By The Escape desk · Last verified 7 October 2026
To take a dog or cat out of Singapore, you need an export licence from the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), applied for on the GoBusiness Licensing Portal within 90 days of departure. As of October 2026 it costs S$50 (two working days) or S$100 express (one working day). Most destinations also want a veterinary health certificate endorsed by AVS, at S$23 normal or S$46 express, and AVS asks for a pre-export inspection appointment at least five days before departure. The big catch is the return: AVS states that pets exported from Singapore are treated like first-time imports when they come back, so plan the homecoming before you leave. On Singapore Airlines, pets cannot travel as checked baggage into or out of Singapore; they go as cargo.
Moving abroad with the family dog, or a long stint overseas with your cat? It is very doable, with a calendar and a good vet.
Quick facts
- Export licence: AVS, via GoBusiness; S$50 normal or S$100 express; valid 90 days.
- Health certificate: S$23 normal or S$46 express (express not available for physical endorsement).
- Inspection: request a pre-export appointment at least five days before departure.
- Destination rules: you must meet the importing country’s vaccination, test and paperwork demands.
- Coming back: same import requirements as a first-time import, including a S$50 import licence.
- Airlines: Singapore Airlines carries pets to and from Singapore as cargo, not in the cabin.
Leaving Singapore: step by step
- Check the destination’s import rules with its own authorities. Many require a microchip, rabies vaccination and sometimes a blood test months ahead.
- Book your vet for any vaccinations and tests on the destination’s timetable.
- Arrange transport with your airline or an AVS-recognised pet agent; airlines usually want at least two weeks’ notice.
- Apply for the AVS export licence on GoBusiness within 90 days of departure.
- Request the pre-export inspection at least five days before the pet leaves.
- Get the veterinary health certificate endorsed by AVS.
- Cancel your dog licence in AVS’s PALS system once your dog has left, if it is not coming back soon.
Coming home: the schedule that decides quarantine
Singapore sorts countries into three rabies-risk schedules. Where your pet has been living decides what happens on return.
| Schedule | Examples given by AVS | On arrival in Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule I | Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, UK | No quarantine if fully compliant |
| Schedule II | Includes the US, Canada, Japan and EU countries | At least 10 days’ home quarantine, unless your pet arrives within five days of you and has lived at the same address for six months or more |
| Schedule III | All other countries | At least 30 days at the Animal Quarantine Centre |
For Schedule II and III, AVS requires rabies vaccination and a rabies serology test done at least 90 days and within 12 months before export to Singapore, plus core vaccines and an ISO-standard microchip. Home quarantine uses a smart collar tag charged at S$29 per animal per day.
Airline rules
| Rule (Singapore Airlines) | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pets to or from Singapore | Cannot go as checked baggage; handled as cargo through AVS-recognised pet agents |
| Snub-nosed breeds | Not accepted, including pugs, French bulldogs, shih tzus, Persians and exotic shorthairs |
| Minimum age | 3 months |
| Weight | Pet plus container no more than 32kg on routes where pets go as checked baggage |
| Notice | Contact the airline at least two weeks before departure |
Other airlines set their own rules on breeds, crates and seasonal heat bans, so check each carrier before you book your own ticket.
A worked example: the AVS fees
The Lims take their microchipped, vaccinated dog to the UK for a year and bring him home afterwards, using normal service throughout.
| AVS item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Export licence | S$50 |
| Veterinary health certificate | S$23 |
| Import licence on return | S$50 |
| Total AVS fees | S$123 |
Because the UK is a Schedule I country, their dog can skip quarantine if every requirement is met. The bigger costs are elsewhere: vet visits, any tests, the pet agent and air cargo, which are quoted privately.
The WahLiao Verdict
The AVS paperwork is the cheap, quick part; the destination’s rules and the return trip are what take months. Start with the destination’s requirements and Singapore’s import rules side by side, book a vet and a recognised pet agent early, and if you own a snub-nosed breed, confirm which airlines will carry it before you commit to a move.
Questions people ask
Can my cat fly in the cabin with me from Singapore?
Not on Singapore Airlines, which carries pets to and from Singapore as cargo. Check other airlines individually.
How early should I apply for the export licence?
Within 90 days of departure, since it is valid for 90 days. Normal service takes two working days.
Will my pet need quarantine when we return?
It depends on where it has been: none for compliant Schedule I arrivals, home quarantine for many Schedule II arrivals, and at least 30 days at the centre for Schedule III.
Do I need an agent?
Singapore Airlines says import clearance for personal pets must go through AVS-recognised pet agents, so most owners use one.
Sources: AVS (NParks), exporting dogs and cats: licence, certificate, inspection and fees; AVS (NParks), importing dogs and cats: schedules, quarantine and fees; Singapore Airlines, travelling with pets. The Escape explains; it does not advise.
Read next: Bringing Food Back Into Singapore: What SFA Allows and What Gets Seized · Travel Insurance in Singapore: What It Covers and What It Doesn’t · Back to The Escape
For what’s worth it this week, with the bill shown, read The WahLiao Week.
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