AVA exercises a range of strategies to safeguard against the introduction and spread of animal diseases in Singapore. The regulation of the importation of animals into Singapore is a key strategy.
The import, export and transshipment of animals is regulated under the Animals and Birds Act and its subsidiary legislation.
Only traders appropriately licensed by AVA may import and export animals for commercial purposes:
Domestic birds, table eggs, sheep and goatsA company that wishes to import livestock i.e. poultry, sheep and goats must obtain a License to Import Domestic Birds, Table Eggs, Sheep and Goat from AVA. The license is a one time registration with AVA and no fee is required. Please submit the online application for the Licence to Import Domestic Birds, Table Eggs, Sheep & Goats for Consumption.
Ornamental fishFor information on this licence, please click here.
Pet animals
Persons or companies who wish to import and export pet animals (eg dogs, cats, birds, rabbits etc) for commercial purposes are required to also have premises which are licensed by AVA to keep animals in captivity. For more information on this licence, please click here.
All imports of animals (other than domestic birds, day-old-chicks and day-old-ducklings / goslings) for commercial purposes must be accompanied by an AVA import licence. Application for licence can be made with the online form Application for Licence to Import/Export/Transship Animals/Birds/Eggs/Biologics and obtain a Customs Clearance Permit (CCP) declared through Tradenet prior to importation.
The AVA import licence valid for 30 days from the date of issue and the fee is S$87 per consignment. Please allow 2 working days from date of receipt of complete application to process your application. If the licence is required within a period shorter than 2 working days, an express service fee of an amount equivalent to the licence fee will be charged, in addition to the licence fee. Each licence is valid for one consignment only.
For mixed or cross breed dogs, a coloured photo of the dog showing the face and body clearly must be attached with your online application. This is to help AVA to verify that it is not a breed which is prohibited from import into Singapore.
Detailed import conditions are listed below.
For information on transportation arrangements for dogs and cats with the airlines, and on purchasing your animal container, please click here.
AVA's veterinary conditions and quarantine requirements
The import of personal pets must comply with AVA's veterinary conditions which includes requirements such as health certification, quarantine and inspection by AVA.
Starting 1 January 2010, AVA implemented a new set of import and quarantine requirements as part of our rabies risk management approach to the importation of dogs and cats into Singapore.
The new import requirements involve re-categorising countries according to the rabies risk posed by different countries.
A list of categories and countries/places are as follows:
CATEGORY A
Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom
CATEGORY B
Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, USA (Guam and Hawaii only)
CATEGORY C
Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Spain, United States of America (except Guam and Hawaii)
CATEGORY D
All countries other than those listed in Categories A, B or C
For more information on the veterinary conditions for importation of dogs/cats:
- Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Dogs and Cats for countries under Category A (1/4) (Australia, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, United Kingdom)
- Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Dogs and Cats for countries under Category B (2/4) (Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, USA (Guam and Hawaii only))
- Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Dogs and Cats for countries under Category C (3/4) (Belgium, Canada, Netherlands, Spain, United States of America (except Guam and Hawaii))
- Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Dogs and Cats for countries under Category D (4/4) (All countries other than those listed in Categories A, B or C)
Dogs/cats from Category A or B countries
All imports of dogs and cats from Category A and B countries must be accompanied by an Airline Declaration. The document must be completed by either the captain of the aircraft which the animals arrived in or by an authorised airline staff. This declaration must be presented to CAPQ, AVA upon your pet's arrival in Singapore. A template of the Airline Declaration is found under our Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Dogs/Cats under Category A and Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Dogs/Cats under Category B.
Dogs/cats from Category C or D countries
Dogs and cats from Category C and D countries are required to undergo quarantine upon their arrival in Singapore. As the quarantine station is heavily booked, you are advised to submit your application for quarantine space reservation early. For more information on quarantine reservation, please click here.
Tool to Assist You in Your Preparation for Your Pet's Travel
As a guide, you can also make use of our calculator to plan for your pet's travel to Singapore.
Birds, Small Mammals and other pets
The import of personal pets (other than dogs and cats) must comply with AVA's veterinary conditions which includes requirements such as health certification, quarantine and inspection by AVA.
Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Pet Animals - Birds (Other than Domestic birds)
Veterinary Conditions for the Importation of Pet Animals - Small Mammals
If you are importing bird(s) into Singapore, please click here for the list of Notifiable Avian Influenza (NAI) affected countries. The import of birds from these countries are currently suspended.
For more information, please click here.
Before exporting the animals, you would need to obtain an export licence from AVA. Application for licence can be made with the online form Application for Licence to Import/Export/Transship Animals/Birds/Eggs/Biologics and obtain a CCP through Tradenet prior to exportation.
The AVA export licence valid for 30 days from the date of issue and the fee is S$87 per consignment. Please allow 2 working days from date of receipt to process your application. If the licence is required within a period shorter than 2 working days, an express service fee of an amount equivalent to the licence fee will be charged, in addition to the licence fee. Each licence is valid for one consignment only.
You are advised to obtain well in advance, details of the import requirements from the relevant authorities of the destination country or through the appropriate Embassy or High Commission in Singapore. Should a Veterinary Health Certificate or testing of the animals for diseases be required by the destination country, AVA can provide the following services:
- If a government health certificate or endorsement of a health certificate by an official veterinarian is required, you are advised to first bring the animal to any of the veterinary clinics in Singapore for an examination and a health certificate. Then submit this health certificate for conversion to a government health certificate or for endorsement by AVA. Application for the conversion to a government health certificate can be made with the online form Veterinary Certificate to AVA. The conversion health certificate takes one working day to process and the fee is S$23 per certificate. Endorsement of health certificate may be done within the same day and the fee is S$9.45 per endorsement.
- Laboratory diagnostic services are available at Animal and Plant Health Centre.
For more information, please click here.
For more information, please click here.
To transship animals for commercial purposes via Singapore, you would need to obtain a Transshipment Licence from AVA. The licence is valid for 30 days from the date of issue and the fee is S$87 per consignment for animals and S$62 per consignment for birds. The licence may be done within the same day with no additional surcharge. For the application which has to be duly completed and submitted to AVA with the online form Application for Licence to Import/Export/Transship Animals/Birds/Eggs/Biologics .
Applicants are required to produce a copy of the valid health certificate or valid rabies vaccination (for dogs and cats only) to accompany the application. Additional document such as a copy of the import permit or import licence from the importing country may be required depending on the destination country.
For transit periods of more than four hours, the animals will either be transferred to the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine (CAPQ) or the airline's animal holding area. The accommodation fee in CAPQ is S$26.25 / animal for one day or part thereof (for cats or dogs, with feed) or S$26.25 / kennel unit for one day or part thereof (for other animals or birds, without feed). For more information on the Changi Animal & Plant Quarantine (CAPQ), click here.
Import & Export Regulation Division
Quarantine & Inspection Department
Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority
5 Maxwell Road, #02-03, Tower Block, MND Complex,
Singapore 069110
Tel: 6227 0670 or 6325 7333
Fax: 6227 6305
Email: AVA_Import&Export_Animals@ava.gov.sg
Operating hours:
Mon - Thu : 8.30am - 1.00pm
2.00pm - 6.00pm
Fri :8.30am - 1.00pm
2.00pm - 5.30pm
Sat, Sun and Public Holidays : Closed |
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