications are on the old dahd.gov.in paths, so we read Internet Archive copies of those URLs. CBIC Circular 35/2020 was read from a copy on referencer.in.
Limits are stated as the orders give them. We did not convert months to days. Circular 07/2025's list of entry points is taken from the text reproduced by A2Z Taxcorp, and it matches the DAHD notifications we opened. The orders-by-year chart counts only the orders in our timeline table.
Sources
- Animal Quarantine and Certification Services: Import of Pets under Baggage (last updated August 2026), Rabies 1 to 12 months before embarkation, dogs 3 months and older, up to 2 pets, unaccompanied within 1 month, 30-day re-import clearance; commercial dog import not permitted
- DAHD order of 28 April 2025 on AQCS processing fees and quarantine accommodation charges, effective 1 May 2025, Rs 1,000 per import application; Rs 800 a day for a dog in quarantine
- AQCS, guidelines and SOP for import of pet dogs (file dated August 2026), ATITHI 2.0 portal, 7 days before embarkation, 1 working day, 15-day quarantine, deportation without valid NOC, Rs 1,000 processing charge
- Also consulted: Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, OM of 31 March 2021 with SOPs for import of live animals into India (SOPs dated 15 July 2020), Internet Archive copy, CBIC Circular No. 35/2020-Customs, 10 August 2020 (copy on referencer.in), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, OM of 20 February 2025 on final quarantine clearance of pet dogs and cats, DAHD OM of 11 October 2024 enclosing Notification S.O. 4396(E) on Kochi airport, DAHD OM of 15 February 2022 enclosing Notification S.O. 489(E), DAHD Notification S.O. 4025(E), 6 November 2020 (Internet Archive copy), DAHD Notification S.O. 2825(E), 14 July 2021 (Internet Archive copy), DAHD OM of 12 January 2023 enclosing Notification S.O. 191(E), DAHD OM of 12 March 2026 on pets of Indians stranded in war-hit Middle East countries, DAHD OM of February 2022 on pets of Indians rescued from Ukraine, DAHD file 'Import of Pets under Baggage': CBEC Circulars 94/2002, 15/2013 and 25/2013, DGFT Notification No. 3/2015-2020, 25 April 2016 (copy on Taxsutra), DAHD presentation to the WOAH regional workshop on border control, July 2025, A2Z Taxcorp, text of CBIC Circular 07/2025-Customs, 5 March 2025, Bengaluru Customs, FAQs on Baggage Rules 2026 and other customs measures, February 2026, TaxGuru, text of CBIC Circular 11/2026-Customs, 16 March 2026, LiveLaw, Madras High Court sets aside notification banning import of dogs for commercial activities, 11 June 2023, Air India, Travelling with pets page (via our trains and flights report), Madras High Court ruling of June 2023 on the commercial dog import ban (via our breeding licence report).
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