This step-by-step guide will help you prepare your cat or dog for import into mainland Australia from Norfolk Island.
While Norfolk Island is an Australian territory, there are plants, animals and pests that are unique to each region. This means you still need to meet certain import conditions for your cat or dog.
You can print this guide and use it as a checklist.
Need to know
This is a complex process. Before you start the import process, we recommend you read this guide in full.
- Allow 1–2 months to complete health checks, treatments and paperwork. Cats and dogs that have resided outside Australia, New Zealand or Norfolk Island may take at least 6 months to prepare for import.
- All procedures must be completed by a registered veterinarian approved by the Norfolk Island Regional Council.
- Fees apply for our services, such as document assessment and inspection in Australia.
- Travel can cause stress to animals. If your cat or dog is sick or elderly, consider if this is the right decision for them.
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We encourage you to use an experienced pet transport agent or shipper.
Importing a cat or dog to Australia can be a complex process.
If the cat or dog has only lived in Australia, New Zealand or Norfolk Island, the typical timeframe is about 1 month.
It will take longer for a cat for dog that has lived outside Australia, New Zealand or Norfolk Island. This may be at least 6-7 months depending on travel history.
You will need to make sure your cat or dog meets a range of import conditions. This includes veterinary checks and treatments with a registered veterinarian on Norfolk Island.
Seek help from a pet transport agent with experience in importing cats or dogs to Australia. They will help guide you through the import process.
To find a pet transport agent or shipper you can:
- search online (use terms like ‘pet transport agent Australia’)
- check the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA).
We cannot recommend one agent over another. We have no influence over any fees or charges an agent may require for their services.
This is an optional step, but we recommend you use an agent.
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You must meet all conditions before you can bring your cat or dog to Australia.
Cats and dogs coming to Australia from Norfolk Island do not need an import permit if they meet the standard health certificate conditions. There is no quarantine period for cats and dogs that meet all other import conditions.
Cats or dogs coming to Australia from Norfolk Island on a vessel via sea (either commercial or non-commercial) must also meet the import conditions in this guide.
Check if this is the right guide for you
This step-by-step guide is for cats or dogs exported from Norfolk Island.
Norfolk Island is considered a Group 1 country. This means it’s an approved country of origin for cats and dogs imported to Australia.
Other Group 1 countries have alternate step by step guides. These are New Zealand and Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
New Zealand
Norfolk Island
You are not sending your cat or dog from Norfolk Island.
Find the right step-by-step guide for your animal and country of export.
If your cat or dog is coming from Norfolk Island, continue through this guide.
Confirm your cat or dog is eligible for import to Australia
To be eligible for import into Australia your cat or dog must have either:
- only lived in Norfolk Island since birth, or
- only lived in Norfolk Island since it was imported directly from Australia or New Zealand, or
- only lived in Norfolk Island for at least 180 days immediately before the proposed date of export (if the cat or dog has ever lived in a country other than Australia or New Zealand).
The 180 days in an approved country is NOT a quarantine period.
Your cat or dog can be living with you or someone else in a group 1 or group 2 approved country while being prepared for export. They must complete a period of quarantine after arriving in Australia.
When you plan to export your cat or dog, it must NOT be:
- under quarantine restrictions
- more than 40 days pregnant
- nursing kittens or puppies.
Some cat and dog breeds are not allowed into Australia.
This includes hybrid cats and dogs (domestic and non-domestic) and some pure-bred dogs that are prohibited breeds.
These bans relate to environmental protection and customs laws.
For more on hybrid animals, you will need to contact the Listings and Threat Abatement Section at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, The Environment, and Water at wps@dcceew.gov.au for more on hybrid animals.
For more on prohibited breeds, you will need to contact the Department of Home Affairs on +61 2 6264 1111 or 131 881 (within Australia).
Cat breeds
Hybrid cats NOT allowed into Australia include:
- Savannah cats: domestic cat (Felis catus) crossed with serval cat (Felis serval)
- Safari cats: domestic cat crossed with Geoffroy cat (Oncifelis Geoffroyi)
- Chausie cats: domestic cat crossed with Jungle cat (Felis chaus)
- Bengal cats: domestic cat crossed with Asian leopard cat (Prionalilurus bengalensis), except in some cases.
If you plan to import a Bengal cat, contact the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water at Exotic.Species@dcceew.gov.au. You’ll need to confirm your cat satisfies their requirements before you export your cat.
Dog breeds
Hybrid dogs NOT allowed into Australia include:
- Czechoslovakian wolfdog or Czechoslovakian Vicak
- Saarloos wolfdog or Saarloos wolfhound
- Lupo Italiano or Italian wolfdog
- Kunming wolfdog or Kunmingdog
Contact the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water at exotic.species@dcceew.gov.au. They can provide more advice on hybrid animals. Pure breed dogs banned from Australia include:
- dogo Argentino
- fila Brasileiro
- Japanese Tosa
- Pit Bull Terrier or American Pit Bull
- Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario.
Contact the Department of Home Affairs on +61 2 6264 1111 or 131 881 (within Australia) for more on prohibited dog breeds.
Mixed-breed dogs are allowed if the dog meets all other import conditions.
If an imported dog is identified as possibly being a prohibited pure breed after arrival in Australia, the Department of Home Affairs may investigate further.
If your cat or dog is sick or old
We do not recommend importing sick or very old animals. Travel can cause them to de-stabilise and rapidly deteriorate. Even cats and dogs with well-managed chronic diseases can arrive in distress and poor health.
If your cat or dog relies on regularly administered medication, please consider that they may be unable to get medication during transport. As a pet owner, you must consider if it’s in your pet’s best interests to travel.
Seek advice from the Norfolk Island Regional Council
Do this before starting the import process.
The Norfolk Island Regional Council is responsible for animal health and exports.
Only vets approved by the Norfolk Island Regional Council can prepare your cat or dog for export.
You will need to follow the Norfolk Island Regional Council advice to prepare your cat or dog for export.
All pre-export veterinary procedures must be completed:
- by a registered veterinarian
- in Norfolk Island
- before departing for Australia.
This process ensures your cat or dog doesn’t bring diseases to Australia.
The Norfolk Island Regional Council will tell you:
- any local procedures or requirements you must meet before you export your cat or dog
- how to find registered veterinarians to prepare your cat or dog for export to Australia.
Don’t risk arriving in Australia with the wrong checks, treatments or certificates.
Talk to the Norfolk Island Regional Council (NIRC). They will tell you who can prepare your pet for export.
Export conditions can vary between countries. The NIRC can advise you on extra steps you need to take that aren’t in this guide.
Read through this guide
We recommend you read this whole guide before you start the import process.
Share this guide with your veterinarian and pet transport agency. They will help you meet all conditions.
The import process takes time.
Make sure you’re aware of how far ahead of export date you need to start each step.
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Microchips are the only approved identification method. The Norfolk Island Regional Council will use the microchip to verify your cat or dog’s identity.
A registered veterinarian must scan the microchip at each visit.
They will check that the microchip number is recorded on all documentation.
Your cat or dog must be implanted with a microchip that is ISO compliant. Generally, microchips with 10 or 15 digits are ISO compliant.
Microchip numbers starting with 999 are not accepted because they are not unique.
It is essential your cat or dog has a working compliant microchip before you start the import process.
The registered veterinarian must scan your animal’s microchip at each veterinary visit and accurately record this on all documents. This is how we match your cat or dog to its preparations and documents.
If a microchip cannot be read or is incorrect in your documents, your cat or dog cannot be imported to Australia.
If your cat or dog has 2 compliant microchips
Both microchips must be scanned at each veterinary visit. They must match all import documents.
If your cat or dog has a compliant microchip and a non-compliant microchip, we will only use the compliant microchip.
If your cat or dog’s microchip stops working
The veterinarian should try multiple microchip scanners to read the microchip. An X-ray can be used to locate the microchip if it has moved from the implant site.
Your cat or dog must arrive in Australia with an ISO compliant microchip that can be scanned and linked to the health certificate.
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Plan enough time to complete all required vet checks and treatments.
You can send your cat or dog by sea or by air. You can use any operator or airline, at their discretion.
You can make the travel arrangements yourself or use an animal transport company.
Find a list of animal transport companies on the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) website.
Your cat or dog must travel directly from Norfolk Island to mainland Australia.
You must pay all transport costs for your cat or dog.
Travel by air
Your cat or dog must travel:
- as manifested cargo (not in the cabin)
- in an International Air Transport Association (IATA) approved crate.
We are not responsible for your cat or dog while they are under the care of the aircraft operator.
Domestic transfers
We will inspect your animal and their import documents at the first point of entry into Australia.
If your cat or dog is connecting with a domestic flight, you’ll need to arrange for it to be moved from the international to the domestic terminal of the airport.
Animal transport agents or pet shippers can help you with this. Find a list of pet shippers on the IPATA website.
Do not book a connecting flight within 1 hour of your animal arriving in Australia.
Allow at least 1 hour for your cat or dog to be released by airline cargo and cleared by us.
See the full IATA guidelines at Traveller's Pet Corner.
Travel by sea
Your cat or dog may travel directly to Australia from Norfolk Island on a vessel.
Cats and dogs travelling on a vessel from Norfolk Island directly to Australia do not need to travel as manifested cargo. They must be secure on the vessel and arrive at a first point of entry for live cats and dogs. They must meet all health certificate requirements and import conditions.
No cats or dogs, except those for import to Australia, may be carried on the vessel without our prior approval.
Find out more about animals on vessels.
You must pay for all transport costs for your cat or dog.
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These must be completed by an approved veterinarian in Norfolk Island.
Check all timings of treatments as soon as possible.
Plan early. You need to make sure you complete all treatments in the correct timeframes before export.
All preparations are calculated from the date of export, local time in the country of export. For calculating timeframes, the date of the treatment or preparation counts as ‘day 0’.
Find a NI Regional Council registered vet
All veterinary preparations must be done:
- by veterinarians registered with the Norfolk Island Regional Council
- in Norfolk Island.
To find a registered veterinarian contact the Norfolk Island Regional Council.
We recommend you share this step-by-step guide with the registered vet.
Your vet will help you make sure you meet all import conditions. This information is also useful to share with pet transport companies.
Check recommended vaccinations
This is an optional step.
We recommend that your cat or dog is vaccinated against diseases that are present in Australia.
Some Australian states and territories have their own vaccination requirements. It’s your responsibility to check and comply with these.
Cats
We recommend that your cat is vaccinated against:
- feline enteritis (also known as feline panleucopenia or feline distemper)
- rhinotracheitis
- calicivirus.
These diseases exist in Australia.
Dogs
We recommend that your dog is vaccinated against:
- distemper
- hepatitis
- parvovirus
- parainfluenza
- Bordetella bronchiseptica.
These diseases exist in Australia.
Treat for external parasites
A registered veterinarian must treat your cat or dog with a topical product that kills ticks and fleas on contact within 5 days before the date of export to Australia.
The chosen product must remain effective against new flea and tick infestations until the date of export. Oral treatments for external parasites do not generally meet Australian import conditions.
The veterinarian may need to repeat treatment to maintain protection until export. They must follow the manufacturer’s directions. If the reapplication periods for fleas and ticks differ, you must follow the shortest reapplication period.
At each visit after the treatment has started, the veterinarian must examine your cat or dog for external parasites. If fleas or ticks are found they must be removed, and the treatment restarted.
See acceptable external parasite treatments.
Do this within 5 days before the date of export to Australia. Repeat according to manufacturer’s directions.
To calculate 5 days before the date of export, count the first day of treatment as day 0. For example, if treatment is given on 1 January, then the latest date of export is 6 January.
Treat for internal parasites
A registered veterinarian must treat your cat or dog with a compliant internal parasite treatment effective against nematodes and cestodes (internal parasites). This must be done within 5 days before the date of export to Australia.
See acceptable internal parasite treatments.
within 5 days before the date of export to Australia.
To calculate 5 days before the date of export, count the first day of treatment as day 0. For example, if treatment is given on 1 January, then the latest date of export is 6 January.
Ask your vet about products that cover both nematodes and cestodes
Combined products that cover both nematodes and cestodes are available in many countries.
Time saver
It’s acceptable to do the final health check and internal and external parasite treatments at the same vet visit.
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These are the final preparation activities before you export your cat or dog.
Cats and dogs coming to mainland Australia from Norfolk Island do not need an import permit. You will need a veterinary health certificate.
Get a veterinary health certificate
Make sure the right person fills in each part of the veterinary health certificate.
Parts 1 and 2 is completed by the animal’s owner or representative.
Part 3 is completed by a registered veterinarian of Norfolk Island.
Part 4 is completed by a registered government officer of Norfolk Island.
Parts 1 and 2
You must declare the details of your cat or dog. This includes:
- name, breed, sex, age and microchip number
- name and address of exporter on Norfolk Island
- name and address of consignee in mainland Australia
- scheduled date of export and flight number
- your cat or dog has resided on Norfolk Island for 180 days or since birth, or import from Australia or New Zealand
- that they are not under quarantine restrictions
Part 3
A registered veterinarian must certify that your animal has been:
- examined within 5 days before the date of export
- is free of ticks, infections and contagious disease and is fit to travel
- has been treated for internal and external parasites with 5 days before the date of export.
Part 4
A registered government officer must certify that in the 12 months before the date of export, Norfolk Island has had no cases of:
- rabies
- canine brucellosis
- canine monocytic ehrlichiosis
- canine leishmaniasis
- canine leptospirosis.
They also certify that no animals have been imported into Norfolk Island except from Australia and New Zealand within 5 years before the date of export.
Download the veterinary health certificate
Make sure you use this form:
- Import health certification – cats and dogs from Norfolk Island to mainland Australia (PDF 201 KB)
- Import health certification – cats and dogs from Norfolk Island to mainland Australia (DOCX 609 KB)
If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.
Check office hours and timeframes
Government offices may be closed over local public holidays and weekends. You will need to make sure that you have enough time to get the veterinary health certificate endorsed before export.
Book a pre-export clinical examination
Your cat or dog must be examined for external parasites and clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease. A registered veterinarian must do this within 5 days before the date of export.
You must bring a copy of the veterinary health certificate to this visit. The registered vet will complete their section.
The vet must declare that the animal is:
- free from external parasites and clinical signs of infectious or contagious disease
- has been treated for internal and external parasites
- is fit for travel.
Within 5 days before your cat or dog’s export date
It’s acceptable to the internal and external parasite treatments at the same time as the final vet check.
Check office hours and timeframes
Government offices may be closed over local public holidays and weekends. You will need to make sure that you have enough time to get the veterinary health certificate endorsed before export.
Gather your import documents
Send all import documents with your cat or dog.
Your veterinary health certificate and relevant documents must travel to Australia with your cat or dog.
Keep a copy of each document for your records.
Your cat or dog must arrive in Australia with these documents:
- A veterinary health certificate
The veterinary health certificate must be an original document. Copies will not be accepted.
Notify us
You must notify us at least 3 days before your cat or dog arrives.
Email the regional office in the state or territory your animal will first arrive in Australia.
Your email must include:
- the date and estimated time of arrival
- the flight number (unless travelling via vessel)
- the air waybill number (unless travelling via vessel)
- a short description of your cat or dog
- a contact phone number in Australia or Norfolk Island
- whether your dog is an assistance dog.
If your cat or dog is coming to Australia from Norfolk Island on a vessel, the vessel master must notify us at least 3 days before arrival at the first port of entry in Australia.
Office contacts in Australia
- New South Wales – ceranimalimports@aff.gov.au
- Victoria – seanimal@aff.gov.au AND VIC.Controller@aff.gov.au
- Queensland – qldliveanimalimports@aff.gov.au
- South Australia – cargosa@aff.gov.au
- Western Australia – waliveanimalimports@aff.gov.au
- Tasmania – tas.controller@aff.gov.au
- Northern Territory – ntliveanimalimports@aff.gov.au AND ntcontroller@aff.gov.au
- Australian Capital Territory – actregoffice@aff.gov.au
General inquiry: 1800 900 090 or + 61 3 8318 6700 (from outside Australia).
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What to do when you’re ready to send your cat or dog, and what will happen when they arrive.
Pay fees and charges
Pay any fees up front before you send your cat or dog to Australia.
You will be charged for the time taken to assess the documents that arrive with your animal.
Details of our fees can be found in our charging guidelines. Contact the relevant state or territory office to determine the fees for clearing your cat or dog.
Fees are usually collected by the airline carrying your animal. The payment should appear on the air waybill (issued by the airline). We will invoice the airline to recover the fees.
Make sure your air waybill includes details of fees you have paid.
If the air waybill does not include these fees, you will need to pay us before your animal is released.
Prepare your cat or dog for air travel
On the day of air travel:
- place your cat or dog in an International Air Transport Association (IATA) approved crate (see Step 4)
- do not place any items, including toys, medication or items of value, in the crate (these will be destroyed as biosecurity waste upon arrival)
In most cases, you will check your cat or dog in at the freight terminal, not the passenger terminal.
If your dog or cat is travelling with you on a vessel, refer to our animals on vessels page for more information.
Check with your airline to find out which terminal you need to use.
When your cat or dog arrives in Australia
Cats and dogs must be cleared at the first point of entry in Australia. This applies to animals arriving by air and sea.
A biosecurity officer will check the cat or dog. They must verify that all details match the import documents.
Your animal will be released from biosecurity control if everything is acceptable. If not, more documents may be requested.
If your cat or dog is transferring to a domestic flight, this can happen after they are cleared by us.
Register you cat or dog in Australia
You are responsible for meeting any local requirements in Australia.
Contact your local Australian council or government. They can tell you what you must do. This might include registering your cat or dog and their microchip and paying yearly fees.
Your local veterinary hospital or animal shelter may also be able to advise you.
We are not involved in local council and national microchip registration databases.